Turkey Time-Temperature Recommendations Needed

WoodworkerBED

Hello Fellow BGE'ers,  I am looking for time-temperature recommendations from fellow Eggers based on actual experience.  The recommendations found in various u-tube videos and recipes are all over the map.  My own limited experience with two turkeys was mixed with one coming out pretty well and the other overdone.  We are planning on doing a ~20 lb turkey on our large BGE using the "Mad Max" approach.
Thank you, Bruce Dimick, LBGE, ancient Webber Kettle, and fire-pit.

WoodworkerBED

Tks Mark.  Appreciate your input.
Bruce

Mark_B_Good

Remember to pre-ice your turkey breasts to sub-cool them ... I put ice packs on them pretty much first thing, and work around them, and only take them off just before I put the turkey in ... DO NOT put on butter/mad max seasoning paste before you ice, it gets hard, cracks and comes off.  Rather cool the breasts, and then take off ice packs when the green egg temp is good and you're just ready to put the bird in. Apply the paste JUST AFTER taking the ice packs off, and JUST BEFORE putting the bird in the egg ... basically last step in the process.

The importance of doing this is the breast temperature comes up way faster than the inner thigh temp, so sub-cooling enough means both breast and thigh will reach around 160F to 165F at the same time, +/-5F.  You don't want 165F thigh and 185F breast (dry).

ALSO, some improvements I made over the year:

- one of the first things I do is take out turkey, and inject about 1/2L to 1L of low-salt chicken broth (depending on size of turkey) ... every part, breast, thighs, etc.
- then I apply ice pack on breast, and do everything else (make stock, stuff turkey, pour in wine)
- then I remove ice pack and apply the butter/seasoning paste, and without wasting time move to the egg.
- once cooked (aim for 160F as bird continues to cook after you take it off) and before serving, I pour the turkey drippings into a large container, and let the fat separate (floats on top), I use a syringe to carefully remove all the fat (well almost all of it, it's okay to have like a 1/8" layer on top of the drippings).  These drippings are used for the gravy (which is remarkable by the way) ... but before I do that, I take my syringe and inject drippings BACK into the breast and thighs, then cover the bird with foil to prevent excessive evaporation.
- I go about making the gravy while the bird sits for 15 minutes to cool a bit, and draw the juices back into the meat.
- Ready to serve, enjoy.

fishlessman

i figure 15 min per pound and theres a plus minus to that, pans with higher sides take a little longer, turkey in a low sided pan or sitting above the pan takes less. thats a 325/350 f dome cook. be careful with the temp gage placement, you can bend it with it hitting the stem and theres temp reading problems wherever you put the gage with a big piece of meat in there. i tend to stabilize the temps, trust that it stays stable without a gage reading. with a fan device you can actually chase a false reading without realizing you are cooking too hot. 20 pound bird can sit on the table before carving into it for a good hour which gives you plenty of time to finish up the sides

lousubcap

There may be some info of use in this resurrected thread from November'22 and before.  
The theory to the actual turkey cook-time. 

fishlessman

also, if doing this over a pan, the liquid steams up inside the dome. wear gloves when opening the dome. nothing worse than a blistering steam burn on your hand while trying to enjoy the day. been there, done that

PoppasGrill

Thank you for the reminders

Mark_B_Good

I'd bank on around 4h to 4h30 min for 20 lb bird. I always measure deepest part of the thigh and breast and go to 160F to 165F.

2 x 14 lb birds took 3h 15min.  20 lb bird took 5h, but temperature went to 170F (should have pulled off earlier).

Here is where I document my turkey cooks.

Next up ... Turkey - Page 2 — Big Green Egg Forum (eggheadforum.com)

WoodworkerBED

Mark, I appreciate your detailed answers.  I am always learning and this kind of feedback is great!

Mark_B_Good

I just edited above, added a lot more detail, so go over it again.

WoodworkerBED

Thanks fisherman from Maine.  We used to live in Wilton.  I particularly liked your comments on temperature measurement.
Bruce Dimick