The theory to the actual turkey cook-time

lousubcap

Every year at this time many of us are firing up the Thanksgiving turkey cook and it is a one-off.  I go back to prior notes to get the guesstimate for whatever process I plan to use.  For spatchcock I go with around 90-110 minutes total very raised direct for anywhere from around 14-20 lbs. , 350-375*F.  Non spatch I figure 12 mins /lb at around 350*F indirect (Edit:  non stuffed).
So what was your plan and then your actual for Thanksgiving 2017.  

bud812

I had a tuna samwich fresh outta the fridge.

bgebrent

14#, 325-350, done at 12'/lb.  Earlier than I planned.  Turkey holds for an hour thankfully.

Mattman3969

14lbs spatched cooked indirect at 385° done in 2hrs.  I was shooting for 2 1/2hrs so no harm. Skin got tater chip crispy which I munched on while cutting up the bird since we were traveling and I knew the skin would be a soggy mess after an hr of travel. 

Jeremiah

Did two 4-5 pound bone-in breatestes. 300ish indirect. 2 hours and nearly overcooked. 

JRWhitee

14lb spatchcock cooked at 325 took 2-1/2 hours. 

Ozzie_Isaac

20.1# ... Mad Max, 350 at the grate, 4.5hrs.  Way faster than I planned.  Standard frozen turkey, thawed for 3 days in the fridge.

Covered after 1.5 hrs, skin started to scorch.

kl8ton

Did a 22 lb whole indirect.  On at 7am on a 325 dome. Done in 4 hours. Put in 150 degree oven to hold until 1pm dinner time.  

JohnnyTarheel

Two 71/2 lb breasts at 325 - 350 raised indirect about 2 hrs and 45 min...

mvnole

Did a 17lb, on at 8:40, raised indirect at 325.   Planned on it being done around 1:00, but it was finished at about 12:10.  

Verndog

Did a 15.8 lb and was planning on maybe 4 hrs at 325-350.  It was done in 3 hrs.  Noticed there seems to be a difference between grate temp from my Smoke and the dome temp.  Wasn't expecting that. I don't think the dome thermometer was touching the bird but it was fairly close. 

Jameson19

Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 

nolaegghead

Jameson19 said:

Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 

Nice work, tough to drag out a turkey smoke to 7 hours at 260 like that.

Jameson19

nolaegghead said:

Jameson19 said:

Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 

Nice work, tough to drag out a turkey smoke to 7 hours at 260 like that.

Thanks. I took the chance on leaving it whole (meaning no spatchcock) would save some juice. I also used a lot of liquid in the pan. Pulled turkey when breast hit 165°

nolaegghead

PS - nice 'stang!

Sea2Ski

Two birds on a large 12.93 and 12.98 lbs.
Spatched one and deboned the other. Both went on at 375 at 10:40 hoping for 12:45'ish pull time. Spatched one went on the middle level in the AR and came off at 12:45. Deboned bird came off at 1:05 which worked out well - it could rest while the first bird was consumed.

I will be doing this again.

JMCXL

18.5# around 330 degrees, planned on 12min a # 
took a little longer (about an extra 20 min)
well worth the wait

BikerBob

Followed Mad Max advice saying a fourteen pounder took four hours and checked my 13 at three and half. It was 180 in the breast. Not the worst but certainly not the best. it was half gone by supper time yesterday. It had to sit a little long this year due to heavy rain going south. Heavy traffic in Jax.

yumdinger

19 lb Costco bird (Butterball). Thawed but sat at 42 degrees for 3 days.  The bird sat at room temp for 90 minutes prior to grilling.  Ice bagged the breast for 30 minutes.

Lump burned at stable 325 for 30 minutes prior. I added one 4" diameter applewood chunk after lump was stable. I used inverted plate setter place 1" spacers (3 - 3" long pieces of 1" aluminum angle) atop the place setter then set my pizza stone atop the spacers.  All inserts were also pre-heated to temp.  My roasting pan sat on 3 - 1/4" spacers ( 3 1/2" nuts) on top of my pizza stone.

Mad Max bird hit the egg in a 5" deep roasting pan.  I basted approx every 30 minutes sometimes maybe 15 minute intervals. Bird was done 4 hours 15 minutes later.  Breast was 160-168, leg was closer to 180. Thigh was 158. Tented the bird for 70 minutes.  Bird was still hot all temps stabilized at carving time.
I had a tremendous about of juice in my roasting pan.  I emptied the bird cavity juices into my table plate and placed the carved turkey in the juices.

Note: my roasting pan did not get cruddy during the cook, perhaps because I used an extra apple and carrots in my roasting pan, maybe a bit too much wine as well.  After the bird was done I emptied some of the clearer liquid from my roaster and put the roaster back in the egg at 350 for about 30 minutes.  It got cruddy and I followed the mad max gravy recipe but used a bit more broth than wine.  Amazing gravy.

We have fried, grilled in a LA Caja China, Roasted, smoked turkeys.  For whatever reason, this was the finest bird I have ever made and my guests felt it was the best they aver had. 

Thanks to the Mad Max and the Forum for all the information and contributions that helped me establish my game plan.

GoldenQ

Two breasts   6.5 and 7 pounds at 375 and done in about 2 1/2 hours    skin very well crispy and breast moist at 165 and 170 when done and removed

lousubcap

First time bumping an old thread but it carries the proper labeling and the contents may be of value in the next few days.  FWIW-

dmourati

I'm going spatchcock, raised, indirect on a 13# bird. Sitting in the fridge dry brining right now.

Sheldon_Nigel

Very good information for us newer cookers.  Thank you Lou!

Legume

Frying.  Always.

carrda04

First run at the Mad Max this year. Ordered a 14-16 pound bird online but was "upgraded" to what was deemed a "large". I haven't weighed it, but honestly could be well north of 20 lbs. Hoping she fits in the large alright. It would seem that the bigger birds are not in demand this year, which may come back to haunt me!

lousubcap

@carrda04 - You may need to pull the fire ring and cook off the fire box to get the vertical clearance.  No worries with that approach.  Just make sure your dome thermo is not impaled in the turkey.  
Here's a related link:
Largest turkey in a large BGE (to smoke)?
Above all, have fun and enjoy the cook.

carrda04

Thanks, @lousubcap! Every time I read through these forums on turkey size I think that I'm probably ok, but need to go put the thing on for a dry run. Either way, now armed with the knowledge that we'll make it work!

Mark_B_Good

Canadian Thanksgiving was over a month ago ... 17 lb whole turkey took 5 hours exactly, on grill, indirect at 325 to 350F dome. Used Mad Max method ... 165F thigh, 166F breast (needed to wait for thigh to reach temp).

fishlessman

about ten years ago we monitored times on egged madmax birds only, the times ranged 9.7 min/ pound to over 20 minutes/pound only explanation i can see was the pan size and height if we disregard therms being off. the average time was 16 min/pound

500

Last year, (2019), I spatched a 12# at 375* indirect. I planned on 2 hours. It took 1 1/2. This year, (2020), I spatched a 14#, I plan to try it slower at 325*~350* for 2 hours. That’s the plan anyway. I think bringing makes a difference on cook time. I think wet brining cooks faster than dry brining, cause water cooks inside the bird. Spatched cooks faster and more even than whole. My $.02. 

Mark_B_Good

Always have a "window" for sit down and eat time ... I tell my wife it'll be ready anytime between 4 pm and 11 pm ... I'm never, ever wrong .. especially because I also don't tell her which day.