Thanksgiving Turkey

Whoopwhoop

Brand new to the green egg and I love it. Would like to smoke a turkey this thanksgiving. Any good recipes on smoking a 10-12 lbs turkey?

Powak

I found a recipe on here that recommended using pecan wood. I followed it and the bird came out ok but I but I would recommend using another wood like maybe just a hair of hickory. It won’t take much wood to get smoke thru a bird.

Whoopwhoop

Thanks that is helpful

Foghorn

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey2/madmaxturkey2.htm

This is a crowd favorite.   I'm doing it for the first time this year.  I don't have the Dizzy Pig Mad Max rub, but I found something that sounds similar in my local store.

Mickey

Spatchcocked Turkey and Chicken on the Big Green Egg

(you cut out the backbone and cook opened)

I like a 11/12 lb bird. If I need lots of turkey I just cook a couple ( 1 & 1/2  hr cook app)

Chicken 3 to 3.75lb bird or birds. Under an hour cook. 

Or, just add a package of legs extra. 

I do not brine the turkey or Chicken. 

If time I like to leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (no problem if no time) 

I cook "direct" @ 400/425 on a raised grill "skin side up" and never turn over.

I will use a coffee rub. Use what you like.

NOTE PLEASE (A LOT OF SMOKE IS NOT YOU FRIEND)

I use about a single handfull of mixed chips: Cherry & Pecan. 

DIFFERENT PULL AND DONENESS TEMPERATURES

* White Meat Pull the white meat at 157°F (69°C), so it will come to a final resting temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).

* Dark Meat The higher temperature range of 175-180°F (79-82°C) allows the connective tissues to dissolve, and turn the tough meat into tender and silky meat. The legs and thighs are smaller than the breasts, and will not experience as much carryover cooking (food retains heat and continues to cook even after being removed from the source of heat). Temperatures 5-10°F (2-5°C) above 175°F (79°C) will not harm the dark meat.

Rest both 10 mins.

 

Coffee Rub (turkey, chicken, beef & pork)

Equal part: Instant Expresso Ground coffee..

Equal part: Brown Sugar..

½ part: Black Pepper..

½ part: Kosher Salt..

½ part: Garlic Powder..

¾ part: Ancho Chili Powder..

NOTE: I just start with a small jar of the Instant Expresso Ground coffee and use the jar for all measurements. 

Don't worry on exact, just close on measurement. I used to use turbinado sugar but we like with brown better. This is pulled from MollyShark, Hungry Man, & Richard In Fl then tweaked. I find the ancho chili powder is far less expensive in the bulk spice area than the bottled area ( have used both light or dark version). I make it starting with a half cup Instant Expresso Ground coffee and work from there as it seems to store well if sealed.

1911Man

The turkey I smoke on my BGE is done without any seasonings, brine, rubs, etc. I simply prepare the bird (like you would for going into the oven) and set the egg up for indirect cooking/smoking. I've started cooking in the 300-325F range and am getting great results. I also use some chunks of sugar maple and black cherry (add right before the bird goes on) and it's epic. Not too heavy in flavor, but gives enough to make it great.

I'm using a remote probe thermometer that connects up to my phone to let me know what the temperature is. I simply put one probe into the thickest portion of the breast and leave it alone.

A 11-12# bird should be no more than 2-1/2 hours at 325 (just like in your oven). It really depends on how fast it gets to that temp when you do the final setup for cooking (indirect piece and such).

I'm going to do a ~13# bird tomorrow morning (even though it might be in the single digits out there). The plan for this one is to actually get the indirect cooking ceramic piece up to a decent temperature before I put the turkey in. I'm hoping that will reduce the lag time to get it up to 300-325F and thus shorten the total cook time. We shall see if my plan actually works or not. The last cook had a lag of about 30 minutes before the thermometer in the lid reached 300F after I put the bird in. But the conveggorator (sp?) was cold (outside air temp) which is most likely what caused that thermal lag.

Whoopwhoop

This is awesome. Thank y’all for the responses. I love this forum. BGE community for life!

Bentgrass

I have been an egg owner for 4 years and have hundreds of cooks under my belt.. that being said, I always travel south to my daughters for Thanksgiving.  Have bee in charge of cooking the bird for probably the last 30.   Most of them made in a roaster which was very easy and usually a fine bird.  Then we ventured into free range birds, which opened a new set of issues in the fact they are lean and in my experience cooked faster. That had other issues in that all the other dishes weren’t done.  Anyway, I have gotten to the point that I am much more comfortable grilling so we decided yesterday that I was going to spatchcock the turkey.   Rubbers in evo,  peppered the top, 325 degrees and 2 hours later a fine tasting bird and everybody happy !