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Tips on Turkey

The_Grill_Sergeant
The_Grill_Sergeant Posts: 87
edited September 2012 in EggHead Forum
Hey Gang!  For the first time in years we're having Thanksgiving dinner at our house and I'd like to do the turkey on my Egg.  Anyone care to offer up some quick and dirty tips for success?

Bird Pre Treat
Upright or V-rack or on the grate
Temp
Time
Misc

Thanks!

Sarge
Egg Head in Klamath Falls, Oregon

Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited October 2012
    I do not brine. I spatchcock and like to leave the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight. Also I use smaller birds, 12/13 lb size and if I need more meat I will just do two. Also cook direct. I use a coffee rub and cook raised up highat 375/400. I never turn the bird over. Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Mickey said:
    I do not brine. I spatchcock and like to leave the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight. Also I use smaller birds, 12/13 lb size and if I need more meat I will just do two. Also cook direct. I use a coffee rub and cook raised up highat 375/400. I never turn the bird over. Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    aAny reason for raised direct over indirect.  I just can't seem to get this right.  Thanks for zany help.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    bertscampers I have done about 12 to 15 of these and no "reason" just always went raised direct. I am into easy and one less item to mess with I guess.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • ratcheer
    ratcheer Posts: 189
    edited October 2012
    Comment deleted by original poster. Sorry.

    Tim
  • I did my first turkey last year on my LBGE.  I did as Mickey posted, spatchcock, raised, direct.  I used pecan wood if I remember correctly.  It was awesome, everyone loved it.  I have been a turkey fryer for years but this year, I'll be doing my turkey spatchcocked again.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • Thanks gang!  The Mad Max recipe looks absolutely AMAZING!
    Egg Head in Klamath Falls, Oregon
  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    Last Thanksgiving, I used the recipe at amazing ribs. I changed it by using a dry brine (1 T of kosher salt per 5 lbs. of bird, rubbed under the skin as well as on top, in the fridge for 24 hours). Absolutely the finest turkey I have ever eaten. I made a small bird, 13lbs., because only four people were eating, and I truly regretted not having more leftovers. The broth was out of this world. I served thin gravy as he suggests and a flour-based gravy for the traditionalists. 

    I've cooked turkey breasts several times since (I don't like oven turkey breast). The Egg really shines with turkey. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    You're gonna get a million different responses to do it a million different ways. What kind of flavor profile are you looking for? I like to brine, inject and rub with Swamp Venom, but that is more of a Cajun style turkey than your traditional one.

    I will say that cherry wood works great with turkey if you can get it.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    +1 on the cherry. Maple is good, too. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    We have made whole turkeys twice using the recipe out of the BGE Cookbook and on Sunday my brother used the same recipe successfully, very moist and flavourful.

    Gerhard
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Spatchcocked, indirect, 300-350 grid. We tend to look for smaller birds <12#, suits our family size and are easy to handle. Cooks just like the weekly chicken.....
    Like @Griffin mentions, we try lots of different rubs. some have been great, some not so much - but always fun. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • tgkleman
    tgkleman Posts: 216
    I used Alton Brown's turkey recipe last Thanksgiving and it turned out great.  Just to be sure, I did a dry run in late October to make sure it would work.

    Just google Alton Brown turkey and you'll see the recipe. 
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Last year I did about a 12 lb bird from Trader Joes (pre-brined).  I used a very simple herb butter* rubbed on and under the skin.  I cooked it spatchcocked with an indirect setup until 160 in the breast.  It turned out eggcellent. 

    *Herbed butter recipe:
    Butter
    McCormick's Italian Seasoning Herb Grinder. 

    Grind herbs into slightly softened butter to taste.  Mix. 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Indirect 12 lb...what's your time at 300-350? Around 3 hrs?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • KMagnus
    KMagnus Posts: 114
    If I have time, I will always brine.  Brine for up to 2 days, pull, rinse and let air dry in the fridge for 1 day.  I generally do indirect, directly on the grate and allow up to 4-4.5 hours for a large (18-20#) bird.
  • Yesterday for Canadian Thanksgiving, I did two 15lb'ers side by side on two V-racks in  the xl-egg sitting on the place setter without grill. No brine, but used butter (real butter) injected turkies, stuffed with 1/4'rd lemons, oranges and green apples. Smothered the outside with Paprika, rosemary and tyme.  Roasted without smoking them at 300 degrees.  Cooked breast down for about 2.5 hours and then turned them over for the last hour to brown the breast.  Cooked till thigh was 182 degrees. Super moist bird.

     

    Piero from South Etobicoke in Toronto and sometimes Pinellas Park, St.Petersburg, XL-BGE
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    if this is your first egged turkey, why wait til tday, go cook one this weekend and work the bugs out of pan sizes , amount of smoking woods etc
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • if this is your first egged turkey, why wait til tday, go cook one this weekend and work the bugs out of pan sizes , amount of smoking woods etc

    That's my plan. I've done tons of chickens. Ove cooked the bourbon brined turkey from the BGE cookbook once. It was good, but on the verge of being too moist, if that's possible.
    Mark Annville, PA