Deep Fried Turkey

[{OF}Blong]

This is the only "dish" I make that I am proud of.

Anyways how to deep fry a turkey.

1. Get a turkey deep fryer . All it is is a big aluminum pot that will fit a big turkey (I believe mine can handle up to a 25lb turkey) and then a way to heat the oil. I use propane heater.

2. Clean out the THAWED turkey meaning remove the gizzards/neck, and the done popper etc etc. Clean it out with fresh water. then put the turkey hook (should come with the deep fry kit) through the turkey and then lower it down (should come with an lowering hook as well) into the aluminum pot. Fill it with water until the turkey is completly covered. Pull out the turkey and let the water settle.

3. Mark the water level. I use a butter knife just enough to scratch it so I can see where to fill the oil level to. After doing this dump the water out and then pat dry both the turkey and the pot. You dont want any water in the pot and as little water as possible in and on the turkey.

4. Take the pot out to your heat source (hopefully you didnt start it yet) and set it on top. Fill the pot with oil up to the fill level. I usually use 1 and 1/4 box's of oil for a 15lb turkey.

5. once filled turn on the heat source (for me its propane) and heat the oil up to 325 degrees. While its heating your wife, or you if you feel comfortable, can work on filling the turkey with marinade.

6. The turkey will taste better if you add marinade in it. I buy the walmart stuff that comes with a syringe packaged with it. when I get home ill edit this to reflect the right name but its a green and yellow packaged bottle. Fill the syringe and fill every possible inside spot of the turkey. be careful to not fill it too much because when you pull the syringe out if there is too much the pressure will cause it to "shoot" back out at you. I never use the whole bottle but closer to 3/4 of the bottle.

7. now that youve marinaded it and your oil is at 325 degrees take the turkey and SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil. I take about 60-90 seconds to lower the turkey into the oil because there will always be water in the turkey and hot oil with water dont mix well. Once you have it lowered remove the lowering hook set it aside (youll need it to take the turkey back out). put the top of the pot back on along with the thermometer. Notice the temp will have dropped 25-40 degrees because of dropping the turkey in. just make sure and get the temp back up to 325. Monitor the temp dont let it ever get to 350 because you will burn the turkey.

8. Now that the turkey is in and you are monitoring the temp watch the time. for every 1lb of turkey let it cook for 3 to 3.5 minutes. I usually cook a 15lb turkey for about 48-50 minutes and then take it out.

For safety you should have a fire extinguisher around rated for abc. I havent had to use mine yet but you just never know. NEVER cook it in any enclosed building and cook it as far away from buildings as possible. For me thats in my driveway lol. anyways when the time is up just put the drop hook back onto the turkey hook and pull it out. I set mine on an aluminum pan because I dont trust the turkey hook. Then cut and enjoy . Please critique my steps cause I think I did a little too much run on.

*edit ill add pictures later though not of a turkey lol.

[{OF}Flying_Dutchman]

Kewl.

One of the guys at work did everything exactly wrong in this one:

- he did it on his deck
- turkey wasn't quite thawed
- he was piss a$$ drunk
- he put too much oil in there for the size of the turkey.

so when the turkey hit the grease it started boiling like mad due to the ice and overflowed cuz there was too much oil. The oil caught on fire and the branches of a low overhanging tree caught on fire.......

So there's a "don't do it like that"

[{OF}Blong]

Originally Posted by {OF}Flying_Dutchman

Kewl.

One of the guys at work did everything exactly wrong in this one:

- he did it on his deck
- turkey wasn't quite thawed
- he was piss a$$ drunk
- he put too much oil in there for the size of the turkey.

so when the turkey hit the grease it started boiling like mad due to the ice and overflowed cuz there was too much oil. The oil caught on fire and the branches of a low overhanging tree caught on fire.......

So there's a "don't do it like that"

Ouch yeah forgot to add "thawed" turkey lol.

[ClydeFrog]

Originally Posted by {OF}Flying_Dutchman

- he was piss a$$ drunk

Hehe, there's the one cardinal sin of cooking anything! Oh, and also a cardinal sin if you wish to avoid accidentally setting things on fire too.

[Psycho Nitro]

When lowering the turkey in the fryer I usually go up and down a couple times to make sure that the oil is not bubbling up too high to get over the edges and run down the side of the pot to the flames. That is not a good thing. I have been doing the deep frying of turkeys for about 5 years now and never had an incident.

Another thing to keep in mind if you don't have a ABC fire extinguisher (Or can't get one before cooking) then keep a big bag of flour handy. That handles grease fires well. I do have two ABC fire extinguisher in the house and always have one when frying.

I don't to the marinade that often. Usually I just fry it and there is no need for marinade. Maybe next time I will try the marinade again. It has been about 4 years since I have last done a marinade.

[dudio]

I've never had deep fried turkey : (

[Wildflower]

Oh man r u missing out dudio it is awesome.

[{OF}Malicious Assault]

I have had Deep Fat fried Steak and it is great as well. It's called Pitchfork steak. We were out in Western North Dakota at Midora and they offered it. You select your steak and they put it on a pitchfork and drop it in the oil. kind of a giant fondue. Great steak though.

[dudio]

Interesting.. never thought of comparing the technique to a fondue,
but I guess that's what it really is (just mega-super-uBer size).

I once lit my ex-wife up in flames while refilling a fondue.
.. If I had only known then what I know now