Who Here Has attempted to Deep-Fry a Turkey ?

[jcb]

At what point in the process did the duct tape come into play?

 

[DisneyKevin]

At what point in the process did the duct tape come into play?

I think there was watch synchronization involved.

 

[Joshua_me]

It's hard to make any turkey gravy with this method.

Hmm...

Hadn't thought of the lack of gravy aspect.

Although, you know who sells surprisingly good turkey gravy ? Publix.

Seriously.

I would have rolled my eyes, too, but we were surprised how tasty it was. Not all cornstarchy and salty like one might imagine.

It comes in plastic quart-sized tubs, ( for $4.99, I believe) and they only sell it Nov though New Year's.

I mean, you won't mistake it for Grandma's or anything, (or whomever you consider your homemade gravy guru to be...) But, gosh darn - it'll do in a pinch.

Then again, maybe we'll just ditch this entire turkey idea and order Chinese.

There's something to be said for shrimp in lobster sauce and a decent house lo mien.

 

[WebmasterMike]

We make Giblet gravy. Just get me a bag of parts and innards!!

 

[hookedonears]

We fry a turkey almost every year. To us, there's no better way to cook a turkey. We've used our own recipe on several occasions, but the Cajun Injector that you can buy at most grocery stores is very good. Be sure to use Peanut oil.

 

[hookedonears]

Be forewarned. Once you cook a turkey this way, you'll never do it any other way.
It's really pretty easy.
First, you need to cook it outside. A fish cooker works great.
2) Using a large pot (preferable a crawfish pot).
3) Add enough peanut oil to cover the turkey entirely.
4) Heat oil to 350 degrees.
5) We have a metal dowel rod (Home Depot) to hang our turkey on, that sits on top of the pot.
6) Using an injector, inject the turkey liberally all over with what ever seasonings you want to use.
7) We use a large coat hanger - unwind, feed through the tendons in the bottom of its legs, wind coat hanger back to form. You will need to pull the turkey down and deform the coat hanger to make sure the entire turkey will be sitting in the grease.
8) Hang your turkey on your metal dial rod, place in grease, making sure your turkey is completely covered with grease.
9) Turkey must be completely thawed. Fry for about 3 minutes per pound. (themometer in meat is needed)
I know this sounds like allot, but once you have everything, and have done it once, it really becomes pretty easy, and the process is part of the fun. (plenty of beer is recommended)
Be sure to attach a thermometer to you pan and adjust the grease temp. as necessary. When you put your turkey in the grease, the temp. will drop. Raise the temp. for just a short time to help to get the temp. back a little quicker. The grease, however can get too hot pretty quickly, so you have to turn the temp. back down well before it gets back to 350.
Have fun and enjoy.

 

[magchavez]

We've done it the last 2 years and I don't think I'd ever cook it in the oven again! We used this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/deep-fried-turkey-marinade/detail.aspx. I also got the recipe for the creole seasoning on the same website and toned it down a bit for the kids. It was delicious!!!!

 

[SWB]

It occurred to me today that there is a less threatening way to ALMOST fry a turkey - Check out the Charbroil Big Easy. I have done it both ways - traditional deep frying and used a Big Easy as well for several years. Both are good and both have redeeming qualities:

Traditional Deep Frying:
Quicker - 3.5 min/pound vs 10 min/pound in the big easy, but there is no oil to pre-heat in the big easy, ease the turkey in the big easy and turn it on
Crispier
Moist
Very, Very Good!

Big Easy:
Easier - Turn it on and go to cooking
Less Clean up (no oil to have to pour up and dispose of)
Moist
Some what crispy- cant beat deep fried for crispy skin, but this method does produce a fairly crisp skin
Much Safer - No open flames or oil to boil over

I prepare the turkey exactly the same way prior to cooking weather I'm frying or big easying.

If you are intimidated by deep frying a turkey but want a change of pace, then try the Charbroil Big Easy - relatively inexpensive and produces a great turkey that is similar to deep frying.

Just an alternative - I do it both ways, just according to the situation.

Steve

 

[troydjames]

I use an electric turkey fryer which is much safer no open flame, just have to cook turkey about 15 minutes longer, If I remember right the propane cooker takes about 3 minutes per pound if temp stays at 350, which would be about 35 minutes for 12 pound turkey. The electric cooker takes longer to recover when you put the turkey in so it takes longer. As for seasoning it is very simple I get the creole butter injection kit at Walmart also comes with a rub for the outside, inject, cover with rub and lower in slowly to keep from boiling over. I learned this when we moved to Mobile Alabama in the mid 90's and when I moved back to Kentucky and done one for people to try in 1998 I have had to cook 4-5 every year for my family and in laws, it is the only way they want a turkey now, we have not had an oven baked turkey in years. The only problem that I have is that you have to use smaller turkeys 12lbs and under to fit in the electric fryer so for a large family you may have to do more than one.

 

[reeveha]

1. Most fryer pots will only accept an 8#-10# turkey. DO NOT try to put a larger one in the pot, you might not be able to pull it out without spilling the pot. Since it only takes a little over 30 minutes to fry a bird, if you need more than a 10# turkey, just fry a second bird.

2. Do not put stuffing in the bird, the bird won't cook.

3. Make sure the bird is completely dry before trying to put it in the oil, or you'll have a boil up.

4. Do use a injector system (my family likes both Cajun and Lemon/Herb Butter). It makes the bird juicier.

5. When using injector system, do not use a marinade that has big pieces of herbs, it clogs the injector syringe.

6. When using an injector system, make sure to put marinade in the thighs, legs and breast.

7. Do not try to take the temperature of the bird to see if it's done while the bird is in the oil, you'll get a false reading.

8. Remove any pop-up timers before frying, melted plastic doesn't taste good.

9. Only fill the frying pot to the fill line or it WILL boil over. If the pot doesn't have a Fill Line, do as SWB suggested, place the frozen turkey in the pot and just barely cover with water (legs and all). Then, take the bird out and mark the water level on the pot WITHOUT the bird. That is your fill line for the height of the oil.

10. Only use a high smoke point oil, like peanut, corn, canola, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, and sunflower.

 

[Joshua_me]

We make Giblet gravy. Just get me a bag of parts and innards!!

Could we fly you down to Sarasota for the weekend ?

 

[WebmasterMike]

Could we fly you down to Sarasota for the weekend ?

You could just grab my brother, which would be far less expensive. He is in Sarasota until the Sunday before Thanksgiving working for the Sarasota Opera. I am pretty sure he is privy to the family recipe.

 

[a742246]

Filling the Pot:
Fill the pot with water first.
Submerge the entire Turkey.
Remove water until top inch of the Turkey is visible.
Remove the Turkey.
Place a piece of masking tape to mark the water line.
Dry the Turkey (inside and out) and the pot well.
Fill the pot to the masking tape with oil.
Remove tape.

Preparing the Stand:
Flat Lawn works best (five feet from any structure).
Fire Extinguisher ten feet from stand.
Drive foot-long metal stakes to each of the metal legs.
Test to make sure that it does not tip over or shakes loose.

Lowering the Turkey:
Usually the kit provides a thick metal coat hanger that hooks onto metal hook in Turkey.
Take a hollow aluminum bar (seven feet) and wrap duct tape like a hockey stick handle (center of the stick, about foot long).
It is a two person job lowering the bird into the pot. SLOWLY.

PRACTICE WITH THE TURKEY WHEN MEASURING THE OIL LEVEL WITH WATER.

KNOW WHERE EVERY THING WILL BE TAKEN FROM AND PLACED BACK.

PRACTICE WITH THE STAKED STAND, POT WITH WATER AND ACTUAL TURKEY.

PRACTICE PUTTING IT IN AND TAKING IT OUT.

NOTE THAT THINGS WILL BE QUITE HOT WHEN TAKIN THINGS OUT.

BOTH PEOPLE WALKING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AWAY FROM THE BOLING POT.

And yes, yes, yes it is worth it.

This is really good advice. If you don't follow these directions then don't bother.
Things can get dangerous very quickly.
To me its not worth it, though.

 

[Dian-er]

When we first moved here, Bob did the deep fry turkey. It was delicious. HOWEVER, it can be messy, then you have to worry about draining the oil & what are you going to do with it?? Some people reuse it, I have issues with that. Also, very important that the bird be thoroughly defrosted-any ice crystals inside it will cause it to explode in the oil. Not a good thing!
Good luck if you try it.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Frying the Turkey was the greatest. However, we learned why you don't set the fryer up in your garage. We didn't have any problems, just spill over when we put the turkey in the fryer.

We always try to find the biggest bird, and that is not a good idea if frying the turkey. I loved it!!!!!!!

 

[Joshua_me]

HOWEVER, it can be messy, then you have to worry about draining the oil & what are you going to do with it??

Well, much to my surprise you can dump it in the corner of your backyard if you want to. It is, after all, biodegradable.

( This is according to Alton Brown, and I'm fairly certain he's smarter than I am....)