Verticle Turkey Roaster

Nate77

Just wanted to know if anyone has used the BGE Verticle turkey roaster and if so what are your thoughts about it?
Thanks in advance. 

RRP

I had all 3 sizes of Willie's Sitters which are a ceramic vessel. Here's my chicken sitter and smaller Cornish hen sitter. With the flared out base they are very stable better than the beer can method. I only used my turkey one once as I broke it and never bought a replacement, but it worked fine for a smaller say 14 to 16 pound turkey. Think beer butt and it's the same idea.

johnnyp

@RRP I've only roasted chickens and turkeys in V racks.  What are the advantages of vertical roasting? Is it only special?

RRP

Besides the novelty of seeing a headless bird sitting as if it were on the crapper there are fans of the beer butt method which this is. With a can or these ceramic vessels you can add beer, wine, spices whatever to sort of baste the bird from the inside and then as it boils and bubbles it runs down the outside. There is a better reason for using though especially like with a turkey. Your best tasting bird will have the breast at 162 to 165 while the dark meat is best at 180 to 185. By being vertical then the dark meat portion is closer to the heat while the white is further. Kind of like 2 stage cooking without much effort!

Dredger

Big fan of vertical roasters. I have one very similar to the BGE one except it is stainless. Great points from @RRP, plus, it cooks quicker than using a V rack.

Griffin

I've never spent money on a vertical turkey roaster. I just bought a Foster's, drank half the can (the most difficult part of the process) and just used that. Beer Can turkey. Only did it once. Since then, I just through it right on the grate. Or spatchcock it. Or better yet, fry it.

SmokeyPitt

I haven't tried it but I don't really see the advantage on the egg.  If cooking indirect the egg is hotter higher in the dome so it seems it is reverse from what you want (breast up high, thighs/legs down by plate setter).  That being said I have done a big chicken vertical in my small egg and it turned out great; but I think chicken is more forgiving than turkey. 

I like spatchcock legs towards the back of the egg, or for a bigger bird I use a V-rack and cook breast side down for first half or so of cook then flip it over.  

Eggaroo

I have the BGE one and have used it on the 3 or 4 turkeys/ turkey breasts I've cooked since my Egg journey began last Thanksgiving. Each time I have gotten great results. I agree with @RRP; the bird is cooked evenly by having the breast toward the front of the Egg and the thighs toward the back where the temperatures are usually higher.