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Mad Max Turkey Questions

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soonerfunk
soonerfunk Posts: 22
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to use the Mad Max turkey recipe and cook my first turkey on Thursday. A few questions:

1. Is it necessary to have water pan beneath the roasting pan as a heat barrier? Can you just ensure sufficient air flow between the inverted plate setter and the bottom of the roasting pan?

2. What does it mean to "tent" the turkey during the last hour or so? I've never "tented" anything and am not sure what this means.

3. What else can be used to elevate the Turkey from the bottom of the roasting pan? I have a v-rack, but not sure it will fit.

4. What do you baste the Turkey with?

Thanks!
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    1. No. You can use foil balls or the eggs three green feet.

    2. Tent, put aluminum foil covering over the turkey to slow down the browning.

    3. V Rack will elevate it enough, nothing needed.

    4. A turkey baster available at any food store.
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  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
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    1. No, I don't think so.

    2. LIGHTLY put tin foil over the turkey when it's browned to your liking. In other words, don't put the foil on tight. Literally make a V shaped tent with your foil.

    3. I need answer to the same question - sure enough, my V-rack doesn't fit.

    4. A bulb baster - supermarkets even have them. Looks like a big rubber bulb on the end of a tube
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    >sure enough, my V-rack doesn't fit

    What exactly about the V rack, doesn't fit? What size egg to you have and which V rack do you have, the large or small?
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I have never used a dual pan setup if that is what you are saying. For indirect a plate setter then anything to separate the roasting pan from direct contact with the plate setter (pizza stone or dry drip pan).

    If you don't put liquid below the turkey there is a chance the drippings will burn and you will end up with a scorched flavor in the bird, I would use some liquid.

    "Tenting" something is a method to reduce some of the cooking from the top of the food. I mostly use tenting to stop overdeveloping the bark on butt or brisket and to control the browning on a chicken or turkey. Just use a piece of aluminum foil loosely draped over the top of the food.

    If you don't have a V rack use a trivet of some type. Most turkey roasting pans will come with some type of stand off for the bird. You just don't want the bird resting in liquid.

    Basters are available at most grocery stores for under 4 or 5 bucks - it is a bulb with a elongated tube attached to the bulb. Think of those bulbs that are used to clear out the nose of babies.

    I have basted and cooked without basting the bird comes our well either way. If this is the first bird I would probably baste some.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    As you can see below the BGE V-rack works fine with this 23# bird.

    09turkey1.jpg

    GG
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    1. No water pan necessary, place foil balls, copper pipe fittings, large bolts or nuts, ceramic BGE feet, rocks, anything to get some air space.

    2. Tent is just that, a tent. Don't wrap it tightly. Alton Brown showed an idea that I use to this day. Take a good size piece of foil and mold it aroud the bird while it is still cold. Near the end of the cooking time you may find where the color is a little darker than you would like and then take this preformed tent and cover the bird.

    3 Vegetables, celery, onions, apples, anything that would give your bird a little more flavor.

    A bulb baster to redistribute the pan drippings, wine and any other liquid goodness that the bird will throw off during cooking.
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  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
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    Sorry - meant to say that the V-Rack won't fit in my roasting pan. And I'm scared to get one of those throw-away aluminum ones because I want to use the pan to wisk the gravy.
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  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
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    Wow! Thanks for the pic! How did you make gravy? That is to get all the good "crud" off the foil?
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  • RVH
    RVH Posts: 523
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    Grandpas Grub wrote:
     
    As you can see below the BGE V-rack works fine with this 23# bird.

    09turkey1.jpg

    GG

    I'll be right over!!! :P
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Anytime Vance. :)

    Kent
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Tent loosely and nothing sticks to the tent. Gravy is from the liquid in the roasting pan.

    GG
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    You can whisk the gravy in the aluminum pan with no issue. Restaurants been cooking and serving in these for years.
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