Fried Turkey

Vulchor

Every year I threaten...and again this year, I think I will fall short of trying it. I have only heard awesome things about the fried bird....... all these things true or is this a conspiracy to keep my wife out of the kitchen?

Matt Marvel

I'm in the same boat as you. Every year, I say I'm going to do it, and every year, I fail. I hear it's the best way to eat turkey though.

laker1963

Matt Marvel:

I'm in the same boat as you. Every year, I say I'm going to do it, and every year, I fail. I hear it's the best way to eat turkey though.

Is that where you use an oversize deep fryer and use an outdoor open flame?
I have seen that a few times on TV. I would be sure to have fire protection around my "barby" and make sure you are NOT too close to the house. Those freakin' things really take off when they go...

PuroFreak

If done properly fried turkeys are AWESOME! I've done them a couple years and one year we used a cajun injection kit and it really wasn't that great. The next year we rubbed one down with all kinds of spices and herbs and let it sit, then fried it up and it was amazing. I'm not sure why the injection didn't work for the fried bird, but a good rub worked out perfect. Juicy, tender, and tons of flavor.

Make sure your turkey is thawed completely and do not over fill the pot with oil. Both are major fire hazards.

Hawk55

I have had fried turkey on several different occasions...the meat is succulent, tasty and just done right GOOD!! The process requires a lot of attention and caution, if not done properly it can lead to a major fire very quickly because you are using a lot of very hot oil. I watched my bro-in-law do one about a year and a half ago and he does them all the time.

laker1963

PuroFreak:

If done properly fried turkeys are AWESOME! I've done them a couple years and one year we used a cajun injection kit and it really wasn't that great. The next year we rubbed one down with all kinds of spices and herbs and let it sit, then fried it up and it was amazing. I'm not sure why the injection didn't work for the fried bird, but a good rub worked out perfect. Juicy, tender, and tons of flavor.

Make sure your turkey is thawed completely and do not over fill the pot with oil. Both are major fire hazards.

So that IS the method I was talking about. Holy $hit, that is some of the MOST exciting cooking a brother can do.
It is like watching a Science Experiment gone terribly wrong when these things catch fire !!!

PuroFreak

laker1963:

PuroFreak:

If done properly fried turkeys are AWESOME! I've done them a couple years and one year we used a cajun injection kit and it really wasn't that great. The next year we rubbed one down with all kinds of spices and herbs and let it sit, then fried it up and it was amazing. I'm not sure why the injection didn't work for the fried bird, but a good rub worked out perfect. Juicy, tender, and tons of flavor.

Make sure your turkey is thawed completely and do not over fill the pot with oil. Both are major fire hazards.

So that IS the method I was talking about. Holy $hit, that is some of the MOST exciting cooking a brother can do.
It is like watching a Science Experiment gone terribly wrong when these things catch fire !!!

Haha Yea, I've seen the videos of turkey frying gone wrong, but never had it happen. Got pretty damn close to overfilling the pot the first year. Didn't realize how much volume that damn bird would displace. Then halfway through the frying we ran out of propane for the cooker (something my brother was supposed to check before hand,) and had to find a place to get propane on Thanksgiving day. $50 later we were back in business.

laker1963

PuroFreak:

laker1963:

PuroFreak:

If done properly fried turkeys are AWESOME! I've done them a couple years and one year we used a cajun injection kit and it really wasn't that great. The next year we rubbed one down with all kinds of spices and herbs and let it sit, then fried it up and it was amazing. I'm not sure why the injection didn't work for the fried bird, but a good rub worked out perfect. Juicy, tender, and tons of flavor.

Make sure your turkey is thawed completely and do not over fill the pot with oil. Both are major fire hazards.

So that IS the method I was talking about. Holy $hit, that is some of the MOST exciting cooking a brother can do.
It is like watching a Science Experiment gone terribly wrong when these things catch fire !!!

Haha Yea, I've seen the videos of turkey frying gone wrong, but never had it happen. Got pretty damn close to overfilling the pot the first year. Didn't realize how much volume that damn bird would displace. Then halfway through the frying we ran out of propane for the cooker (something my brother was supposed to check before hand,) and had to find a place to get propane on Thanksgiving day. $50 later we were back in business.

How long per pound do you cook them? Or is that method just not applicable when frying them like that?

Krieg

nothing beats an apple brined, smoked turkey!

Garen B

Do it! Just pull the trigger and do it, they come out extremely moist and delicious (here's the bait Lassy, take it and run with it). One of the best ones I've had was when we found jalapeno butter and injected the bird with that. And non-thawed bird + hot oil = nice big explosion.

PuroFreak

laker1963:

PuroFreak:

laker1963:

PuroFreak:

If done properly fried turkeys are AWESOME! I've done them a couple years and one year we used a cajun injection kit and it really wasn't that great. The next year we rubbed one down with all kinds of spices and herbs and let it sit, then fried it up and it was amazing. I'm not sure why the injection didn't work for the fried bird, but a good rub worked out perfect. Juicy, tender, and tons of flavor.

Make sure your turkey is thawed completely and do not over fill the pot with oil. Both are major fire hazards.

So that IS the method I was talking about. Holy $hit, that is some of the MOST exciting cooking a brother can do.
It is like watching a Science Experiment gone terribly wrong when these things catch fire !!!

Haha Yea, I've seen the videos of turkey frying gone wrong, but never had it happen. Got pretty damn close to overfilling the pot the first year. Didn't realize how much volume that damn bird would displace. Then halfway through the frying we ran out of propane for the cooker (something my brother was supposed to check before hand,) and had to find a place to get propane on Thanksgiving day. $50 later we were back in business.

How long per pound do you cook them? Or is that method just not applicable when frying them like that?

I don't remember off hand, but it takes a while. It's well worth it when they turn out right though. I think they taste better than a turkey done in the oven.

Plus the adrenaline rush when you slip it down into the hot oil can really get your heart rate up! lol

Vulchor

All this talk of injections, hot oil, rubbing down breasts and legs, adrenaline rushes, explosions----I think Im getting a little hot myself here.

PuroFreak

Vulchor:

All this talk of injections, hot oil, rubbing down breasts and legs, adrenaline rushes, explosions----I think Im getting a little hot myself here.

Think baseball, high school lunch lady, Janet Reno... Roseanne Bar!

4bob4

As mentioned if done right it's awesome. The only fall back is that you can't do stuffing in the bird. Make sure your bird is thawed and dry. Most fires on turkey day are from turkey friers. a whole apartment complex burnt down two years ago in Columbus GA because someoen misused a fried turkey on their wood deck.

nsezell

Stuffing is nasty anyway. Dressing is really the way to go. Stuffing just sits in the cavity and sucks up the bacteria rich bird fluids.

smbrink

Krieg:

nothing beats an apple brined, smoked turkey!

Agreed. This year I'm doing a 8 hr. smoked bird. with a 24 hr apple and orange juice brine. I'm probably gonna use mesquite or hickory.

kuzi16

i deep fry a turkey every year for the folks at work stuck working on christmas eve. its fantastic.

make sure to get the seasoning between the skin and the meat. if it is only on the outside it all falls off the moment you put it in.

leave it out for about an hour before you put it in the oil. if you put it in very cold, not only will it take longer, but it will cool the oil down and it will never recover. In fact, if you can, use two fryers. put the bird in the first one and as soon as the temp of the oil is just starting to bottom out, pull it out and put it in the other one. hot oil cooks better than cold oil on so many levels.

also, make sure you dry the bird off before you dump that guy in. hot oil and water dont mix.


i cant wait to do that again this year. its my once a year turkey.
last year a 14 pound bird took 40 min. (at 350)

Hawk55

Does sound kind of inviting, doesn't it...even the explosion part.

jihiggs

I have deep fried a couple birds, it is WONDERFUL! I think the number is about 4 min per pound. the easiest way to do it I have found is this: defrost the turkey, put it in the pot you will be frying in with water head first, find the right level to just cover the turkey, if that is less than 2 inches from the top of the pot, I wouldnt do it. to get the turkey shorter you may have to cut some of the neck out. dont puncture the skin anywhere. the fryer should have come with a plate to keep it from touching the bottom with a pole that goes through the bird. take the bird out and make sure the body cavity isnt holding any water, let it drain real good back into the pot. then mark the water line, this is how much oil you will need. allow at least 30 min to heat up the oil, you will need a long neck thermometer. the most difficult part was to get the air/propane mixture right to get the oil temp stabilized. dont recall the temp, should be on the instructions. make DAMN SURE the bird is dry inside and out, use paper towels, keep drying till the paper towels stop getting moist. take somthing like a broomstick, make a small notch in the middle (this is where the bird will hang), the fryer should have come with a handle t grab the post the turkey is on. takes two people to lower the bird into the fryer, do it at a rate of about 1 inch/30 seconds, this will minimize oil splashing and will allow enough time for the inside cavity to fill with oil. cook the appropriate time, then remove it at the same speed, 1 inch per 30 seconds. dont try to do this yourself, the risk of spilling is great. you will need an area of about 6x6 feet to do this, its pretty messy, you will get oil on you. I also recommend trying duck this way.

laker1963

jihiggs:

I have deep fried a couple birds, it is WONDERFUL! I think the number is about 4 min per pound. the easiest way to do it I have found is this: defrost the turkey, put it in the pot you will be frying in with water head first, find the right level to just cover the turkey, if that is less than 2 inches from the top of the pot, I wouldnt do it. to get the turkey shorter you may have to cut some of the neck out. dont puncture the skin anywhere. the fryer should have come with a plate to keep it from touching the bottom with a pole that goes through the bird. take the bird out and make sure the body cavity isnt holding any water, let it drain real good back into the pot. then mark the water line, this is how much oil you will need. allow at least 30 min to heat up the oil, you will need a long neck thermometer. the most difficult part was to get the air/propane mixture right to get the oil temp stabilized. dont recall the temp, should be on the instructions. make DAMN SURE the bird is dry inside and out, use paper towels, keep drying till the paper towels stop getting moist. take somthing like a broomstick, make a small notch in the middle (this is where the bird will hang), the fryer should have come with a handle t grab the post the turkey is on. takes two people to lower the bird into the fryer, do it at a rate of about 1 inch/30 seconds, this will minimize oil splashing and will allow enough time for the inside cavity to fill with oil. cook the appropriate time, then remove it at the same speed, 1 inch per 30 seconds. dont try to do this yourself, the risk of spilling is great. you will need an area of about 6x6 feet to do this, its pretty messy, you will get oil on you. I also recommend trying duck this way.

^uck that ! After reading this I'm digging out my daughter's easy bake oven. I know it is somewhere up there in the attic.

Would love to see a video where the guy actually pulls it off tho. There are tons of the mistakes made, scares the $hit out of me.LMAO

kingjk729

Ok boys ...... i've done about 10 deep fried birds ...... my buddy owns a catering company and its on his menu ..... i have to say they taste great ...... but alot of start up money and the oil is such a pain ..... last x-mas i got a special gift from santa ..... he got me the Charbroil Big Easy infared turkey fryer ...... the home depot sells for 99.99 and you can use a 10% coupon on them ...... so far i have done 4 birds in it and have loved them all ........ a 13-14lb bird takes just under 2 hours and i live in Buffalo, Ny ....... even in 40 degree weather it took 15 minutes longer ...... no nasty oil to dispose of and clean up ...... after you pull the bird you leave it on for an extra 15 minutes for a quick cleaning ..... the best thing is the catch under neath ...... it save all the juices and makes an awesome gravy ....... i love the olive oil rub down and cover the bird in creole or cajun seasonings ........ you can do alot of other things in them as well....... if you have any questions feel free to ask ...... but the taste is the same and its better for you and no nasty clean up ......

j0z3r

kingjk729:

...even in 410 degree weather...

You never mentioned that you lived on planet Mercury.

kingjk729

lol ....... i fixxed it ..... thanks j0z3r

zoom6zoom

They are good... downside being no pan drippings to make gravy! Alton Brown did a great Good Eats episode about it, probably will be rerun several times this week. He actually made a derrick out of a ladder and pulley to raise and lower the turkey safely. For the size of most friers you won't want a bird much larger than 10 to 12 pounds.

JZ

I attended a 11 year anniversary celebration at my B&M last Saturday and they fried 25.....yes 25 turkeys! They were awesome. I expected the skin to be crispy like fried chicken but it was pretty much like a roasted bird. The meat was full of flavor and juicy. I coudnt tell what they prepped the bird with so I assume it was injected or brined. Either way, AMAZING!

JZ

4bob4:

As mentioned if done right it's awesome. The only fall back is that you can't do stuffing in the bird. Make sure your bird is thawed and dry. Most fires on turkey day are from turkey friers. a whole apartment complex burnt down two years ago in Columbus GA because someoen misused a fried turkey on their wood deck.

I bet they were all thankful last year that their house didnt burn down again!

Krieg

smbrink:

Krieg:

nothing beats an apple brined, smoked turkey!

Agreed. This year I'm doing a 8 hr. smoked bird. with a 24 hr apple and orange juice brine. I'm probably gonna use mesquite or hickory.

I'm going to brine my bird 24-48hrs w/ apple juice brine and use (what else?) apple wood for smoking. IMO, mesquite or hickory will overwhelm the bird's flavor.

smbrink

Krieg:

smbrink:

Krieg:

nothing beats an apple brined, smoked turkey!

Agreed. This year I'm doing a 8 hr. smoked bird. with a 24 hr apple and orange juice brine. I'm probably gonna use mesquite or hickory.

I'm going to brine my bird 24-48hrs w/ apple juice brine and use (what else?) apple wood for smoking. IMO, mesquite or hickory will overwhelm the bird's flavor.

I wanted to do apple but I cant find any. Mesquite will do fine as long as I dont put too much in there.

zoom6zoom

Well, we did five birds in the fryer today. Moist and delicious! The hot oil sears the bird so quickly that almost no moisture is lost...and even after multiple birds the oil level had barely gone down, showing how little is absorbed. We cooked at 3.5 minutes per pound. My friend's fryer has oil fill lines engraved for different bird weights, so you don't have to do the displacement test first.

bibby

Also went the fried route; it was amazing, highly reccommended if you haven't had it. Although might not ever be able to eat turkey again unless it's FRIED!

jacketsrule

I started frying several years ago. I bought one of the electric fryers that can be used in doors. I use it year round for hot wings and other fried foods. It is much safer than the propane models. I have wondered about the infa red fryers, because the 3 gallons of peanut oil gets expensive. The fried turkey is done in less than one hour and always moist.