Frying Your Turkey?

[Scotty]

I didn't think I would like deep fried turkey when I first encountered it. However, I found I really liked it. It was moist with a crispy skin and very, very good. I've been thinking of getting the rig and doing my own. How many of you have deep fried a turkey?

[Joe S.]

Yeah, when most people first hear about deep frying a turkey, they are a little put off by it. Then once they politely try some, they become converts!

[Scotty]

Exactly! I thought it would be greasy and disgusting, but it wasn't. I'm a proponent of frying the turkey now. Shortens the prep time for Thanksgiving dinner and gives my wife a bit of a breather. She does the side dishes and I'm going to do the turkey!

[foxylady]

I think deep fried turkey is delicious but it isn't very good for you. I don't fry anything. All this talk about turkey is making me want Thanksgiving dinner.

[wvbreamfisherman]

I love deep frying my turkeys! My family doesn't want it any other way anymore. I use a creole butter injectable marinade and put it in the bird the night before so it can marinate on ice overnight.

[jason]

I know a few people who said they would not like it. However when I made it last time they ate it like crazy. I love it now. That and smoking the turkey makes me think I'll never cook on in the oven again.

[Theo]

I have never been that impressed with it. It's good and all but it just doesn't live up to all of the hype.

Besides, turkey and dressing is supposed to be dry. So I can pour a gallon or two of gravy over it. Love me some gravy!!!

[Theosus]

Originally Posted by Scotty

I didn't think I would like deep fried turkey when I first encountered it. However, I found I really liked it. It was moist with a crispy skin and very, very good. I've been thinking of getting the rig and doing my own. How many of you have deep fried a turkey?

I've done it... It's dangerous and expensive, but it's fun. The oil and cooker are big expenses. The oil is around $20. Cookers vary but it's basically just a big pot on a flame, so you can cook other stuff in the thing.
The most dangerous time is when you lower the bird into the grease. You have to follow the directions and make sure your bird isn't too big for the pot and oil you have. If it slops over the side the whole thing can go up in flames.
I always turn the flame off when I'm lowering the bird in so there's no open flame. Once it's in the grease I put the lid on and then relight the burner.

Have a fire extinguisher ready and don't do it right next to the house. I do mine toward the road end of the driveway, so if there is a problem, there's lots of room between it and the house.

Most cookers now have a safety thing - unless you push the reset button every ten minutes or so, it cuts off the gas, so you can't walk away and leave it. There are even infrared "fryers" that use no oil, but to me that just sounds like an oven. Save the $150 and use your range.

We always fry ours Wednesday. Then we carve it and refrigerate it overnight. It's easy to reheat in the oven, or it's fine cold. It actually tastes better the next day after the meat relaxes. I don't like it right out of the cooker.

[wvbreamfisherman]

When I do a turkey, I always submerge the thawed turkey in enough water to cover it. Then I remove the turkey and mark the level of the water on the side of the kettle. Thats how much oil I put in. I always use pure peanut oil- it's expensive but it has a very high smoke point and last nearly forever if you filter it after each use. I also add a little pure citric acid when it's still a little warm to act as an antioxidant.

One important safety tip (beyond those Theosus mentioned) is to make sure the turkey is totally thawed before cooking it. If there is a chunk of ice left in the bird, it can make the oil boil over with exciting and memorable (but very bad) consequences!!

[ppine]

I will be cooking some fowl in a Dutch oven on a campfire in the backyard. I have been cooking this way for thanksgiving for about 30 years. The women cook in the house, and the men cook outside. If the weather is bad retreat to a wall tent with a woodstove to warm up.