Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

The theory to the actual turkey cook-time

lousubcap
lousubcap Posts: 32,162
edited November 2017 in EggHead Forum
Every year at this time many of us are firing up the Thanksgiving turkey cook and it is a one-off.  I go back to prior notes to get the guesstimate for whatever process I plan to use.  For spatchcock I go with around 90-110 minutes total very raised direct for anywhere from around 14-20 lbs. , 350-375*F.  Non spatch I figure 12 mins /lb at around 350*F indirect (Edit:  non stuffed).
So what was your plan and then your actual for Thanksgiving 2017.  
Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
«1

Comments

  • bud812
    bud812 Posts: 1,869
    I had a tuna samwich fresh outta the fridge.

    Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution...

    Large & Small BGE

    Stockton Ca.

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    14lbs spatched cooked indirect at 385° done in 2hrs.  I was shooting for 2 1/2hrs so no harm. Skin got tater chip crispy which I munched on while cutting up the bird since we were traveling and I knew the skin would be a soggy mess after an hr of travel. 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Did two 4-5 pound bone-in breatestes. 300ish indirect. 2 hours and nearly overcooked. 
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    14lb spatchcock cooked at 325 took 2-1/2 hours. 
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    20.1# ... Mad Max, 350 at the grate, 4.5hrs.  Way faster than I planned.  Standard frozen turkey, thawed for 3 days in the fridge.

    Covered after 1.5 hrs, skin started to scorch.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,410
    Did a 22 lb whole indirect.  On at 7am on a 325 dome. Done in 4 hours. Put in 150 degree oven to hold until 1pm dinner time.  
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
  • Two 71/2 lb breasts at 325 - 350 raised indirect about 2 hrs and 45 min...
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • mvnole
    mvnole Posts: 54
    Did a 17lb, on at 8:40, raised indirect at 325.   Planned on it being done around 1:00, but it was finished at about 12:10.  
    LBGE 
    FWB, FL
  • Did a 15.8 lb and was planning on maybe 4 hrs at 325-350.  It was done in 3 hrs.  Noticed there seems to be a difference between grate temp from my Smoke and the dome temp.  Wasn't expecting that. I don't think the dome thermometer was touching the bird but it was fairly close. 
  • Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 
    Large BGE, Adjustable Rig, Small BGE, 2 BBQ Guru's, 18" WSM, Rockwood, Stage 3 Roush Mustang and a hot wife... 

    Las Vegas, Nevada!
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Jameson19 said:
    Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 
    Nice work, tough to drag out a turkey smoke to 7 hours at 260 like that.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Jameson19 said:
    Did a 23 pound in a roasting rack over a drip pan of stock, beer and aromatics. No brine. No injection. Just some dry rub under and over skin. No stuffing. Thermometer removed from dome. 7 hours at 260° gave us a super juicy bird. The breast meat had juice pour out after an hour of resting. 
    Nice work, tough to drag out a turkey smoke to 7 hours at 260 like that.
    Thanks. I took the chance on leaving it whole (meaning no spatchcock) would save some juice. I also used a lot of liquid in the pan. Pulled turkey when breast hit 165°
    Large BGE, Adjustable Rig, Small BGE, 2 BBQ Guru's, 18" WSM, Rockwood, Stage 3 Roush Mustang and a hot wife... 

    Las Vegas, Nevada!
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    PS - nice 'stang!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
    Two birds on a large 12.93 and 12.98 lbs.
    Spatched one and deboned the other. Both went on at 375 at 10:40 hoping for 12:45'ish pull time. Spatched one went on the middle level in the AR and came off at 12:45. Deboned bird came off at 1:05 which worked out well - it could rest while the first bird was consumed.

    I will be doing this again.
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
  • JMCXL
    JMCXL Posts: 1,524
    18.5# around 330 degrees, planned on 12min a # 
    took a little longer (about an extra 20 min)
    well worth the wait
    Northern New Jersey
     XL - Woo2, AR      L (2) - Woo, PS Woo     MM (2) - Woo       MINI

    Check out https://www.grillingwithpapaj.com for some fun and more Grilling with Papa (incase you haven't gotten enough of me)

    Also, check out my YouTube Page
    https://www.youtube.com/c/grillingwithpapaj

    Follow me on Facebook 
    https://www.facebook.com/GrillingPapaJ/

  • BikerBob
    BikerBob Posts: 284
    Followed Mad Max advice saying a fourteen pounder took four hours and checked my 13 at three and half. It was 180 in the breast. Not the worst but certainly not the best. it was half gone by supper time yesterday. It had to sit a little long this year due to heavy rain going south. Heavy traffic in Jax.
    Cooking on the coast
  • yumdinger
    yumdinger Posts: 255
    edited November 2017
    19 lb Costco bird (Butterball). Thawed but sat at 42 degrees for 3 days.  The bird sat at room temp for 90 minutes prior to grilling.  Ice bagged the breast for 30 minutes.

    Lump burned at stable 325 for 30 minutes prior. I added one 4" diameter applewood chunk after lump was stable. I used inverted plate setter place 1" spacers (3 - 3" long pieces of 1" aluminum angle) atop the place setter then set my pizza stone atop the spacers.  All inserts were also pre-heated to temp.  My roasting pan sat on 3 - 1/4" spacers ( 3 1/2" nuts) on top of my pizza stone.

    Mad Max bird hit the egg in a 5" deep roasting pan.  I basted approx every 30 minutes sometimes maybe 15 minute intervals. Bird was done 4 hours 15 minutes later.  Breast was 160-168, leg was closer to 180. Thigh was 158. Tented the bird for 70 minutes.  Bird was still hot all temps stabilized at carving time.
    I had a tremendous about of juice in my roasting pan.  I emptied the bird cavity juices into my table plate and placed the carved turkey in the juices.

    Note: my roasting pan did not get cruddy during the cook, perhaps because I used an extra apple and carrots in my roasting pan, maybe a bit too much wine as well.  After the bird was done I emptied some of the clearer liquid from my roaster and put the roaster back in the egg at 350 for about 30 minutes.  It got cruddy and I followed the mad max gravy recipe but used a bit more broth than wine.  Amazing gravy.

    We have fried, grilled in a LA Caja China, Roasted, smoked turkeys.  For whatever reason, this was the finest bird I have ever made and my guests felt it was the best they aver had. 

    Thanks to the Mad Max and the Forum for all the information and contributions that helped me establish my game plan.
  • GoldenQ
    GoldenQ Posts: 565
    Two breasts   6.5 and 7 pounds at 375 and done in about 2 1/2 hours    skin very well crispy and breast moist at 165 and 170 when done and removed
    I XL  and 1 Weber Kettle  And 1 Weber Q220       Outside Alvin, TX-- South of Houston
  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,265
    I'm going spatchcock, raised, indirect on a 13# bird. Sitting in the fridge dry brining right now.
    Mountain View, CA
  • Very good information for us newer cookers.  Thank you Lou!
    Ruining Gaskets one cook at a time.
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    Frying.  Always.
  • First run at the Mad Max this year. Ordered a 14-16 pound bird online but was "upgraded" to what was deemed a "large". I haven't weighed it, but honestly could be well north of 20 lbs. Hoping she fits in the large alright. It would seem that the bigger birds are not in demand this year, which may come back to haunt me!
    LG BGE
    Camp Chef 2xburner

    Twin Cities, MN
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,162
    @carrda04 - You may need to pull the fire ring and cook off the fire box to get the vertical clearance.  No worries with that approach.  Just make sure your dome thermo is not impaled in the turkey.  
    Here's a related link:
    Largest turkey in a large BGE (to smoke)?
    Above all, have fun and enjoy the cook.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Thanks, @lousubcap! Every time I read through these forums on turkey size I think that I'm probably ok, but need to go put the thing on for a dry run. Either way, now armed with the knowledge that we'll make it work!
    LG BGE
    Camp Chef 2xburner

    Twin Cities, MN
  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,510
    edited November 2020
    Canadian Thanksgiving was over a month ago ... 17 lb whole turkey took 5 hours exactly, on grill, indirect at 325 to 350F dome. Used Mad Max method ... 165F thigh, 166F breast (needed to wait for thigh to reach temp).
    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    about ten years ago we monitored times on egged madmax birds only, the times ranged 9.7 min/ pound to over 20 minutes/pound =) only explanation i can see was the pan size and height if we disregard therms being off. the average time was 16 min/pound
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    Last year, (2019), I spatched a 12# at 375* indirect. I planned on 2 hours. It took 1 1/2. This year, (2020), I spatched a 14#, I plan to try it slower at 325*~350* for 2 hours. That’s the plan anyway. I think bringing makes a difference on cook time. I think wet brining cooks faster than dry brining, cause water cooks inside the bird. Spatched cooks faster and more even than whole. My $.02. 
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,510
    Always have a "window" for sit down and eat time ... I tell my wife it'll be ready anytime between 4 pm and 11 pm ... I'm never, ever wrong .. especially because I also don't tell her which day.
    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!