Thanksgiving Turkey Cook Time

WoodworkerBED · December 3

I have had the experience now for about three years in a row that my Thanksgiving turkey always finishes way ahead of what all the various references predict. I pretty much follow the "Mad Max" method with a few minor variations. Here are the key points from this years setup:

20.39 lb turkey injected with 50/50 butter/duck fat and filled with citrus, apples, etc.
Mad Max rub inside and out using mayonnaise as the binder
ice bag on the breasts 45 minutes before launch
Large BGE filled 2/3 up the fire ring with Rockwood and two chunks of fresh cut cherry
Plate Setter legs up
3 ceramic spacer blocks and baking stone
Large shallow pan with 1 quart chicken, and the rest of the fruits and vegetables
V rack with turkey breast side up directly in the pan
Three probes in the turkey, one in each breast and one in a thigh
Temperature controlled to 325 F dome temperature with ThermoWorks Billows. The air probe is inserted directly into the hole where the analogue thermometer generally resides.
BGE preheated for 1 hour prior to introducing the turkey
Target temperatures 165 + F for the breasts and 180 F for the legs
Basted three times

This year it took three hours to thoroughly cook this turkey and I was predicting based on what I have read that it should have taken 4 + hours. The turkey was very good and had a nice brown color coming off the BGE.

Anybody else out there in BGE land have a similar experience?

WoodworkerBED · December 3

That should have read chicken broth, not just chicken,

Buckwoody Egger · December 3

agree/yes. i think it has to do with the depth of the pan and the height of the rack inside the pan.

when i have used a deep pan like in the max max pics but with a short 1/2” rack (only one on hand that fit) it took longer that his cook time.

when i use a paella pan or the smokeware drip pan its faster than mad max duration. that method gives me more v-rack options. have also put on top of the grid (typical pswoo indirect) and that is fastest cook method.

side note for gravy— both the ss paella pan and the smokeware stainless drip pan have worked for making gravy with a flat whisk on a conventional stove. have not tried or thought about induction stove yet.

fishlessman · December 3

as said, its the pan depth. i set dinner plus minus an hour so no real biggy except for the booze usage

with the paella pan you can plan 2.5/3 hours

Thanksgiving Turkey Cook Time

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