T'Giving Turkey on the BGE?

I’m thinking of doing my Thanksgiving Turkey on the Big Green Egg this year. What I am looking for are tips on cooking it without imparting too much smokiness. I like it but I want to be sure it’s not too smoky for the rest of the guests. Maybe thats not possible.

What are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to turkey on the BGE? What methods have worked best for you? Cooking temp, seasoning, baste or not?

TIA,
[popcorn.gif]

I usually smoke a 13-15 pounder on my BGE. The setup is a roasting pan with a v-rack, which I set on the grill. Alternatively, you could use the plate setter and a drip pan and place the turkey on the grill. I throw in 3-4 pecan or hickory chunks when I put the turkey on; you could use less or omit wood altogether if you don’t want much (or any) smoke flavor. I have had good success cooking at 325, no basting - in effect, roasting my bird in a smoky oven.

If your plan includes making gravy from the drippings I would suggest an air gap between the plate setter and the drip pan & to keep a bit of water in the pan so the dripping do not burn.

Thanks guys. Plate setter inverted (legs up), then grill, then drip pan, then roasting rack, then bird? 325, check bird temp after how many hours? Pull at 180 or lower? The usual S&P and some fresh herbs?

I’ve been using Mesquite lump but am thinking about going back to the BGE lump for this as I feel it is less smoky.

I followed Alton Brown’s directions for a spatchcocked turkey last year, using my BGE instead of the oven and it was perfect. Definitely use the plate setter to keep the drip pan from getting too hot.

I’m going to do mine vertically, a la beer can style. Brine, dry rub, indirect @325. Will likely make some sort of pear gravy with it. Cheers!

I’m really interested in this, though was planning to do it in the oven. I only have a Medium egg, which is not large enough for two turkey halves (and for myself, I don’t really want any smokiness in the turkey). Would you do it again?

If you want to minimize the smoke, you may want to try finding some extruded coconut charcoal. A buddy of mine gave me a small quantity of this a while back and it produces very little smoke and ash and burns for a long time. I used it to make some whole chickens and they came out very nicely with just a hint of smoke. Dunno about manufacturer or availability, but a good bet is to research it a bit at www.nakedwhiz.com .

I’ll never do turkey any other way, when given the option. Even if I don’t have access to my BGE, I would simply use the oven.

I really wanted to try this recipe this year. My wife found some apple bourbon recipe she wanted to do instead. I am still going to use the fec100 but put it up at 350 so smoke should be minimal, but better than an oven.

My bird is gong into a brine bath tonight. Looking forward to my first one on the Egg.

this one is pretty basic apple juice brown sugar bourbon soak cheesecloth put cheesecloth on bird baste every so often cook on layered bed of aromatics.

We are doing two turkeys this year. We smoked a small turkey on our BGE today. We’ll do a larger turkey using Julia Child’s method on Thanksgiving day. The smaller turkey just came out of the Egg so we’ll take advantage of the hot Egg by throwing on a pizza for tonight’s dinner.

Can someone link Julia Child’s method? Not sure I’m finding what you guys are referring to.

Went out early Thanksgiving morning to fire up the BGE and whoa! It was frozen shut. Apparently there was enough moisture in the felt gasket for it to lock up tight in Atlanta’s 24F overnight chill. Got out the extension cord and hair drier and tried to thaw it open, to no avail.

The turkey went in the oven…

Sorry Robert thats too funny.

I have a FEC100 and it has a known bug that in very cold temps the controls wont function. I was outside with my wifes hair drying warming up the controls yesterday morning.

it took the smoker 3 hours to come up to 325 and stay there.

The idea is to bone your turkey so that the white and dark portions can be cooked for different amounts of time. Then they can be reassembled on a pile of stuffing for a nice presentation, though we carved away from the crowded table and skipped that part of the presentation altogether.

A friend just related his unabashed claim of greatness for turkey on the BGE - had it at a buddy’s house for T-giving and said it was the best turkey he’s ever had. Don’t know all the partics outside of a 2 day brine and injected - said 4 hours on egg. Will try and get all the facts and report them back if possible.

Robert,
I had this happen to me once. I think its a combination of moisture and grease which makes it very difficult to open. When the warming didn’t work for me I slid a putty knife between the two layers of the gasket and went around the egg. Give that a try if it happens again.

Open the bottom vent and make a little fire there. Use a fire starter thing or a couple of paper towels doused in cooking oil.