TURKEY day coming! Need advice on "frying" a Turkey

[1Old Pro]

It's time for me to start planning so that I can fulfill my promise to deliver a tasty fried Turkey this Thanksgiving Day.

I know many of you have had experience with this culinary process and am looking for input and advice. I'm told that there is simply no better way to cook a Turkey so I am going to give it a go.

1) First, I have a series BTU outdoor gas cooking grill but I need to buy the pot. They come in many sizes so I'm wondering what is a good size (not too big or too small).

2) I see some pots have the "liner" pot with holes so it's easy to remove the bird from the oil. Others simply have "hooks" to lift the bird out. Anyone have suggestions here and perhaps even a website to purchase these?

3) What kind of oil, and how long do you cook various weight birds?

4) Any special (secret recipes) cooking suggestions?

5) Any websites that offer good info on frying a Turkey?

Thanks for your help and perhaps this post will encourage others to try something new.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Fried turkey is good! That's all I can say.

[Vladiator]

DO IT OUTSIDE!!!!!

Even if it is pouring down rain or snowing. The fire resulting from the cooking (well, possible fire) will then be limited to your grass, and not your garage.

[1Old Pro]

DO IT OUTSIDE!!!!!

LOL, thanks, that I figured out by myself.

[ppaul]

Make sure you get a stainless steel pot - not aluminum.

[HAL9000]

For the Manly Art of Turkey Frying, Goggles, Sobriety Are Recommended

[HAL9000]

Deep Fried Turkey Recipes

[hispanarepublicana]

Of no help to you, but possibly a good suggestion to others: I read somewhere that if you only have a small pot and a btu burner, or if you're only feeding a small crowd, you can fry chickens whole, and they only take 12 to 15 minutes as opposed to turkeys that can take up to 45 minutes or so.

[Jack of all Trades]

Series fried turkey bump. I've got to give this a ty this year too.

[Hillary's Folly]

Don't fill the deep fryer to the brim with oil. UNDERESTIMATE the amount of oil needed!

[1bigdictator]

Make sure that whatever the container is you use to fry the bird that it has at least 2.5-3 times the volume of the bird itself. The oil will rise considerably upon dunking the bird and if there is spillover you will be looking at a serious fire and a ruined turkey.

[1Old Pro]

Thanks Hal

[FreePaul]

I've never tried "frying" on a gas grill. It is probably too high to be safe and would take forever to heat the oil. Best thing to do is buy (or borrow) a cooker complete with burner, pots, thermometer and utensils. They aren't very expensive. Ususlly takes about five or six gallons of peanut oil. If you are cooking "a" turkey it makes per pound cost of the meat very high.

Last year I borrowed the cooker and propane, bought the oil and cooked five turkeys for family members. We got the turkeys free for previous purchases at a grocery store. Oil cost around twenty dollars. Took about five hours to cook.

Just some things to think about.

[nov7freedomday]

Try looking here http://www.tznet.com/lwittman/turkey.html

[Atlas Sneezed]

My thoughts on safety:

When the oil is up to temperature, shut off the flame just just before you dunk the bird. That way, if/when the pot boils over as I have seen in "funny" videos, the foaming oil will not have an ignition source to turn it into a massive bonfire. When the eruption of foaming oil subsides in a moment, turn the flame back on.

Also, you might want to test the turkey with water in the pan to get the water level right, then remove the bird and mark the remaining water level so you know how much oil to use to avoid overfilling and overflowing.

[fight_truth_decay]

Peanut Oil and related. Can buy the handles that lift it out of the Deep fryer.Best turkey I ever had!!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The funniest story my family tells on me is the "Small Turkey" story, where I, under the burden of shopping with 3 small toddler children in tow, bought what I thought was a very small turkey (considering the children weren't gonna eat much :-). I baked the thing breast-side down too and stuffed it with the stuffing - the whole 9 yards. Turned out to be the BEST ...... baked chicken we've ever had. :-]

[Focault's Pendulum]

Try this

[fight_truth_decay]

Get your deep fryer made for Turkeys Home Depot and Hardware Stores..it's very deep and can later be used to boil those Lobstahs!!!

[metalcor]

The best way to determine the amount of oil needed (peanut oil is best) is to place the bird in the empty pot and fill the pot with water to the point of 1/2 inch covering the entire bird. Remove the bird and let the water drain into the pot. Mark the water level and replace water with oil.