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My first Thanksgiving with the Egg

Mrs Lenick
Mrs Lenick Posts: 29
edited October 2011 in Poultry

Well, it's my first Thanksgiving with the Egg.  I'm excited, but I am also nervous. I'd like to try smoking a turkey this thanksgiving.  I'm nervous because I haven't smoked anything yet and it's a big project to undertake and I don't want to ruin the holiday bird.  How long will it take to smoke the bird and more importantly, what do I do?

Comments

  • Hello Mrs. L<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

    You definitely do not want to learn on a Thanksgiving dinner with many people waiting. It all depends on weight of turkey for cook time and there is tons of great info on GreenEggers.com the "original" forum for BGE. I suggest you do a turkey cook before to learn by trial and error. You will then enjoy and be relaxed during your TG holiday dinner cook. Let us know and post pics. Hope this helps.

     

    BGE'er since 1996 Large BGE 1996, Small BGE 1996, Mini BGE 1997
  • Jasper
    Jasper Posts: 378
    edited October 2011
    I always follow Mad Max's Turkey recipe. It's a well known and used recipe with "eggers" on both forums.

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm
  • Mrs Lenick
    I have done the Mad Max turkey for several holidays and it is always a winner.  This year I will be doing my turkey using Little Steven's "butt up" technique.  You could also spatchcock the turkey.

    There are several good methods on the net and other egg forums (see Grillin & Chillin's post above), plus two good discussions on this forum.  Other threads: Turkey time and Thinking Turkey.  

    I would recommend that you do a couple of chickens first to get the feel of the cook.  Turkey isn't much different from eggin a chicken except for the longer time to cook.  Don't forget to adjust the amount of lump for the longer cook.  Keep us posted on the out come.















    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • GrannyX4
    GrannyX4 Posts: 1,491
    Mrs Lenick

    I'm in the same boat. It's also my first Turkey Day with the egg. We have been eating lots of chicken and gravy trying to figure out what we like. Start playing with some chickens and go for it the worse that can happen is you go out for dinner. One thing I have learned the hard way is don't use a lot of wood when smoking poultry - a little goes a long way.

    There are two rules to follow: one is there are no rules and the second is cook to temp.
    Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    Doing a turkey is not a big deal ... but did I read you right? You haven't smoked anythng?
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Mrs Lenick,
    Granny is correct.  Fruit woods like , apple, pear or cherry compliment turkey and chicken, but use judiciously.  I like to use "chunk" wood rather than chips  Like Granny said a little goes a long way.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • I'm just getting back to this thread.  No, I haven't smoked anything yet.  I just got the egg in May. It was a wedding gift. I've baked and cooked on it plenty but I've been nervous to try something that will take so long as smoking.  I guess I am nervous about keeping the heat even for such a long period of time.
  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    Sometimes you just gotta close your eyes... Grab the hand of someone you love and jump
    context is important :)
  • newegg
    newegg Posts: 78
    Last year I made a traditional oven turkey and another on Green Egg. My family chose the Green Egg Turkey as the best. Just my opinion. You cannot go wrong with anything done on the Egg. Just make sure you build a good fire and allow extra time for it to be done.
  • Thanks Newegg and everyone else that responded. I'm excited to try it. I think I will practice on a large whole chicken this weekend and see how it does. I do have a nice roasting pan and a rack that are stainless steel. Are they fine to go into the egg? Also, should I put the plate setter in and cook w/ indirect heat or just put the pan and rack right on top of the grill?  I know, I know, sooooo many questions. 

    **==
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    Use the plate setter to put the drip pan on. Add some liquid to the pan as it will get fairly hot even at only 350º to 375º pit temp.
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • GrannyX4
    GrannyX4 Posts: 1,491
    Your stainless is fine on the egg. I have cooked in the pan direct and indirect. There isn't a right or wrong way to cook a bird. Just cook to temp and be careful with the wood. My favorite way to cook the bird is the spatchcock method. I just seem to have better luck and the skin seems to turn out a little nicer.
    Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
  • Thanks Granny.

    I actually did the bird today and so far so good. I decided to roast the bird whole this time and try spatchcocking next time. It seemed like a lot of extra work and after Church and grocery shopping, I was a little bushed.  Stil, I am excited to try the method and see if we like it better.  I will let you know how it goes.

  • GrannyX4
    GrannyX4 Posts: 1,491
    I'm still clucking from all the chicken and turkeys I have tried cooking on the egg in preparation for T-day. Cutting the back out of the chicken just takes a second. Run the sicsors down either side and lay it out. Not much to it. Happy testing!
    Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
  • The testing and the tasting are the best parts, that's for sure
  • My first TG with my XL.  If I don't have a roasting pan can I place the bird on the grid with a drip pan underneath the bird, resting on the BGE feet on the inverted plate setter?  

    Thanks!
    Bronxville, New York. XLBGE, MBGE
  • I also am doing my 1st turkey on the BGE, plus a 2nd one for a friend.  I will be spatchcocking the birds.  400 dome temp, high in the dome direct, John Henry's Timmy's Herbal rub, with a little pecan and cherry wood.  If the turkey comes out half as good as my spatchcock chickens there will be few left overs for sandwiches.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • Oooooh, the pecan and cherry wood sounds like a good idea.  Do you just use regular wood or do you use the chips that you have to soak?  The chickens I've done thus far have come out really nice. Excellent skin. Unfortunately,we decided my sister would do the Turkey for thanksgiving, I'll do the one of Christmas. I am going to to do ham and all the side fixings on the EGG to give them that unique EGG flavor.

    Anyhoo, not to uspset about not doing the turkey,  It will give me more time to practice and sense it's the right time of year, I can do a couple of Turkeys in-between and practice. I want to try and spatchcock the next time.

    Anyone have a great recipe for homemade cranberry sauce?  

  • GrannyX4
    GrannyX4 Posts: 1,491
    Ocean spray does such a good job that I just rely on them. But I have melted a can of whole berry and a jar of red pepper jelly together and that is really good. I put it over cream cheese too. Kids always ask for it. They must like the canned too because they never eat homemade cranberry sauce. I have tried. Children are now over 40 and it's the one thing we don't mess with anymore.
    Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
  • Skids
    Skids Posts: 32



    Mrs Lenick,
    I've had enormous success with the William-Sonoma "molded Cranberry
    Sauce" recipe. Here's the link: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/molded-cranberry-sauce10.html?cm_src=RECIPESEARCH
    <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />



    I also share
    the sentiment of others that a traditional (non-spatchcock) turkey is easy. Though
    a huge fan of the spatchcock method, on Thanksgiving we stay traditional. In
    our house we make the brine two days out, brine the bird one day out and then
    we cook (to temp...works out to about 15 min/lb). I use the ps with legs up,
    ceramic feet under the roasting pan, about 1/4 inch of liquid (personal
    selection...but water, broth, etc all work) in the bottom, bird in the V-Rack
    with the breast down...for about 1 hr, then I turn with the breast up for the
    finish. Unlike some, I don't ice the breast prior to cooking, I don't cover
    anything (though I do tuck the wing tips under) and I've not experienced any
    over-cooked or burnt parts.



    My wife
    encouraged me to buy an Egg for years...cost scared me away. I've not had one
    regret since I made the purchase of my BGE...had it for more than 3 years now.
    I can't remember a weekend where I was near my Egg and I didn't cook;
    slow/fast/bake/smoke/etc..



    Happy
    Thanksgiving to all and thanks to all for the enormous help you've provided to
    my family and me.

  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102

    @ Mrs Lenick 

    No need to ever soak any wood, chips, chunks or otherwise ...

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Veteran Eggers please help!  I am using with Brine recipe from the BGE cookbook.  For the size of my bird, I had to double the brine recipe to submerg.  Also, recpipe calls for leaving in solution for 12 hours.  I have to leave town and will have to leave in solution for 24 hours.  With the solution and time doubled, will my bird be too salty or too seasoned?

  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102

    Won't be a problem, especially for a larger bird. Just make sure you rinse well before cooking.

    Let us know your results ...

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Thank for your input.  Cooked many in the oven, but new to the BGE.  Also, new to the brine process.  ALways injected "a la cajun".