Grizzly'sBBQ

First off let me say that if you have never had a fried turkey....well lets just say....you haven't lived yet. On the plus side; it takes half the time to cook it, the meat is very moist, there tends to be more "usable" meat (no more of those globs of partially cooked meat you usually find on the bottom side of the bird after roasting), and above all, the taste is fantastic.
Now on the down side; it can be a little messier, you will need to purchase a turkey fryer and there is a definite learning curve involved. But above all, it can be dangerous if your not careful.

There are basically two different types of turkey fryers;
Propane - This type of fryer uses a raised metal stand with a propane burner which heats a large pot of oil, into which a turkey is cooked. The hazards of this type of unit include accidently heating the oil too high causing it to combust, or heating too much oil whereby when a large turkey is placed in the oil it displaces too much oil which then overflows onto the open flame creating a very sudden flash fire.

Electric - This is by far the safer of the two. It utilizes an electric heating coil which heats the pot of oil. For safety reasons most electric units will heat to a maximum of 400 degrees. Most also are equipped with a petcock type valve making draining and cleaning much easier. Now the downside of most electric fryers is the capacity. Most will only hold a bird up to about 13Lbs. If you want to do a large bird, say 20-22lbs, you will need to use a propane rig. Another is the price. Most tend to be about twice as expensive as a propane setup.

• Preparation:

Good preparation is the key to a SAFE and delicious cooking experience. Remember, there is a certain learning curve to frying turkeys, so always set your units up OUTSIDE and away from combustible materials. Some of the new generation electric units are made for indoor use however I am not familiar with them and really feel more comfortable doing my frying outside.

• Equipment: Almost all turkey fryers come with most everything needed to fry a turkey; the fry basket, plate, or both, the hook to raise and lower the basket or plate and the thermometer. However you should also have the following on hand:

- Properly rated fire extinguisher (rated for grease and oil fires)
- Heavy gloves such as BBQ gloves or welders gloves (hot splattering oil is not good for the skin)
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
- Roasting pan with wire rack (used for cooling the finished product)
- Paper towels (for those errant splatters)

• Underlayment: If you are setting up on anything besides bare dirt, such as concrete or stone, put down about a 4x4 sheet of rubber matting, cardboard or even plywood. There will be a certain amount of splattering and hot oil WILL stain just about any porous surface.

• Instructions: Read all instructions that come with your frying unit. Now remember guys, that doesn't mean to read them only AFTER you have started cooking and all hell breaks loose.

• Bird Prep: Thoroughly defrost, rinse and air dry your bird prior to cooking. This is VERY important. You need to be sure there are NO ice crystals or water left inside the bird before you plunge it into 350 degree oil. If you have never seen what happens when water encounters hot oil, you're lucky. It is NOT fun. The hot oil will VIOLENTLY attack that water or ice crystals and you will have a real mess on your hands. Remember what your mother taught you.....water and oil don't mix (especially HOT oil). You can season the bird if you wish with dry seasonings or even injectable marinades (this is safe since they are usually oil based). However, in my own opinion this really isn't necessary since the fried turkey will be tasty enough.

• Fryer Prep: Always use an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil. Once the bird is completely thawed place it in your empty pot, fill it with water until the bird is just covered and mark the inside of the pot where the water-line is (you can use a nail or other sharp object to etch the side). Remove the bird (remember to completely dry it prior to cooking), dry the inside of the pot and fill with oil to the etch mark. Do not fill the pot more then 3/4 full. Begin heating the oil to between 350-375 degrees. All most all fryers come with a long thermometer which reaches down deep into the oil for an accurate temperature. Watch this closely. DO NOT overheat the oil as it will begin smoking and can burst into flames (not good....but you do have that fire extinguisher, right)

• The plunge: Place your bird in the basket or frying plate. Once the oil has reached 375 degrees, CAREFULLY and slowly lower it into the oil. Replace the lid on the pot and carefully monitor the oil temperature. As soon as the bird goes in, the temperature will drop dramatically. Allow the temp to raise back up to about 350 degrees and maintain that temperature. Allow to cook for approximately 4-5 min./ Lb. Subsequently, a 13lb bird will take about 1 to 1.25 hours. When done the bird will appear a dark brown and may even look over cooked (compared to a roasted bird), however don't fret it's perfect. CAREFULLY remove it from the pot and place it onto a pan with a rack. Loosely cover with foil and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes prior to slicing.

• Cleanup: Allow the oil to cool completely, and pour back into the original container. Most electric fryers have a drain valve making this real easy, however if you are using a propane rig or have no valve you will have to pour through a funnel or better yet use a small battery powered pump made especially for this purpose.

Hand held Oil Pump