I tried mad max turkey and failed any suggestions

mlc2013 · February 2018

I tried making a 16lb turkey mad max style and the breast and top of legs were cooked but the bottom of legs and wings and bottom of turkey was not even close to being done. What did I do wrong?
OK here is what I used and what I did:
Indirect at 325;
Iced turkey breast 35-40 minutes prior to putting on grill;
put the turkey in a roaster with 4" side walls, using a rack with a ½" lift;
I basted turkey every 30 minutes;
after about 2.5 hours breast (165) and top of legs (185) were at temp, the bottom the turkey and legs were 140;
I cover with foil and kept it going for another 30 minutes which dried out the breast (180);
I removed from grill and covered with foil for 15 minutes;
upon emptying the cavity, the apples, celery, carrots, and garlic weren't even really cooked they were all still crunchy;
the apple, celery, and garlic in the bottom of the pan for the drippings were all done to the point of mush;
I ended up cutting the breast off the turkey and ate dried turkey and cut the rest up and put it in the stock and continued making a soup;
In the past I used the same roasting pan and rack to make meatballs in the oven along side a broiling pan and sheet, both had the same # of meatballs on it and were on the same rack in the oven and the meatballs cooked in 30 minutes on the broiling sheet and 60 minutes in the roasting pan;
Is it possible the 4" side walls on the roasting pan is just to deep and is it possible the ½" lift on the rack is not high enough causing the bottom ¼ of turkey insulated?
I think I might have just answered my own question, but has anyone else had any similar outcomes?

gbvinla · February 2018

I had a fail with this method also, but with different results. I went back to spatchcock and went fine with same size bird each time.

In the cook you describe it sounds just like what Max did and if I remember correctly, he used a pan about the same size. Obviously the heat got sapped from something, and the pan would be my best guess.

Carolina Q · February 2018

Max says, "Put the bird in a roasting pan, breast up, elevated either on a v-rack or in my case I have a trivet-like metal piece that raises the bird about 1 inch above the pan."

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/m6/chs9mttqijfy.jpg

fishlessman · February 2018

my pan is very shallow and works fine, i sometimes put a very shallow pan under the grate with turkey over it. max's pan i believe is aluminum but may be wrong about that, he also cooks by watching the legs get loose over using a thermapen

mlc2013 · February 2018

fishlessman said:

my pan is very shallow and works fine, i sometimes put a very shallow pan under the grate with turkey over it. max's pan i believe is aluminum but may be wrong about that, he also cooks by watching the legs get loose over using a thermapen

I agree with that but legs never got loose my pan was aluminum. I’m going to try a higher rack next time

fishlessman · February 2018

mlc2013 said:

fishlessman said:

my pan is very shallow and works fine, i sometimes put a very shallow pan under the grate with turkey over it. max's pan i believe is aluminum but may be wrong about that, he also cooks by watching the legs get loose over using a thermapen

I agree with that but legs never got loose my pan was aluminum. I’m going to try a higher rack next time

i believe he also goes 6 or more hours. as a side note, i like to start the bird upsidedown in the pan and let the bottom brown up a bit before flipping it. seems to help the skin lift off the bird to help it crisp a bit. when you cooked it did you place the legs toward the hinge area. i dont do the traditional leg tie either, never saw a reason for it

mlc2013 · February 2018

before flipping it. seems to help the skin lift off the bird to help it crisp a b when you cooked it did you place the legs toward the hinge area. i dont do the traditional leg tie either, never saw a reason for it

I did not tie legs either I had turkey head to left and legs to right I hab about 6” in between hinges and handle side and 2” from left and right

fishlessman · February 2018

mlc2013 said:

before flipping it. seems to help the skin lift off the bird to help it crisp a b when you cooked it did you place the legs toward the hinge area. i dont do the traditional leg tie either, never saw a reason for it

I did not tie legs either I had turkey head to left and legs to right I hab about 6” in between hinges and handle side and 2” from left and right

an old julia childs trick is to put the turkey legs to the back of the oven where it stays hotter when the doors opend for checking, basting etc. the hinge area remains hottest and you can do the same thing there, the legs need more heat. with the bird cook, i will even light the egg off center towards the back.

I tried mad max turkey and failed any suggestions

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