Deep Frying a Turkey - Tip & Tricks

[Kelemvor]

Well, tomorrow I get to play with a big burner and some boiling oil. Should be lots of fun.

Seriously though, we're trying the latest fad and deep frying a turkey this year. Just wondering if anyone has any neat tricks or anything you've learned from doing thsi before. The fryer came with a really lame video of some guy reading off a card which at least shows you how not to kill yourself, but what other things do you do to give your turkey that extra Kick and make it somethign to remember.

Thanks.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

I have never heard of a deep fried turkey until Skoorb and I moved to the South! We always bake ours in the oven and tastes pretty darn good to me!

 

[virtuamike]

Throw it in frozen!!

I've never had a deep fried turkey, would love to try it someday.

 

[BDawg]

Deep fried turkeys rule!

Just don't eat the skin. That's where all of the fat and calories are.

 

[308nato]

Here's a tip. This comes from experience being a long-time member of the local volunteer fire dept.


12 gallon pot + 12 gallon of oil = no f@cking room for the turkey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I swear to god that 5 out of the last 6 years sometime between 11am and 4pm I have had to leave my family to put out a grease fire in a garage, kitchen or basement because people have no common sense anymore. They fill her up with oil, heat it to the proper temp, then chuck the bird in there spilling boiling cooking oil into an open flame.

There are many other stories to tell, but, this one really pisses me off. I like to drive fast in the big red truck and knock things over with water but not EVERY turkey day.

It is the best turkey you will ever eat if someone doesn't burn the house down first.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

washington post article stresses SAFETY.

Enjoy, but be careful!

 

[hdeck]

i remember having thxgiving with relatives in louisiana one year. they "canjun" deep fry there turkey. tastes oh-so-good!

 

[arod]

Originally posted by: hdeck
i remember having thxgiving with relatives in louisiana one year. they "canjun" deep fry there turkey. tastes oh-so-good!

Ive always wanted to find a good recipe for cajun deep fried turkey but nobody ever has a good recipe..... if you see them this year would you mind asking for the recipe

 

[Thegonagle]

Don't burn anything down.

That's the main thing.

400 degree oil will ignite rather rapidly when touched to the propane flame.

Don't do this on a wooden deck, and don't even think of trying it indoors.

 

[DonaldC]

Originally posted by: 308nato
Here's a tip. This comes from experience being a long-time member of the local volunteer fire dept.


12 gallon pot + 12 gallon of oil = no f@cking room for the turkey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I swear to god that 5 out of the last 6 years sometime between 11am and 4pm I have had to leave my family to put out a grease fire in a garage, kitchen or basement because people have no common sense anymore. They fill her up with oil, heat it to the proper temp, then chuck the bird in there spilling boiling cooking oil into an open flame.

There are many other stories to tell, but, this one really pisses me off. I like to drive fast in the big red truck and knock things over with water but not EVERY turkey day.

It is the best turkey you will ever eat if someone doesn't burn the house down first.

Amen.

 

[Ausm]

I had a deep fried Turkey last year and it was simply outstanding!!

Ausm

 

[Kelemvor]

I did find this link at EastmanOutdoors for Cajun Turkey.

Link to Cookbook

 

[blakeatwork]

So does everyone get to sue the turkey farmers for making a bird that can be deep-fried and filled up with oodles fat, totally negating the relatively health-conscious choice of the bird???

 

[Kelemvor]

Well it's a little known fact but all Turkeys sold in the US around Thanksgiving time were required to sign a waiver before they were killed specifically so no one can blame the farmers. So it's really OK and everyone is happy.

I'm a proud, practicing member of PETA. Aren't you?

PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals

 

[308nato]

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
So does everyone get to sue the turkey farmers for making a bird that can be deep-fried and filled up with oodles fat, totally negating the relatively health-conscious choice of the bird???

But....can you call any critter that enjoys eating its own poop health conscious ?

 

[blakeatwork]

Originally posted by: 308nato

Originally posted by: blakeatwork
So does everyone get to sue the turkey farmers for making a bird that can be deep-fried and filled up with oodles fat, totally negating the relatively health-conscious choice of the bird???

But....can you call any critter that enjoys eating its own poop health conscious ?

**SNORT** Never thought of it that way.... but my rebuttal stands.... (self-professed turkey-addict... nothing beats a turkey rosted in the oven for 8 hours... Mmm.. crispy skin.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[440sixpack]

I work for a testing lab that has tested about 8-9 of these over the last few months. The key safety measure has already been listed - be VERY careful with the oil, make sure there is enough room in the pot for the turkey. The oil will ignite easily, and it will sputter as you lower the turkey into the pot, so lower it SLOWLY. Also note that the oil will hold it's heat for a long time after the flame is shut off, so bear that in mind. Make sure the surface it is on is level and secure. And do it OUTSIDE - shouldn't have to mention that but you never know what some people will try.

And as a side note, the meat comes out great if it's done properly.

 

[queenmege]

my family has had a fried turkey the past two years. if you can find an injector and some sauces to inject into it, it tastes a lot better and also a lot juicier. also, if you want, you can stuff spices in between the skin and the meat. that gives it some extra added flavor as well.

 

[Harvey]

WTF??? Why would anyone deep fry a turkey? Roasting it will drain off at least some of the fat. Deep frying it will make it a Thanksgiving meal only a cholesterol and saturated fat junky would be grateful for. Sorry, but that sounds like a recipe for disaster. :Q

 

[MaxDSP]

I saw a tip on Food network yesterday that said that first fill up the fryer with water and put the turkey in, so that way you know how much oil you need to put in. That seems to be the biggest problem with people frying their turkey.


Of course, Im a semi-vegetarian so I dont have these problems...

 

[Ornery]

A friend of mine tried to talk me into grilling ours. He said he does it every year and it turns out great. I've been too chicken to try it, but here's the instructions if anyone else wnats to give it a go.

More than a few people have mentioned the fried turkey. My wife sounds interested, but I think I'd rather go for the charcoal grilled turkey first!

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Well, tomorrow I get to play with a big burner and some boiling oil. Should be lots of fun.

Seriously though, we're trying the latest fad and deep frying a turkey this year. Just wondering if anyone has any neat tricks or anything you've learned from doing thsi before. The fryer came with a really lame video of some guy reading off a card which at least shows you how not to kill yourself, but what other things do you do to give your turkey that extra Kick and make it somethign to remember.

Thanks.

We tried this once. Put the damn fryer on the driveway. After it was all over we spent the next month with kitty litter over the spilled oil spot where the boiling oil had boiled over. Made a hell of a mess trying to get it all cleaned up, but it sure tasted good. We sold that damn fryer the next week and have baked the turkey ever since.

 

[Jzero]

I've been too chicken to try it, but here's the instructions if anyone else wnats to give it a go.

<--I would have missed that great pun if not for my pun goggles!