Thanksgiving Turkey - My Plan

FaceDance

I plan on spatchcocking a 19.5lb pre-brined Traders Joe's turkey.  It'll be a tight fit but I will make it work.  The plan is to follow @mickey plan with a coffee rub but I will inject the turkey with a beer/butter/spice mixture.  Pretty excited to get it going tomorrow.  I am going to through a mixture of onions, carrots, celery, backbone, trimmings, broth, etc... into the oven for gravy.  My only concern is that 400-425 seems a little high to me but I will trust the process and monitor.

I will update this thread throughout the process.  

Mickey

The 400/425 is on a raised direct cook

RedSkip

@FaceDance.

Raised Direct means you're cooking at the felt line (gasket) or higher.  You may already know that, but thought I'd share.  Plenty of methods to raise your grill grate if you haven't got the accessory to do it, just ask or google search it.

FaceDance

Thanks @mickey and @redskip ... fully prepared to do it raised direct.

Mickey

Raised. Direct. 

FaceDance

Spatched the turkey and rubbed to underside w/ @mickey coffee rub early this AM.  It's now sitting in the fridge to dry out.  Stock for gravy and beer/butter/spice injection marinade both working.  Egg fired up to get a well established fire working.
 

Mickey

Almost ready

FaceDance

Injected and first layer of @mickey coffee rub.  Going on at 400 at 3pm.

FaceDance

Put her on at 3pm at 400... looking great at the 30 minute check in.

FaceDance

Done... took about an hour and 45 minutes... and it looks glorious.  It is still resting while the rest of the sides cook.  Probably needs to sit for an hour... i hope it's still hot.

FaceDance

Killed it... thanks @Mickey

Foghorn

Outstanding. 

Mickey

Nice

FaceDance

Just an FYI... Once done, there were some delays in the kitchen (too much champagne & beer) and i realized we would not be eating for at least an hour.  As such, i put the bird in roasting pan, covered with foil, and put a couple towels over it.  An hour or so later when i went to carve her up... still piping hot.  Probably could have sat for two hours if necessary.

Also, by injecting the bird with approx two cups of marinade, there is more liquid to leak out of the bird.  Cooking direct... there are a lot of drippings and a lot of smoke.  I was concerned about the rancid burn taste but none here.  

I wish i had taken a carving pic but it was a lot more moist than this picture which was taken after the scavengers had already run through it.