Turkey Temps (Thigh vs. Breast)

ColoradoCook

My second shot at turkey yesterday was a big success again. The first time I cooked one I did a breast and didn't have to deal with leg/thigh meat like yesterday. Through this forum and some reading I thought my thigh temps would be cruising 10 to 20 degrees higher than the breast, it was actually reversed. I had to stick some foil over the breast to help the thighs catch up, is this normal?[p]Set up:
18.5lb Tom
large egg
Inverted plate setter w/pizza stone and drip pan
grill with turkey on top sitting in v-rack[p]The turkey was an inch or so from the top. I was thinking that the breast got ahead of the thighs because it was cooking in the higher heat towards the top of the egg. Would putting the turkey lower resolve this issue?[p]Thanks,[p]CC

Unknown

ColoradoCook,[p]I had a similar setup this year, only I had a 15.5 lb bird. I ended up putting the bird breast down for the first hour or so and finishing breast up. It seemed to make a difference - the thigh and breast ended up being the same temp at the same time- 170*.[p]I got the idea for this from America's Test Kitchen, a great PBS cooking show. They did it with roast chicken, but I figured a turkey would be about the same.[p]Advantages- great browning on the back and thighs, perfectly even heating.[p]Disadvantages- pale stripes across the breast where it sat breast down on the V-rack (glazing the bird would hide these I bet). difficult to flip a hot bird(!)[p]Anyway, that was my experience.[p]Hope this helps.[p]Skooter

ColoradoCook

Skooter,[p]That's some good advice, I'll try it. [p]A great way to turn a hot bird is oven mits with Ziplock bags over them.[p]Thanks,[p]CC

Unknown

ColoradoCook,[p]heh- glad we could help each other out- for some reason the thought of covering my mitts with ziploc bags didn't occur to me.[p]Well, I'm off to wash my mitts [p]Thanks,
-Skooter