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Mad Max Turkey Tip of the Week - 1st in a series

mad max beyond eggdome
mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
hi gang. . .well its 7 weeks from today to thanksgiving, and there are already questions popping up here and there. . .so i thought i'd provide a weekly 'tip' for the next 6 thursdays leading up to the big day. . .along with the link below to the 'mad max turkey'. ...[p]so... .1st tip. ...how is that big bird gonna fit in your egg?? .. .while i roast my turkey in a traditional roasting pan, some follks like to go with a verticle stand, and some folks may like to spatchcock theirs. ...regardless of methodology, you should try out a cold test fit. .. i've posted this before, and it may sound crazy, but a basketball is about the same size as a 20 pound + turkey. . .so, grab a basketball, and whatever setup you think you want to use, and stick it in your egg and see how it fits ...make sure there is sufficient air flow around it. . .make sure your dome temp thermometer isn't sticking into it(this can really cause you problems if you don't realize its happening). . .[p]here are a couple of pics of the set-up i've been using the last couple of years. ..by sticking the little green bge 'feet' under my roasting pan, i create enough airspace to keep the bottom of the pan from scorching. ...works really well. .. .[p]also, if you want to use the throw-away aluminum pans, use 3 or 4 stacked together ...it will result in a 'thicker' pan, more like a regular roasting pan. ...more sturdy as well with a heavy bird in it for moving it on and off the egg, and for making gravy. ..[p]here is my large egg w/ plate setter and green feet
DSCN0625.jpg[p]and here is the roasting pan sitting on the feet[p]DSCN0626.jpg[p]and here it is with the 'turkey' in it. ..all fits great. ..will handle a 24 pound bird with no problem. .. [p]DSCN0627.jpg[p]stay tuned for next week's tip, when i talk about keeping the breast meat moist while the legs get done. ...[p]mad "thinking like a pilgrim" max

[ul][li]http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm[/ul]

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    white wine makes regular colored gravy, red wine makes delicious purple gravy : ) wasnt sure you would remember that tip. gotta love purple gravy

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • mad max beyond eggdome, Thanksgiving is Monday Oct 9th in Canada.
  • JD
    JD Posts: 30
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    Looking at my calander, Canada is having their Turkey Day next Mon! I wonder if there are any Eggers in Canada?

  • jd, I got my Turkey in the Brine already

  • JD
    JD Posts: 30
    Topo Gigio, Have a good Turkey day! Do you guys watch hockey all day Mon?

  • jd, no, its not like American Turkey and Football. There are no scheduled hockey games during the day. Some at night, but not geared around or for the holiday. Traditionaly "Hockey Night in Canada" is Saturday night. I guess we just eat Turkey (sometimes there is no Turkey depending on ethnic background) and stare at each other.

  • smokinsop
    smokinsop Posts: 180
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    A question about your gravy rec. I hate the taste of wine, can I substitute turkey broth for it ??

  • mad max beyond eggdome,[p] Hi there. I'm in Canada and our thanksgiving is this weekend. I plan on following your recipe and method on Sunday. In the posting on TNW site you said you used a drip pan with water in it. Was that when you were using another setup or am I not getting something right? It looks like great turkey and I don't want to mess up.
    Thanks[p]Steve

  • smokinsop,
    you bet, wine is an option. . .just use the turkey broth only .... enjoy!!

  • Little Steven,
    you are correct. ..the year before i hit on the little green feet idea, i borrowed a contraption from nature boy that consisted of 2 iron cross bars and a water pan under my roasting pan. . .it also worked out really well. .. .again, the goal is to have a heat barrier between your roasting pan and the fire. ..

  • all you canadians cooking on monday. . .while i can't open the "mad max hotline" since i'll be at work, i will make sure to pay attention to the forum. .. so if you have any questions you need immediate answers to, either post them here on the forum on sunday/monday, or feel free to shoot me an email at max@mitre.org. ...[p]mad "lookin out for my northern neighbors" max
  • mad max beyond eggdome,[p] Thank you. Will report on Tuesday[p]Steve

  • mad max beyond eggdome,[p] Thanks, mighty neighbourly of you. [p]Steve
  • BBQfan1
    BBQfan1 Posts: 562
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    Can you convert your recipe measures to millilitres, temps to centigrade and times to metric minutes? LOL
    Hey, we write is as 'neighbour' because we like to alway include 'u' in our holiday festivities!
    have a good one, buddy!
    Qfan

  • BBQfan1,
    LOL. ...you know just last week, my 7th grade son asked me for help on metric conversions and i was absolutely useless!!!!. .. i even looked it up on the internet, and i still screwed him all up. ...i think he got a D on his test, and i couldn't be mad at him, cause i would have done worse. . .[p]are you not going down to the royal this week? . ..you dizzy north fellows are doing the jack though, correct?. ..[p]have a great thanksgiving!!! and good luck at the jack!!

  • BBQfan1
    BBQfan1 Posts: 562
    mad max beyond eggdome,
    We did qualify for the Royal this year but it's just such a long haul and besides our invite arrived Sept 4 when it absolutely had to be back by Sept 1. Guess they shouldn't mail it to Canada postmarked KC on Aug 26th; don't they know that those polar bears can't be trusted to deliver the mail in a prompt manner? LOL
    Qfan

  • Fuzzy1
    Fuzzy1 Posts: 3
    We did a trial run last weekend and followed your recipe to a "t" . The Turkey was great but there were virtually no fluid drippings in the pan?
    Details
    1) 10# turkey
    2) 3.5 hours at 325, brast at 160 degrees[p]Maybe canadian turkeys are leaner?[p]Any thoughts?
    Thanks
    Mike[p]

  • bbqdiva
    bbqdiva Posts: 192
    heya mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I am SO loving this thread! Turkey, as I told you before, really itimidates me ><. Hoping to get a good result this Tksgiving :-)[p]bbqdiva
  • Fuzzy1,
    you used the two sticks of butter and the 1/2 bottle of wine, then emptied the cavity into the pan when you pulled the bird out, and still no juices/drippings? . .hard to believe. . .maybe it was a lean bird. . .one thing you can do, if there is nothing to baste with, add a little more butter, maybe some apple juice, or even pour some more wine over it . ..you oughta have something in the pan to work into the gravy. ...[p]HTH. ..

  • bbqdiva,
    no problem. . .this mad max turkey thing has really evolved over the last couple of years. . .its a lot of fun, and i really enjoy the hotline calls i get during thanksgiving week. . .. i expect to hear from you!!

  • JSlot
    JSlot Posts: 1,218
    .........get him a copy of "Pocket Ref" by Thomas Glover. Get yourself one, as well. It's the handiest "little" reference book I've ever seen. I find myself using it just about every week. See you in Hotlanta!!![p]Jim