Frying Turkey Questions

[pappy19]

OK, so I have eaten a few fried turkeys and I found a nice looking turkey frying outfit and purchased it. I have ordered two(2) 10-12 lb turkeys and plan on frying them next week for Thanksgiving. Other than normal seasoning on the outside, I know that some inject seasoning into the meat. I doubt that I will do that, just the outside seasoning.

Does anyone have additional suggestions or tips on frying turkeys? Thanks in advance-

Pap

[gary]

Keep it away from your house. There have been quite a few house burnt from frying turkeys.

[Kansas]

One piece of advice-don't put the cooking oil in the back of a pickup and drive 200 miles in cold weather.
Back in my married days, the brother-in-law and his wife left central nebraska and came down to northeast kansas. They had just purchased a deep fryer, and had 5 gallon of peanut oil with them. They put it in the back of the pickup for the trip. That was a very cold thanksgiving day. Took hours to thaw out the oil. I will say, the turkey was outstanding when they finally got it cooked. They cooked a few different ones with different spices. I can't remember now if they injected or rubbed them on. The cajun was outstanding.
All wasn't lost. A fair amount of beer was consumed while waiting for the oil to thaw out.

[Tom]

Draining a fried turkey is always a mess.   Keep a  step ladder handy.  You can straddle the cooker with it (after the frying is done) and hang the done turkey from it till it quits dripping.  I guess, if you had more turkeys to fry, you could set it up next to the fryer and put a pot under it.  It makes a good place to hang hot and oily tools while you work too   That paint shelf makes a fine table.

Put something under the cooker to catch the grease splatter.  An old sheet works, maybe a small tarp.  That splashing oil can make a mess out of a concrete driveway.

Keep a cookie sheet handy to store some of those crispy parts from the first turkey after you send it to the house. You'll need something to nibble on while you cook the second one.  ;D

[metalspinner]

Before you put the turkey on the stand, cut off the flap of skin up near the neck hole.  That will allow the oil to circulate through the bird as it cooks and will aid in the draining of the oil.  This will also allow the turkey to cook from the inside, too.

If you use the injection method of seasoning, inject from the inside of the bird.  Otherwise, the seasoning that drips out of the injection spot will turn very dark and it will look like you burned your bird.   You would not have, but it looks better on the table a golden color rather than "caramel" colored, IMHO.

The amount of oil you pour in the pot is absolutely critical to your safety.  Place the turkey on the stand then into the pot.  Fill with water until it just reaches the feet (which should be up, BTW).  Take out the turkey, mark the water line, dump out the water, and fill the pot to your mark with oil.  A little less is OK.  You can "top it off" after your bird is back in the pot. Underfilling is always better than overfilling.

The turkey should be lowered very slowly into the hot oil.  If you think you are going too slow, then slow down some more. ;)  A long welding type glove should be worn while doing this.

BE CAREFUL!

[thecfarm]

I saw this done once and it was their first time too.Keep it away from anything that will burn,just in case.He had welding gloves on too.Lowing real slow,but got too hot for him.Maybe a welding jacket would of helped too.He had to let it go when the turkey was more than ¾ in into the fryer.The hot oil over flowed and made a mess on the driveway.Good thing it was way from the house.Don't want the local fire dept over for Thanksgiving dinner.  :(

[metalspinner]

Yeah,
I made an extra long lowering handle for mine out of an aluminum rod.  I think the glove I use is an insulated fireplace glove, too, come to think of it.

Another critical point is to make sure your turkey is completely thawed.  Close to room temp. just to be sure.

[ScottAR]

Make sure the turkey is **completely** thawed.

I got word last night one of my customers from work is
in the burn unit in the city.  I'm guessing his turkey wasn't
thawed.  BE CAREFUL!

[DanG]

We ain't heard from Pappy19 yet.  I hope he read the advice and everything went well.

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to kill the flame while you put the turkey in the oil?  At least if it overflows, it won't burst into flames that way.

Most any meat is better if you gently warm it to room temp before cooking.  With most things, I put it in a ziploc and let it sit in warm water for a bit before cooking.  You could soak a turkey in salted warm water for a little while and have a really good bird, no matter how you cook it.  The absolute best turkey I ever ate was cooked by a commercial fisherman who got some clean sea water from way out in the gulf.  He soaked the bird overnight in it, then smoked it.  That was about 30 years ago, and I still remember it, so it must have been mighty good. ;)

[CHARLIE]

Clean sea water DanG?  Now I ain't sure myself but brother Tom told me that fish and turtles and whales and porpoises and crabs and clams and oysters pee pee and poop in it.  He told me....and this is the truth....there is no such thing as clean sea water.  ;D

[DanG]

Well just what did you think made the water taste salty, Charlie?  Besides, what does the turkey care?  He's already dead anyway. :

[metalspinner]

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to kill the flame while you put the turkey in the oil?  At least if it overflows, it won't burst into flames that way.

That's a great idea, DanG!

I will add it to my procedure.  The steel my still be hot enough to light the oil, but at least you won't have to worry with shutting down the tank.

[pappy19]

OK, I fried two 11 lb turkeys and they came out great. I are now a consultant. I took all of the advice above plus I looked up one I had kept in my old recipe box. Basically I added peanut oil just barely under the 1/2 way mark on the pot. I heated the oil to 365. I lowered the seasoned, but not injected, bird in very slowly into the oil and shut off the gas. I waited until the oil temp went down to 250 and then relit the gas to hold it at that temp. I cooked the bird a total of 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes for each bird. They came out perfect. I really appreciate all of the advice. Only problem now is what to do with this used grease. I hate to throw it. Will it keep until Christmas in the cold and still work ok for more birds? Thanks again for all of the info and hope you all had a great Thanksgiving at your place.

Pap

[Tom]

It'll keep and cook quite a few birds.

[ScottAR]

DanG,  you could make your own clean "seawater."

I'm sure a search at food network would yield some results.
I use 2/3 cup kosher salt and 2/3 cup brown sugar to a gallon
of liquid.  Liquid choice depends on what your after.
Plain water, apple cider, and veggie stock are good places to start.

Season to taste.  I usually use black peppercorns, red pepper flakes,
pickling spice, and a little candied ginger. 

Bring to light boil and then cool with ice.  Put with bird for 6-8 hrs.
Stash in fridge or if it's cold out a cooler works good. 

Prepare as normal.  Cook to around 158 to 160.  it'll hit 165 by the
time you get it to the table.   

Good stuff.

[Norm]

Pappy I'd suggest you filter the oil to help it store better. I have one that I bought from a restaurant supply store that works great. The oil will still be flavored with what you cooked in it but will work fine for most things except for stuff like doughnuts and such.....ummmm doughnuts.  :D