30LB bird vs Large big green egg - Help!

blakeas

so I need to get a oven thermometer and just have it stick into one of the breasts and just leave it in there?

Foghorn

I'm thinking you should brine.  Storebought turkeys are pre-brined.  Farm raised are not.  I have friends who had me cook a free range turkey one year and I brined it - conclusion was "best turkey ever".  The next year I had to work so they did one from the same source in the oven without brining - conclusion "worst turkey ever and we'll never eat another free range turkey".

blakeas

definitely brining!  but I brine for 30 hours?  given that its a 30lb turkey?  guess i need find a huge bag somewhere and I will use a cooler with ice.

Eoin

I got a 30 lb turkey in my XL, 1st ever cook on the Egg. There wasn't much spare space. It might go if you cut off the leg ends, if not remove the legs, if still not then joint it up.

hoosier_egger

blakeas said:

definitely brining!  but I brine for 30 hours?  given that its a 30lb turkey?  guess i need find a huge bag somewhere and I will use a cooler with ice.

Use an unscented trash bag

llrickman

Do you have a spider setup?  that's they only way it might work I can think of without cutting it up

TheToast

Personally I’d skip brining. I think brining is more of a US thing. I don’t know many people who do it in the UK.  I’ve always followed the Mad Max method and it’s always been amazing without any brining. 

I wouldn’t put that bird in the oven unless I had to - I’d rather remove the legs to help make it fit. But equally I wonder if you can make it sit upright to make it fit? Not sure what support it’ll need to keep it in place. Do post pics whatever you do!

alaskanassasin

llrickman said:

Do you have a spider setup?  that's they only way it might work I can think of without cutting it up

Forgot to mention that I used a spider to achieve indirect 

Blues2

I won over the family spatchcocking a turkey on a grill.  This year I’ve had a 30 pound turkey thawing in the refrigerator since last Monday or Tuesday-was not my choice size.  So again, 
i plan on spatchcocking it as I did last year.  As last year- I’m using my natural gas Weber as an oven-  the large bge will cook a few sides.

Blues2

I followed this except the brine because it’s already brined

https://thefoodieeats.com/thanksgiving-turkey/

blakeas

how long to brine a 30lb turkey?

hoosier_egger

If it were me, I would brine for 24 hours, rinse and let sit uncovered for at least 8 hours in the fridge

booksw

Brining is very forgiving- you can't really get the timing too wrong.  Count on messing up the cook in some way and it turning out great any way.

fishlessman

this is so much easier and better than a wet brine

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012869-dry-brined-turkey

Elijah

Since we're throwing out recipes

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe-1950271

I follow that for the ingredients. I generally just wing the cook. 

Gulfcoastguy

Sausage grinder?

blakeas

I guess I can use the mad max recipe for the oven too?  or do people prefer alton brown?

sabretooth04

Spatchcock it and cut in half like this video shows.

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/how-to-butterfly-spatchcock-chicken/

Maybe cook on 2 layers?

blakeas

mad max in the oven or alton brown?

Carolina Q

never tried AB's method. Max in the oven is outstanding!

blakeas

whats the temp of the oven for mad max?  just like the BGE at 325?

QDude

What did you end up doing with the turkey?

blakeas

i ended up doing the cook in the oven.  Was awesome!  my sister in law had a oven big enough.  did the mad max recipe.  turned out great!  However it cooked within 5 hours instead of the 7 i planned for

Carolina Q

blakeas said:

i ended up doing the cook in the oven.  Was awesome!  my sister in law had a oven big enough.  did the mad max recipe.  turned out great!  However it cooked within 5 hours instead of the 7 i planned for

Told ya.

The oven gets a bad rap around here. Generally, a cook on the egg is somewhat better, but the oven does a fine job too. Anyway, it's the cook, not the cooker. Glad it worked for you.