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Mad Max's Turkey recipe question

BBQ BOY
BBQ BOY Posts: 56
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
OK. I attempting to cook my first turkey this Christmas and it will be Mad Max's recipe. Wish me luck!!!
Anyway, after the turkey is stuffed and cooked with carrots, apples and such do you discard all of it? I imagine you would.

Second, after the neck, liver, heart and giblet are cooked do you dice up all of it or just the neck? I would imagine all of it.

third, I plan to use my DigiQ II for the turkey. Should I place the meat probe into the thigh or breast?

Comments

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    I cook commando,NO GADGETS so I cannot answer your last Question.I would think veggies would be O K.As far as the giblets, use it all,with some broth to get the consistency you want.You can use a little cornstarch to thicken.Hope it helps! :)
  • Wouldn't the flour be used to thicken the gravy?
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Yep'that's what I meant. :blush: Cornstarch or flour mixed in a little water to thicken the gravy.Use all the giblets and a couple of boiled eggs for the giblet gravy. ;)
  •  
    Just follow the detailed instructions and you will be fine. No luck needed, Max has it covered.

    Thicken with flour or corn starch. Mix either in some warm water and make sure there are no lumps then add the mixture to the liquid.

    I put the probe in the breast and cook to 165° and pull for the rest.

    GG
  • BBQ Boy,

    I cooked my first Mad Max turkey for Thanksgiving and followed his instructions to the tee.

    The gravy is the bomb. There was a lot of concern pre-Thanksgiving from some that the gravy would be too "winey", so I only used half as much wine in the gravy and it was perfect to our tastes.

    If you ice the breasts like he says, then I put my temp probe deep in the thigh (careful not to touch the bone). The ice will keep the breasts from getting too done. You really want the thigh to get done.

    Also a trick if your cook is running a little later than planned is to "trick " the Digi II out of the ramp mode by setting your "goal" temp to 20-25* higher than what you want. But you will have to watch it closely as it gets closer to being done. (I have the older BBQ Guru and this is what I do. The Digi II might be more advanced and not require that trick). The ramp mode slows down the cooking over the last 20-25* to keepfrom overcooking.

    We keep our turkey carcass and made a great soup stock after the dinner.

    Good luck and post pics of your success!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,668
    the flavor will already in the gravey from neck and giblets, its a personal preference for texture in the gravey if you want them diced up or not. my dog gets the neck for guarding the egg for the whole cook.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    If you follow Max's recipe he has you make a roux with flour and butter which will thicken the gravy. -RP
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Instead of tricking it why not just not put it in the ramp mode? -RP
  • Egged my first Mad Max Turkey at Thanksgiving. I discarded the 'stuffing' after the cook. I used the neck and all the organs for the gravy - amazing!

    I did learn that the turkey needs to be high in the roaster to cook uniformly. The sides of my roaster are high, my turkey was sitting too low and the thighs cooked slower than I would have liked.

    Thanks Mad Max for a fool-proof method for the best turkey ever.

    IMG00015-20091126-1248.jpg
    Turkey prepped for the cook.

    IMG00018-20091126-1629.jpg
    Turkey after the cook.

    IMG00019-20091126-1629.jpg
    Another post-cook pic.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,668
    looks like the same pan i use except i roast in the other half thats shorter. the thighs would have cooked faster if they were not tied, not sure why everyone does that

    DSC_0089.jpg
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Oooo...great couple of tips. Thanks. I'll use the 'top' side next time. Oddly enough, I tied the thighs thinking they might cook too quickly otherwise.

    One of the things I love about the forum - the next cook can always be better than the last. :)
  • Great info guys. Thank you very much. I am glad I asked the question now.
  • OK. A couple of more questions.
    I read his directions on naked Wiz and it took him 6.5-7 hours to cook a 20 lb turkey but with the video instructions on Fred's Music and BBQ web site Mad Max said to cook 12-15 minutes per pound. Something is not adding up. I have a 21 lb. turkey and I need to know how to plan this. if I plan to eat at 6 do I need to start cooking at 11am or 2 pm?
  • BBQ B - my Thanksgiving cook was a 13lb bird. It was on the Egg for about 3 1/2 hrs - @15 min per lb.