Turkey Fryer

[red-beard]

Has anyone tried one of these things? Home depot just had an add for one and it supposedly will cook the Thanksgiving turkey in 1 hour.

[RickM]

They do a pretty nice job of cooking the turkey inside and out...sealing in the juices. However, they can be quite dangerous to use. Be very careful.

Some quick rules:

- Dont use indoors, on a wodden deck or near flammable material

- Be careful that the turkey is not too large for the friers capacity

- Insure that the frier is not overfilled with oil

- Oil is not overheated

- Turkey is COMPLETLEY thawed. Frozen and excessively watery material will create a violent backsplash of boiling oil....which will ingnite

[dhoward]

Keep a video camera handy for your first try....

[RickM]

I used a video camera on my first try. Here's one frame from the video:

[RickM]

...

[dhoward]

[id10t]

They work great, about 3 minutes per pound.

Fill your fryer wtih water, submerge turkey. Remove and dry turkey, make note of water line required. Empty pot, dry out with towel, refill with oil and then heat it up.

[project935]

<--- has fried at least 20 turkeys.

Make sure the turkey is totally thawed. I've found 4-4.5 min works best for the 14-16lb birds.

Use peanut oil - can be used for up to 3 fryings. Use a nice cajun rub. Don't bother injecting the turkey - doesn't need the juice.

[cmccuist]

Here's a few tips:

I only fry turkeys that are 10 lbs or less. Otherwise the outside gets done and the inside doesn't.

I brine the turkey overnight in a 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon of water solution. This ensures that the bird is completely thawed and also garauntees that it wont dry out (works for roasting the turkey too). Completely submerge the turkey in the solution - usually two gallons - and put it in the refer. Dry it thouroughly before dropping it in the oil!!

I buy the injectable spices at Academy - there are several flavors and each package comes with a syringe. Costs about $3

I cook a 10 lb bird for about 35 minutes.

I get the oil (only use peanut oil) up to 350 deg F, put the turkey in a fish basket and lower it in. If you use the device that stands the turkey up while cooking it takes more oil.

Wear welder's gloves.

Keep the propane on full blast.

Do several turkeys at once to offset the cost of the oil ($25 for 3 gallons).

I would rather eat a fried turkey than a roasted one.

It's a coin flip between fried and smoked on a pit.

[cmccuist]

One other thing - project935 is correct about the juices. I inject for the flavor, but rubbing is also a good way. The turkey will be juicy regardless.

I haven't had much luck with the >10 birds. The skin and outside meat seems to cook too much during the hour that it takes to get a 15 lb turkey done throughout.

[dd74]

Originally posted by cmccuist
...I cook a 10 lb bird for about 35 minutes.

35 minutes? In a fryer? There wouldn't be much bird left, I'd think.

[cmccuist]

Originally posted by dd74
35 minutes? In a fryer? There wouldn't be much bird left, I'd think.

Last time I cooked them I left them in for 35 minutes. It worked out fine. The temperature drops when you put in the turkey, but the clock starts when it's in and 35 minutes later it comes out.

[Teutonics]

I used to do deep-fried turkeys for catered parties, but deep-fried chickens are even better! Same procedure, but I usually do three at a time (six to nine for our T-giving dinner... we have a big family). You can tell they are about done when they just start to float.

I also have my own injection recipe for flavor (inject 24hrs prior to cooking): salt (as Craig mentioned) and butter flavoring are two of the secret ingredients. ;-)

I've also found it safer to drop in the turkey at a lower temperature (300 or so) and then bring it up to cooking temp. A lot less oil "flash".

If you haven't tried chickens, do one the next time you do a turkey... there's no comparison!

[Teutonics]

Originally posted by dd74
35 minutes? In a fryer? There wouldn't be much bird left, I'd think.

3.5 minutes per pound, smaller birds cook slightly faster, but it's almost impossible to over-cook.

One other tip is to frequently lift and re-submerge the turkey, every 5 minutes or so. This allows the cooled oil inside the turkey to drain and replace with hot oil, and cooks more evenly. This is also a good way to monitor whether the bird has started to "float" (=done).

[johnco]

I do about 10-12 turkeys each Thanksgiving. let the turkey down slowly in the hot grease, it splatters everywhere. I inject mine with tons of pepper and marinade. also try some lemon/garlic marinade injected. mmmmm. Fried chickens are great also. I do several of these also but it takes longer to cook them it seems. I've also tried frying whole hams. mmmmm, great

[304065]

I found this interesting page on the UL labs site.

http://www.ul.com/consumers/turkeys.html

I wish I had a patio, this looks like something I need to try.