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Turkey: Direct or indirect

dannys
dannys Posts: 169
in EggHead Forum
It's too late for this year, but I was thinking about how I did my turkey yesterday. I got a Joetisserie for my LBGE and used it for chicken and it came out great. I decided to do the turkey with it this year. With both the chicken and turkey, I used direct heat and tried to keep the temperature between 325 and 350. It turned out great but I was thinking that maybe I should have cooked the turkey with indirect heat. What do you think?

For previous Thanksgivings, I cooked the bird in a v-rack over a drip tray on the plate setter. It worked out OK - no complaints from the family.
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Comments

  • pasoegg
    pasoegg Posts: 449
    I cooked my 15 lb bird indirect at 350 degrees for not quite 3 hours and turned out great with a nice brown color and very moist. I did use a pan with water to catch drippings.   No complaints here on this method...jwiw...

    "it is never too early to drink, but it may be too early to be seen drinking"

    Winston-Salem, NC

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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,768
    Direct at 400/425 but I spatchcock, raised. 
    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). Just given a Mini to add to the herd. 

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  • HighHeat
    HighHeat Posts: 224
    edited November 2018
    Spatchcock is a great way to do it, but you don't get the benefit of gravy. 

    I prefer indirect in a roasting pan w/ a clear plan for some gravy.  See Mad Max turkey...
    Memphis, TN
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,387
    I am an indirect fan myself via Mad Max
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP PitBoss Navigator 850G 11/25
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    I don't have the joetisserie, but when I have used a rotisserie, it has been with direct heat.   Doesn't seem like rotation would have much value using indirect heat unless the grill is very uneven.

    You said it came out great, so I would stick with what works well for you.   
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
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  • pasoegg
    pasoegg Posts: 449
    I did mine spatchcock also but failed to put that in first post...forgive me and feed another Christian to the lions...

    "it is never too early to drink, but it may be too early to be seen drinking"

    Winston-Salem, NC

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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,259
    I roasted my 22 pounder for 5 hours at 300*, indirect. It was exceptional. The leftovers are also exceptional. 


    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • dannys
    dannys Posts: 169
    Thanks everyone. I appreciate your input.

    I didn't notice an appreciable difference between the indirect last year (v-rack) and the direct this year (jotisserie). The rotored bird did cook a little more evenly (I thought). I think that this is the way to go for me. 


    This is the first year we had less than 2 dozen people. I usually do two birds. On a day ahead the second on the egg the day of. If we ever have the "usual suspects" over, I'll need to look into  how much bird the rotor can handle. 
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,259
    Even though I go indirect, I have to say a rotisserie direct over coals is a fine approach. I have a rotisserie kit for my Weber Kettle and it works nice. It really shines for beef and pork roasts. We've only done Chicken a couple of times and never Turkey. Maybe I'll have to give it a try.
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • HendersonTRKing
    HendersonTRKing Posts: 1,803


    Indirect. Modified Mad Max18 lb brined bird. Close to 4 hours to 165 deep in the breast. Compound herb butter hid a very red skin — 2 lumps of cherry did that. 
    It's a 302 thing . . .
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