Going for Mad Max - Fingers Crossed

Dollinger

I'm risking a Big I told you so from my wife and I'll hear about it for years if this doesn't work out. So I really any advice you might have. I got a flat no to cutting the turkey to cook it flat!

I going to follow the mad max instructions using the mad max seasoning. I plan to light off early in the morning. I will let the egg burn for an hour to get clear smoke before I put the turkey on. This is my setup. The turkey will fit on the rack ok. I plan to place the pan on the three green feet to space it above the place setter and cook indirect at 325. 

My wife doesn't want a turkey that taste like smoke. I'm using FOGO charcoal (it was on sale for $14) filled up to 1" below the fire ring.  I'm thinking not to add any smoking chips or chunks. I'll monitor both the thigh and breast to get them to at least 165.

 Do you think the 18 LBS turkey will fit with this pan?  I tested it and the lid closes ok but worried about the height with the turkey.

I'm also wet brineing the turkey for 24 hours and then letting it dry in the frig over night.  Any thoughts or suggestions. 

fishlessman

if you want to hear about this for life from the family, use red wine, it makes for purple gravy. just ask everyone in my family

Eggcelsior

I would let your fire burn for a while to get rid of traces of smoke, even more than an hour. Maybe even clean burn today to clean off the ceramics.

thetrim

Good luck and fight your fight.  Keep the blinders on.

Just got in an argument with my mom, because I couldn't find the giblet bag in the turkey.  It was in the bottom of the turkey bag and not in the turkey.  I made the mistake of telling her that I've made more turkeys than she has.....

llrickman

Doing a mad max again this year. its been a hit everytime just plan out every step ahead of time. I think your bird will fit fine in that pan. wish i could find an oval one but gor a 16x12 with a rack that will fit on my spider and pizza stone

Hans61

It’ll be great!

Dollinger

So I followed the directions closely and used the Max Max Spice and it came out great! I brined the bird for 24 hours and let it dry out over night. I did the Ice on the breast. I pulled it off when the breast was 175 and the thigh was 188. I made the gravy and it came out well too. I think the trick to it is to skim off the fat from the juices. Wife said it was very flavorful and not smokey. I tented the bird when it started to brown and basted it every 30 minutes. I removed the foil for the last 30 minutes. Cook time was about 4 hours for an 18 lb bird.


I had two issues. First of all the controller seems to be acting flakey after this last update with fan continuing to run a lot to run after going over setpoint 5 degrees or more and I would up manually controlling as I could not get it to stabilize. Never had this issue and after can see the difference in the graph.


The other issue is the legs and breast were done but leg socket was still bloody. I'm wondering id too much wine went in the cavity? I wound up cutting the breast off so we could eat and putting the rest in the oven to finish since the controller wasn't working right.