 How To Deep Fry a Turkey Using an
Outdoor Propane Turkey Fryer
Deep-fried turkey has become very popular over the past few years. Taking only 3 to 4 minutes per pound to cook, frying a turkey is definitely a quicker method than say roasting it in the oven for hours.
Ok, are you ready to fry that turkey, then let's get started:
Does Size Matter?
Yes it does! The smaller the turkey, the better suited it is for frying. An 8 to 10 pound turkey would be best and a 12 to 14 pound turkey would be the maximum size that should be successfully deep fried. For one thing larger birds are heavier and lowering and lifting such a large bird into and out of boiling oil is a definite concern; as well as the fact that larger birds require longer cooking times and you could end up with a dried out over-cooked turkey.
How Much Oil Should I Use?
Your turkey fryer may have a “fill line" if it does use it. If it does not, place the thawed turkey in the fryer basket and place in the empty fryer pot. (The minimum oil level should be three to five inches from the top of the fryer.) So to find out how much oil you will need, add water until the top of the turkey is covered. Remove the turkey, allowing the water to drain from the turkey. Now, check the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water. Now you know how much oil to put in the fryer.
Drain the water and make sure the pot is completely dried out. Oil and water are a dangerous mix! If the fryer has a drain valve, make sure there isn't any water in the spigot.
What Kind of Oil Should I Use?
Only oils that have high smoke points should be used. Peanut, refined canola, corn oil, rice oil and sunflower are good oils.
Prepare The Turkey For Cooking
• Thaw the turkey completely. Remove the neck and giblets from the body cavities.
• Use paper towels and dry the turkey's skin and cavities well. You don't want any water hitting the boiling oil.
• Add the correct amount of oil to the fryer.
• Pre-heat the oil to 375°F.
• While the oil is heating, prepare the turkey as desired.
• If you are injecting marinade into the turkey, inject 60% of the solution deep into the breast muscles,
30% into the leg and thigh muscles and 10% into the meaty wing section. Do not inject the marinade
just under the skin as a water-based marinade will result in the hot oil popping and splattering.
Believe me you don't want that!
• The oil must be able to flow through the turkey, so make sure the neck area is open, you don't want
hot oil pooling in the cavity when you lift it from the pot.
• Remove the pop-up timer from the breast, the wire or plastic piece that holds the legs in place, cut
off the wing tips up to the first joint and cut off the tail.
• Do not stuff turkeys for deep frying.
• After adding marinades and/or seasonings, place the turkey in a pan for no more than 30 minutes to
45 minutes. This allows the marinades and seasonings to disperse throughout the turkey and raises
the turkey’s internal temperature so as to create less oil splatter during the frying process.
What Else Do I Need?
• Five gallon propane gas tank.
• Thermometer to measure the oil temperature.
• Food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the bird.
• Injector for marinades and seasonings.
• Fire extinguisher, oven mitts and pot holders
Where Can I Use My Fryer
You must use a propane fryer outdoors. Find a dirt or grassy area that is level and a good distance away from any buildings or other flamable objects. Don't use on wood decks as they could catch fire. Also avoid concrete patios unless you aren't worried about staining.
Frying The Turkey
Ok, so you are now ready to lower the turkey into the oil. Wait, first turn off the burner, then slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. As soon as the turkey is safely in the pot you can turn the burner back on.
Frying Time
Depending on the weight of the turkey, allow three to four miinutes per pound. Oil temperature may fluctuate based on outdoor temperature and wind conditions, however the oil needs to be kept at 350°F.
Check The Turkey's Temperature
When the cooking time is up, remove the turkey from the oil and check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. It should read 165°F to 170°F in the breast and 175°F to 180°F in the thigh. If the temperature is correct then your turkey is done.
Resting Time
Remove bird from hot oil and drain on paper towels. Let rest for 15 minutes, then Enjoy!
Additional Safety Tips
• Keep children and pets away from the cooking area at all times.
• Never leave the turkey fryer unattended during the heating, cooking and cooling process.
• Allow the oil to cool completely before removing from the pot.
• Wash hands, utensils, equipment and any surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey.
• Turkey leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
Deep Frying a turkey can be a fun and fast way to cook a turkey as long as you remember to do it in a safe manner. Boiling hot oil can burn you really badly as well as burn your house down, so be very careful working with it. |
