Score!!!

[Cellar2ful]

I know it will handle up to a 25 lb turkey. My fresh turkey order got screwed up this past Thanksgiving and all they had left was a 25 lb pterodactyl.  I just made sure it was counterbalanced real good. Plenty of clearance and the motor worked no harder than normal. I have spun two other 20 lb birds prior to that with no problems. You'll have no problem with a 15 lb bird.  If it is your first time spinning a turkey, I would recommend you spin one as a trial run between now and Thanksgiving. That way you know the prep time and trussing tricks without the stress of Thanksgiving looming that day. Just a suggestion. Plus you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving for smoked turkey.  Makes for killer sandwiches and it freezes well in individual zip locks.

[LiquidOcelot]

ok looks like I need a counter balance too. have to find a video on how to do it I can balance a rim and tire I'm sure I can balance a turkey lol

[SteveMBH]

Now that's a big bird!


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[RSHU]

How did i miss that one? haha, nice score... congrats!

[Cellar2ful]

Counterbalancing is real easy. Same method as old school tire balancing. Once you have the bird trussed and on the spit, place it on the rotisserie ring, without inserting the spit into the motor. The bird will always turn itself to the heaviest part downwards.  You then attach the counter weight on the handle, pointing upwards or straight up from how the bird has naturally centered itself.  Then insert the spit into the motor and turn it on.  Listen and see if it needs any adjustments.  If the motor sounds as though it is straining or working harder, it is in need of a little adjustment.  All this should be done prior to lighting your coals.  You don't want to be working over a hot kettle, trying to make adjustments.  *(I've made that mistake already).  Rather than re-write everything again, I attached the quote below that has some great tutorial links and information on spinning a turkey.

First thing, watch this tutorial video about trussing your bird and putting it on the spit.  Where you place the forks into the turkey is important.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you%20tube%20rotisserie%20turkey&&view=detail&mid=473C0A5B641E259AE78A473C0A5B641E259AE78A&rvsmid=473C0A5B641E259AE78A473C0A5B641E259AE78A&fsscr=0&FORM=VDFSRV

The first time I did a turkey on the rotisserie, I thought I had it tied up perfectly.  After about 20 minutes spinning, I noticed the rotisserie would shudder and shake when turning. Opened it up and found the legs had loosened and probably would have worked it's way off the spit had I not intervened. Try retying a turkey to a spit when they are both hot. Trust me, you don't want to have to do it.


Once you have it on the spit, put it on the ring before or while your coals are heating.  Let it run for about 5 or 10 minutes to see if it is balanced or is going to loosen. Then just follow normal preheat of the kettle and put the bird back on and spin it.  I cook indirect with charcoal baskets on both sides of a drip pan.  I put about 1/2 cup of hot water in the pan at the start.  25 briquettes per basket and add 8 unlit briquettes per hour.  I also dump  1/2 cup of apple wood chips on the first load of briquettes.  I run all the vents wide open.

Prep for the bird- Take it out of the refrigerator 2 hours before you are going to cook. Remove it from the plastic wrap and remove all the packaged parts from inside. Pat dry both the inside and outside with paper towels. I rub the outside of the bird with melted organic butter, then put Dean & Deluca poultry rub under the skin on the breasts and all over the outside.  A couple sprigs of rosemary get shoved into the cavity. All the drippings in the drip pan can be poured into a separator and used to pour over your dressing or to make gravy.

Cook time - Figure about 11 minutes per pound. The 20 lb bird pictured in my earlier post took about 3 1/2 hours.  I usually pull the turkey when I get a reading (taken multiple locations) of about 157 degrees and let it rest 30 minutes uncovered, before carving.  This is a great read about carryover temps and resting from Thermoworks:

http://blog2.thermoworks.com/2016/11/5-carryover-cooking-turkeys/?utm_source=Nl-2016Nov12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=WhiteDarkMeatTurkeyPost&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Nov2016-Turkey-Carryover-Cooking-cs&utm_source=ThermoWorks+Consumers+List&utm_campaign=ac9a89bcfc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_87f520d049-ac9a89bcfc-330762845

[captjoe06]

Fantastic!  People sweat by their roti!

[Cellar2ful]

Fantastic!  People sweat by their roti!

Did you mean swear or is that a Freudian slip Joe? (lol) Trying to re-balance and retie a hot turkey over hot coals is not something I ever want to do again (rotisserie rookie mistake). Does not take very long for the metal spit and forks to get frickin hot. Think I still bear a couple of those branding marks.

[Kneab]

Fantastic!  People sweat by their roti!

Did you mean swear or is that a Freudian slip Joe? (lol) Trying to re-balance and retie a hot turkey over hot coals is not something I ever want to do again (rotisserie rookie mistake). Does not take very long for the metal spit and forks to get frickin hot. Think I still bear a couple of those branding marks.

I usually truss the bird and put it on the spit. Then I take my ring and place it on a kettle I'm not cooking on, I  place the spit in the ring and go for a test spin and rebalance if necessary. I then remove the spit and turkey from the ring. Remove the ring and install it on the grill with lit coals in baskets. Then reinsert the spit and turkey and let it spin over the fire till done.

searching for a 26" ash pan.