How To Deep Fry A Turkey

By Cheri Sicard

Deep frying a turkey may sound like a strange concept, but trust me, it doesn't come out like you'd think. Deep fried turkey is moist and delicious and not at all greasy.

Of course, an idea like fried turkey originated in the south, the frying capital of the United States, but it is gaining popularity nationwide. In fact, a recent block party I attended in South Central Los Angeles had three fried tukeys going. Several groups of neighbors had gotten together and split the cost of the oil and special equipment needed to make this dish. Needless to say, their tables were some of the most popular.


You Will Need

In addition to a turkey, you'll need a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket or turkey frying hardware, plus a propane gas tank and burner, a candy/deep fry thermometer, a meat thermometer and lots of oil. Use oils that have a high smoke point, such as corn, peanut or canola oils.

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You should also keep a fire extinguisher and plenty of heavy duty pot holders nearby. An injector to add marinades and seasonings to the meat is also good to have, although you can make a plain turkey without it.

As far as the turkey itself goes, smaller birds work better for frying. Try not to go over 15 pounds.

For the most flavorful birds, Before cooking you can inject the turkey with your favorite marinade (see below) and/or rub it with a dry spice rub. You will also need about 3 1/2 - 5 gallons of oil in which to fry the turkey (see "How To Fry" Below).

Where to Fry

Because so much oil is flammable, you should never fry a turkey indoors. Place the fryer, outdoors, on a level dirt or grassy area. Avoid frying on wood decks, which could catch fire. You will also want to avoid concrete surfaces, unless you don't mind oil stains. Always keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Before You Fry

Before beginning, (and before you even season or marinate your turkey) determine the amount of oil you'll need by placing the turkey in the basket (or on the hanger, depending on the type of fryer you are using) and putting this in the pot. Add water until it reaches about two inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and note the water level by using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water. Remove the water and thoroughly dry the pot.

How to Fry

Using the candy thermometer to determine temperature, heat the oil to about 325°F and no higher than 350°F. This usually takes between 20 to 30 minutes. Once the oil is hot enough, place the turkey in the basket or on the turkey hanger (follow instructions that came with your turkey frying kit) and slowly lower it into the pot.

With whole turkeys, you can estimate on about three minutes per pound to cook. Remove turkey and check the temperature with meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170° F. in the breast and 180° F. in the thigh.

Using an Injector to Marinade Your Turkey

An injector, which resembles a large hypodermic needle, allows you to inject a marniade directly into the meat. While you can make a fried turkey without this step and get a moist bird, it won't be as flavorful as if you take the time to inject your bird with marinade about an half hour or so before frying.

While we tried many of the injector needles on the market, we sell some inexpensive plastic models here at FabulousFoods.com that are our favorite. We found that the metal needles break easily and these tend to be more flexible. They are also cheap enough that we can sell you 3 of them for what we used to have charge for one of the metal kind.

Fill your syringe with marinade and inject it into both sides of the breast, the legs and the thighs of the turkey. Don't be afiraid to move the needle around to get the marinade into the whole bird. Sometimes it's easier to get the thighs from the inside of the cavity.

Injector Marinades

There are a plethora of commercial jarred injectable marinades available at the supermarket or gourmet shops, but why buy something that's so easy to make yourself?

We've come up with some terrific injectable marinade recipes (see links below), but it's easy to come up with your own too. Just remember, the injector needles are small so you must use ingredients that dissolve or that are pureed so finely they won't clog the needle. As such, garlic and onion powder work better than their fresh counterparts. Also look for concentrated liquid spices in gourmet shops or like those sold by Watkins (click for more information or to order). Watkins also makes an incredible barbecue sauce concentrate that I use in one of the recipes below. These potent sauce concentrates make great flavor bases for barbecue flavored fried turkeys and they are always a huge hit with crowds.



Tips & Troubleshooting

* Do not stuff turkeys you plan on frying, it just doesn't work.

* Be sure to measure for the amount of oil you'll need BEFORE you marinate or bread the turkey.

* Immediately wash hands, utensils, equipment and surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey to avoid cross contamination.

* Keep an eye on the time, fried turkeys cook quickly. It only take about 3 minutes per pound. Overcooking is one of the biggest mistakes beginners make. We should know, we cooked our first turkey so much the outside was charred completely black. Surprisingly, the meat inside the burnt shell was still delicious, so know that if you make this mistake, all may not be lost.

* Consume cooked turkey immediately and store leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.

* Never leave the hot oil unattended.

* Don't allow children or pets near the cooking area.

* Allow oil to cool completely before disposing or storing it.


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SAFETY FIRST!

NEVER attempt to fry a turkey indoors.

NEVER attempt to fry a turkey in a garage or on a wooden deck

# To determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey in the fryer basket and place in the pot. The minimum oil level should be 3 inches to 5 inches from the top of the fryer. Add water until it reaches 1 inch to 2 inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and note the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water.

# Drain or pour out the water and dry the pot thoroughly. If the fryer has a drain value, be sure there isn't any excess water in the spigot. Open the value to drain the water and remember to close the value before adding oil. Be sure to measure for oil before marinating the turkey.

# Thaw the turkey completely. Remove the neck and giblets from the two body cavities.

# Heat the oil to 365 degrees F-375 degrees F. Depending on the amount of oil used, this usually takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Product Safety Tips: Turkey Fryers

From Underwriters Laboratories Inc.'s (UL)

A longtime food favorite in the southern United States, the delicious deep-fried turkey has quickly grown in popularity thanks to celebrity chefs such as Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse. While some people rave about this tasty creation, Underwriters Laboratories Inc.'s (UL) safety experts are concerned that backyard chefs may be sacrificing safety for good taste.

"We're worried by the increasing reports of fires related with turkey fryer use," says John Drengenberg, UL consumer affairs manager. "Based on our test findings, the fryers used to produce those great-tasting birds are not worth the risks. And, as a result of these tests, UL has decided not to certify any turkey fryers with our trusted UL Mark."

Here's why using a deep-fryer can be dangerous:

* Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil within the cooking pot.

* If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner/flames causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.

* Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too, may result in an extensive fire.

* With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.

* The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

If you absolutely must use a turkey fryer, here are some tips for safer use:

* Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.

* Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.

* Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.

* Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don't watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.

* Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use. Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot, hours after use.

* To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.

* Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.

* Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don't mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.

* The National Turkey Federation recommends refrigerator thawing and to allow approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of bird thawed in the refrigerator.

* Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Remember to use your best judgement when attempting to fight a fire. If the fire is manageable, use an all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call 9-1-1 for help.

* Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pots remains dangerously hot, hours after use.

UL is providing video footage/still images of turkey fryers under test. The following file is in MPEG format, and is approxomately 13Mb in size.

Click here to view/download the movie.

Taking all of the above into consideration, IF you have never had a fried turkey, try it.

IT IS AWESOME!

Be sure to use Peanut Oil as well. Best possible flavor.