The "dropped turkey" ones are fun too.
Posted on 11/24/2021 6:14:33 AM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
Feel free to cross-post this to other boards of which you may be a member.
In keeping with the Thanksgiving spirit, I thought I'd put this up for those who are going to deep fry their turkey and especially for those who will be attempting to deep fry their first turkey.
Make sure you use fresh peanut oil for the frying. You can reuse the oil up to 3 times (2 is preferable) if you're deep frying multiple turkeys.
NOTE: If you have a deep fryer that says it can hold an 18 lb. turkey, DO NOT use a turkey over 15 lbs. This will allow the legs and wings to open up and cook between the leg/body and the wing/body.
Place the fryer AWAY from all structures at least 20 feet and make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy just in case one of those “hold mah beer and watch this” moments occurs.
1) Make sure the turkey is dead, defeathered AND it has signed all hold harmless agreements, liability statements and other legal documents giving you permission to fry its dead body. This will keep PETA off your backs. (ok, that was sarcasm)
2) Make sure, if you buy a frozen turkey, it is COMPLETELY, totally and absolutely thawed
3) The night before, inject it with the sauce of your choice (We use a butter/garlic sauce). You can use hot sauce, italian etc. etc.. Inject it into the meat all over the turkey and leave in the fridge overnight so the sauce can saturate the meat
4) BEFORE you attempt to deep fry, perform the "Water test". Take the turkey out of the fridge and place it in the fryer exactly as you would if you were deep frying (i.e. a*s end up).
5) Fill the container with water to 1" below the top of the turkey (Hot oil expands and will cover the turkey during frying).
6) REMOVE the turkey from the fryer and mark the water line with a magic marker or some other sort of marker. Pour the water out of the fryer then DRY OUT the inside of the fryer AND the turkey as best as you can
7) Fill oil to the line you have marked.
8) Fire up the flame and using a thermometer, heat the oil to 400 degrees.
9) TURN THE FLAME OFF using the hose cutoff AND turn the tank off. MAKE SURE the turkey is set on the stand with legs at the top (A*s end up).
10) Using a broomstick or some other sort of handle (use 2 people for this), put it through the O-Ring (triangular on some model fryers) and gently lower the turkey into the oil. WATCH FOR SPLATTER.
11) Once the splatter has stopped, re-open the gas valves and relight the burner. Cover the pot with the top but leave SLIGHTLY cracked. Using a thermometer, bring the oil to 350 degrees and adjusting the flame, keep it there.
12) Cook the turkey for 2 minutes 50 seconds per pound starting the clock when you have immersed the turkey in the oil. DO NOT EXCEED THIS TIME LIMIT or the turkey will be overcooked. (A 15 lb. turkey will be done in 42.5 minutes)
13) DON’T have that second beer you’re thinking about
14) When the time is done, TURN OFF the hose shutoff AND turn off the tank.
15) Using a broomstick or other suitable handle, SLOWLY raise the turkey out of the oil and hold for 60 seconds to allow oil to drip back into the fryer.
16) Using a thermometer, place it into the bird between a leg and the body. It should hold a minimum of 160 degrees for 20 seconds.
17) Place in an aluminum roaster (or other roaster if you prefer), take it in the house and enjoy.
18) DO NOT attempt to empty the oil from the fryer for a good 24 hours. Give it plenty of time to cool off.
Some things to remember:
1) DO NOT place the fryer on or near wood such as a house or deck. The smoky taste will not transfer from a burning structure to the turkey
2) TRY not to be inebriated when doing this, it's extremely dangerous
3) DO NOT use a turkey that is partially frozen. Talk about splatter from he*l.
Y'all can feel free to add any other do's and don't's (is that a word??) to this list.
Be prepared to be complimented on how good the turkey was.
I believe 4 other rules are applicable:
1. Keep children away,
2. As with firearms, know your background (I.e., plan for the worst, as though flaming hot oil goes EVERYWHERE, I.e., don’t do it in the garage or on a deck)
3. Cook should have an elevated platform to escape to in the event of #2 to prevent serious injury(I.e., that ‘gravity’ thing),
4. Have at least 2 fire extinguishers handy.
IMHO the fatal flaw with such appliances is no automatic gas shutoff. On that basis and the high risk of accident, I will never deep fry a turkey (and that’s coming from someone well experienced with risk). It’s just not worth it, besides the fact that a brined/injected/smoked turkey combination is FAR superior.
(The key to the latter is to treat the turkey like ribs: Wrap in foil and finish in the oven)
Good luck. It may be another year or two before I can smoke my next turkey.
You don’t leave the turkey in the water. It’s in the water for seconds so oil level can be determined.
Last month I bought an injector just so I would have it for my turkey this year. I am not sure what to inject it with but I know that the barbecue masters on TV use broth and Apple juice and other thin liquids.
Correct. A thicker sauce will clog the injector. If using italian dressing, pour it through a strainer first to get all the herbs and spices out of the liquid.
That's why you need to disregard #13, you need the beer to keep you warm, away from garages and decks.
You misread….the turkey is deep fried in peanut oil. The water mentioned was to cold pour PRE-explosion, water to level covering the submerged turkey and marking the water line when the turkey is removed. Then dry everything, and then fill with cold oil to the marked line, PRE-explosion.
Personally, you should use an oven. Fewer chances of mistakes/sarc
HTD
(The key to the latter is to treat the turkey like ribs: Wrap in foil and finish in the oven)
…..Winner winner, TURKEY dinner.
Keep reading. The turkey is first placed in water. Then dried off completely.
Even if only for a few seconds, that will effectively rinse off the pre-seasoning.
Our son-in-law used to rave about deep fried turkey, so one year we allowed him to deep fry it for us.
Too many beers later, I choked down the worst, the driest, turkey I have ever eaten, including MY first attempt at roasting one in the oven.
It does taste good but it’s messy
Now what party of lovely Georgia does a southerner drink beer at Thanksgiving
When I was a kid in Mississippi thanksgiving was a no booze event
I’ll admit i think I’ve served wine maybe here in middle Tennessee....
Nashville is not southern anymore btw....only the 500,000 Californians moving here view it as such
Nashville is Louisville only bigger and a little warmer
It’s truly now a hillier more country less weird but getting there Austin
Oh yes
Congratulation..
You guys deserve this great season
Hope u go all the way undefeated and beat some Yankee overrated team post season
We know the 3 I speak of and no Cincinnati isn’t one
Thanks. It’s been 41 years coming but we should have had one a few years ago had the ref not blown an offsides call.
And I assume you’re talking about the team northeast of Cincinnati.
The "dropped turkey" ones are fun too.
Of course. And Gods team too
Sportswriters always and have since the 60s bowed to the Irish
Brent Musberger used to be so unctuous
;-)
If you’re lucky enough to have a Wild Bird only cook it for 1 MINUTE PER POUND !!!
Trust me I did it one time and burned the bird. At a Wedding Reception...
The Store birds are full of hormones and the WILD BIRD IS NOT.
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