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It makes sense that the thought of immersing a whole turkey in a pot of bubbling oil would excite cooks with a bold spirit of adventure. There are benefits to deep-frying a Thanksgiving turkey, too: the process takes less than two hours and yields a juicy, flavorful bird with crispy, golden brown skin. Additionally, since everything takes place outside, you can free up oven space for all the holiday side dishes you intend to make.
However, there’s no better way to ruin Thanksgiving than to light your house and the bird on fire. If this is your first time frying a turkey, don’t just wing it. Our comprehensive guide on turkey frying offers detailed instructions along with several crucial safety precautions to ensure a successful deep-fried Thanksgiving meal.
So go ahead and prepare the sweet potatoes, green beans, and pecan pie in the oven, then head outside to cook your Thanksgiving turkey quickly and simply.
Deep frying a turkey is a unique and delicious way to cook this holiday staple, offering a crispy skin and juicy meat While it’s often associated with Thanksgiving, this method can be used any time of year to create a memorable meal. However, it’s crucial to approach deep frying a turkey with safety in mind, as improper techniques can lead to dangerous situations
This guide will provide you with all the information you need to deep fry a turkey safely and successfully whether you’re using an outdoor or indoor fryer. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right oil to setting up your fryer preparing the turkey, and ensuring proper cooking and cleanup.
Essential Safety Tips for Deep Frying a Turkey
Before diving into the process, let’s emphasize the importance of safety when deep frying a turkey:
- Never attempt to deep fry a frozen turkey: This can cause the oil to boil over, potentially leading to burns and fires. Ensure your turkey is completely thawed before frying.
- Always wear protective gear: Wear a BBQ apron, oven mitts, and sturdy shoes when working with a fryer or other outdoor cookers.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby: Position at least one fire extinguisher rated for grease fires near your fryer setup. Even with indoor fryers, having a fire extinguisher readily available is crucial.
- Use the correct fryer for the environment: Do not attempt to use an outdoor fryer indoors, nor an indoor fryer outdoors.
- Ensure a safe environment: Children and pets should not be allowed near the fryer while it’s in use.
- Avoid alcohol consumption while operating the fryer: Your full attention is required when deep frying.
- Never leave the fryer unattended: Even a momentary distraction can lead to dangerous situations.
- Maintain a safe distance from the propane tank: The gas line can be a tripping hazard and potentially knock over the pot. Keep a safe distance between yourself, the propane tank, and the fryer.
- Plan for sufficient time: Deep frying a turkey takes a couple of hours, so plan accordingly.
- Monitor oil temperature: If the oil starts to smoke or exceeds 400 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately turn off the burner or gas supply and wait for the oil to cool down.
- Allow the fryer to cool completely before moving, cleaning, or storing it.
- Ensure proper internal temperatures: Dark meat should reach 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit, while white meat should reach 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Setting Up Your Deep Fryer: Outdoor vs. Indoor
The type of fryer you choose, whether outdoor or indoor, will influence the setup process:
Outdoor Fryer Setup:
- Choose a safe location: Select an open space with a flat, level, and hard surface at least 10 feet away from your home in any direction. Ensure the fryer and propane tank are not placed on flammable surfaces like wood or asphalt.
- Assemble the stand and burner: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for assembling the stand and burner.
- Check for overhead hazards: Make sure there are no overhead obstructions near the flame or pot.
- Connect the gas line: Attach the fryer’s gas line to the propane tank, ensuring it’s as far away from the fryer as the line allows without stretching.
- Determine oil quantity: Perform a test run using water instead of oil to determine the required oil amount. Place the thawed turkey in the fryer basket and submerge it in the water. Mark the water level on the pot using a food-safe marker or measure the water量 to determine the oil quantity needed.
- Clean the pot thoroughly: Wash and dry the fryer pot before cooking.
Indoor Fryer Setup:
- Follow manufacturer instructions: Each indoor fryer model may have specific setup instructions. Refer to the manufacturer’s guide for detailed instructions.
- Simple setup: Typically, indoor fryers involve filling the fryer with oil to the pre-marked level and lowering the fresh or thawed turkey using the fryer basket.
Choosing the Right Oil:
Peanut oil is the most popular choice for deep frying turkey, but any oil with a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit will work. Safflower oil or corn oil are good alternatives if you prefer a different option or have peanut allergies.
Preparing Your Turkey for Deep Frying:
- Fresh or thawed turkey: Use a fresh turkey or thoroughly thaw a frozen one.
- Remove giblets and neck: Unwrap the turkey and remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity. Discard the wrap and the organs.
- Check for ice pockets: Ensure the thawed turkey is completely free of ice pockets, especially around the joints and rib bones.
- Remove excess fat: Trim away any excess fat from the bird.
- Dry the turkey thoroughly: Pat the turkey dry, both inside and out, to prevent oil splattering.
- Seasoning and marinades: Add any desired seasonings, injected flavorings, or marinades according to your deep-fried turkey recipe.
- Whole or separated turkey: For an 18-pound fryer, if the turkey weighs 14 pounds or less, you can deep-fry it whole. For turkeys weighing 15 pounds or more, separate the legs and thighs from the breast and fry them separately.
- No stuffing: Do not attempt to deep fry a stuffed turkey. Cook stuffing separately.
- Make drainage incisions: Create small incisions under the turkey’s neck, wings, and legs to allow oil to drain more effectively after frying.
Deep Frying Your Turkey: Outdoor Method
- Add the oil: Use the oil quantity determined during the setup process. Ensure the final oil level after submerging the turkey is at least 3-5 inches below the pot’s top.
- Protective gear: Wear a protective apron and gloves.
- Preheat the oil: Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit using a fry thermometer attached to the pot or a digital read thermometer.
- Room temperature turkey: Allow the turkey to come to room temperature while the oil heats.
- Lower the basket: Once the oil reaches the correct temperature, turn off the burner and lower the empty basket into the pot for about 30 seconds.
- Place the turkey: Remove the basket from the oil, place the seasoned turkey inside, and carefully lower it back into the oil. Preheating the basket helps maintain the skin’s integrity and prevents sticking.
- Outdoor fryers without a basket: If your fryer doesn’t have a basket, use the hanger provided. Firmly skewer the turkey with the hanger’s hook, ensuring it’s securely attached. Carefully lower the turkey into the oil without dropping it.
- Turn on the burner: Turn the burner back on.
- Cooking time: Cook the turkey for approximately 4-5 minutes per pound. For example, a 10-pound turkey will need 40-50 minutes of cooking time. Use this formula to create your own deep-frying turkey time chart based on your desired level of crispness.
- Internal temperature: Check the internal temperature of the turkey. Dark meat should reach 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit, while white meat should reach 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from oil: When the turkey is done, turn off the burner and carefully lift it from the pot. Place it on a rack in a pan or on paper towels to drain.
- Resting time: Let the turkey rest undisturbed for 20 minutes before moving it to a carving board.
Deep Frying Your Turkey: Indoor Method
- Oil level: Add cooking oil to the fryer, leaving some space for the oil to rise when the turkey is submerged.
- Protective gear: Wear a protective apron and gloves.
- Preheat the oil: Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or the temperature recommended by the fryer’s manufacturer.
- Place the turkey: Put the fresh or fully thawed turkey into the fryer basket, breast side up, or as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Lower the basket: When the oil reaches the target temperature, slowly lower the turkey and basket into the fryer.
- Cooking time: Set the timer for 3-4 minutes per pound. For a 20-pound turkey, the minimum cooking time would be 60 minutes. Use this formula to create your own deep-frying turkey time chart based on your desired level of crispness.
- Internal temperature: Check the internal temperature of the turkey. Dark meat should reach 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit, while white meat should reach 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from oil: When the turkey is done, slowly lift it from the pot and place it on a rack in a pan or on paper towels to drain.
- Resting time: Let the turkey rest undisturbed for 20 minutes before moving it to a carving board.
Cleaning Up After Deep Frying Your Turkey:
- Cool down the oil: Allow the oil to cool completely before cleaning up.
- Transfer the oil: Transfer the used oil to a reusable container for future frying sessions.
- Cleaning the fryer: Use a spatula to scrape down the inside of the fryer and discard the debris. Add soap and water,
How to deep-fry a turkey:
While the ingredients for our deep-fried turkey recipe are fairly straightforward—all you need is a whole turkey, lots of oil, and any additional seasonings you wish to add—the procedure calls for specialized tools. Although it may require an initial investment, once you own the entire setup, you can deep-fry your turkey every Thanksgiving. (You can also repurpose the equipment for a seafood boil come summertime. )Before you get started,.
- Turkey should always be fried outside, away from any combustible structures such as the house, garage, swing set, backyard patio, etc. When the weather is bad, avoid trying to deep-fry a turkey because it could get messy if snow or rain gets into your fry pot.
- Place the burner on a level surface and make sure kids and pets are always kept a safe distance away from the fryer.
- To protect yourself from the hot oil when deep-frying, put on strong gloves and a protective apron.
- Before moving or discarding the oil, let it cool completely (a few hours is best, but overnight is even better).
The supplies:
You don’t need an industrial deep fryer to cook your bird, but you will need a specialized turkey-frying kit. Look for these at most hardware and home-improvement stores, or online retailers (we like this one from Amazon). Most turkey-frying kits use propane gas, though some electric models fitted with fryer baskets claim to be safe to use indoors (avoid these; frying a whole turkey indoors runs a greater risk of a grease fire). Make sure your outdoor frying kit includes the following items:
- 30-qt. or larger aluminum pot
- A propane burner featuring a gauge to control the flame and a hose to attach to a propane gas tank
- A poultry rack featuring a hook to raise and lower the turkey
- To check the oil temperature, a 12-inch deep-frying thermometer that attaches to the pot’s side
Gas One Turkey Fryer Propane Burner Complete Kit
- A full propane tank
- A waterproof marker
- A heavy-duty apron
- Extended, robust oven mitts (such as those used for grilling)
- A meat thermometer with instant read capability for determining the turkey’s internal temperature
- A fire extinguisher, in case of emergencies
The turkey: Give it plenty of time to thaw if it’s frozen before starting the frying process (see our comprehensive guide on doing so here). If you have a fresh turkey, simply pat it dry with paper towels. In either case, stay away from using a wet marinade or brine because too much moisture can cause the bird to splatter when it’s dipped into the hot frying oil, which could result in dangerous flare-ups.
For most turkey preparations, including frying, we recommend dry-brining for optimal flavor and seasoning. A dry brine can permeate the meat, leading to a juicy, flavorful bird. More significantly, it dries out the skin, which promotes crisping and results in a more regulated frying process. Note that some turkeys—such as Butterball and kosher turkeys—are pre-brined (often in water) and do require additional seasoning. Remember that stuffing should be baked in an oven-safe casserole dish rather than stuffing deep-fried turkeys.
Whichever way you choose, don’t forget to dry the turkey from the inside out and remove the giblets from its cavity. Keep the neck and any other leftover turkey parts aside to make turkey stock (liver can be bitter). ).
The oil: You can use any type of oil that has a high smoke point. Canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oil all work well. How much oil do you need to fry a turkey? For a 12–14-lb. turkey, you’ll need approximately 4–5 gal. of oil. However, because pots differ in volume, the technique below will assist you in figuring out exactly how much you’ll need to fill your specific pot. Keep in mind that when you lower the turkey, the oil level will rise; this technique accounts for the space needed between the oil’s surface and the pot’s top. Avoid completely filling the pot as this could lead to the hot oil spilling over and igniting the entire thing.
What kind of oil do you use to fry a turkey?
FAQ
What oil is best for deep frying a turkey?
Is canola oil good for deep frying turkey?
Is 3 gallons of oil enough to deep fry a turkey?