This year's confusion: how to stop the overdone turkey syndrome!

macmccaskie

First it was the too hot oil in the fryer.  Then the not calibrated dome thermometer with chared remains in the drip pan that was sitting on the plate-setter.

This year I'm armed to the teeth with a Therma-pen at the ready and the BBQ Guru acting as Drill Instructor (stop, go, stop, go, stop...)!

Do I truss the bird like they do here? or let wings and legs flop in the breeze?

Dump the BGE drip pan and V-Rack in favor of a wider lower foil drip pan?  Thinking the legs back and wings will cook hotter.

To keep the juices from incarnating should I put a pizza stone under an elevated drip pan (over the plate-setter) with V-Rack.

Thanks, <just call me OCD> Mac

Mickey

Or drop all that. 400 direct, raised and use you Thermapen to check for 160 in the breast. You just don't need all that. Yes I bought all that crap and it all sits in the garage. No wires ever (spatchcocked).

macmccaskie

Good looking bird, I've done spachcocked chicken and it was great!  I'll have to consider it.

Little Steven

Regardless whether you do spatched or not keep the legs apart. No Henapple that was not a shout out to you

lkapigian

I use a v rack cover parts of the bird loosely after they have darkened to prevent burning....I still trust the wiggle of the leg more than anything. .......I do make a paste of roasted garlic butter and salt stuff under the skin and in the cavity drizzle garlic olive oil before and a couple of times during....12- 14 lbs 2.5 3 hrsish give or take , never burned always done, juicy and great. Never have brined

macmccaskie

Little Steven: "keep the legs apart" - good advice for the turkey, otherwise I will not go there...;)

lkapigian: what temp?  I got it into my head I'd do 225 - 250.

theyolksonyou

I'm planning closer to 350 indirect. That was where I ran my test bird and that worked out ok. 13# bird for about 3 hr and some change in a rack indirect.

Eggbertsdad

Will a 12 lb spatch-cocked turkey fit on a large? I don't want to do this if it won't fit.

Thanks!

theyolksonyou

Eggbertsdad said:

Will a 12 lb spatch-cocked turkey fit on a large? I don't want to do this if it won't fit.

Thanks!

I've done 3 5# chickens on my large at one time so I'm guessing yes. Put a string around the thickest part of the thighs and see how long that is. It would be a little smaller than that. Just a thought, never tested it. I'm not working tomorrow so you can guess my state of mind. FWIW.

CincyTiki

@Eggbertsdad‌ - 16lb Spatch'd on a Large, no problem

RRP

Here is a comparison for you - if chewing your turkey is like taking a bite of this balsa wood airplane then you probably over cooked it!

revolver1

RRP said:

Here is a comparison for you - if chewing your turkey is like taking a bite of this balsa wood airplane then you probably over cooked it!

That's a good one RRP.

pileit1971

CincyTiki said:

@Eggbertsdad‌ - 16lb Spatch'd on a Large, no problem

Looks good, so you do your Spatch'd indirect?

JRWhitee

I have to agree with Mickey, I am going spatchcock this year as well. Raised 400 just like I do my chickens. 

Mickey

JRWhitee said:

I have to agree with Mickey, I am going spatchcock this year as well. Raised 400 just like I do my chickens. 

Plus 1

CincyTiki

@pileit1971‌ I do Spatch'd Turkey both direct and indirect. If I am doing dressing, I go indirect and put a small spacer on top of the platesetter and then the pan of dressing, that way the dressing gets flavored with the drippings from the bird. (Need the spacer to not burn the dressing) I put a separate temp probe in the dressing since it gets done well before the Turkey, turned it to carbon the first year without one (that was ugly) If I am just doing the Turkey, I go raised direct. We will go to Costco first thing Friday morning and the Turkeys will be 1/2 price (or less), we will pick up 3, and set up a spatch'd assembly line, cooking them in a row one after the other, vac packaging and freezing them. Lots of good eating out of the freezer for months.

pileit1971

How high is "raised"?

I have the AR Rig, just curious if the felt line is good, or should I put it on the top level...

And I am sure this is kind of the difference, but how much space between the fire ring and charcoal level.  Know its not a long cook, so guessing don't want to fill it up as it will put coals to close to bird.

Thanks guys!

JRWhitee

The higher the better, I will put mine on the top of the AR.

Mickey

pileit1971 said:

How high is "raised"?

I have the AR Rig, just curious if the felt line is good, or should I put it on the top level...

And I am sure this is kind of the difference, but how much space between the fire ring and charcoal level.  Know its not a long cook, so guessing don't want to fill it up as it will put coals to close to bird.

Thanks guys!

pileit1971

THank you!!!

Eggbertsdad

CincyTiki said:

@Eggbertsdad‌ - 16lb Spatch'd on a Large, no problem

That is beautiful! It should be no problem, them. By the way, I have those same tiki torches with the liquid to fend off the skeeters. 

Carolina Q

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Max. Or maybe they HAVE tried. I know I have - about five times, but I keep getting the "waiting for approval" nonsense.  Trying one last time without the full addy or the pic.

nakedwhiz dot com/madmaxturkey.htm

Canugghead

original:

Let me try the back door Michael 

edit 1:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm

edit 2:

It worked!

Carolina Q

Wow. Has BGE blocked links to TNW's site? Or is it just another of Vanilla's value added features? I was only able to post it after I removed http:// and replaced the . with dot. And I tried at least FIVE TIMES!!

Whatever. It's a great recipe/method. Check it out.

Carolina Q

Canugghead, how'd you DO that? Five attempts was no exaggeration. Quit my browser, logged off and back on. Tried with and without a pic. No joy.

But thanks. LOL

Carolina Q

Wonder if I can post Max's pic now...purty, ain't it?

Carolina Q

weird

Canugghead

Michael, I edited my post to show the three steps.  First time, just post an 'innocent' line, after that go back to edit and it's free for all, shhhhhhhh!

Canugghead

Carolina Q said:

Wonder if I can post Max's pic now...purty, ain't it?

Michael, now you're really confusing @macmccaskie, legs spread or in bondage?

lousubcap

If going high in the dome-remove the clip and your dome thermo when loading the LBGE.  Then reinsert your thermo making sure it doesn't impale the bird.  (True wine corks make great spacers for the thermo on the outside of the BGE).  YMMV-

macmccaskie

"Michael, now you're really confusing @macmccaskie, legs spread or in bondage?"

Naw, all's good, thanks for the tips.  I think I've got it now.   It won't be spachcocked but a loose tie-up.  Unless something else distracts me, I'm going indirect (legs up) raised at 325 with liquid kept in the drip pan.  Mad Max convinced me. 

Does anyone cook turkey low and slow?