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Thinking About Thanksgiving?

To Fry? or Not to Fry

have you tried it?  I have and it tastes fantastic, although the horror stories of grease fires can scare you away from deep frying your Thanksgiving turkey.  But you can do it, just learn how and be safe.

What do I need?
In addition to a turkey, you'll need a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket or turkey frying hardware, plus a propane gas tank and burner, a candy/deep fry thermometer, a meat thermometer and lots of oil. Use oils that have a high smoke point, such as corn, peanut or canola oils. Many stores carry deep fry kits this time of year.

You should also keep a fire extinguisher and plenty of heavy duty pot holders nearby.

An injector is an option if you want to use marinades to the meat.

Use a small turkey, under 15 pounds is best.

Before cooking you can inject the turkey with your favorite marinade and/or use a  dry spice rub.

You will also need about 3 1/2 - 5 gallons of oil in which to fry the turkey.

Where do I fry the turkey at?
NEVER fry your turkey indoors.  You are working with lots of oil, be safe and wise and set up the frying outdoors on a level area of dirt or grass.  NEVER deep fry on a wood deck.  You can set up on concrete, but expect oil stains when you are done.

What do I do first?
Before you start, figure out how much oil you are going to need.  Place the turkey in the frying basket and then fill it with water until the water level is a few inches above the turkey.  Take the turkey out and make a note of the water level by using a ruler and measure the distance from the top of the fry basket to the water surface.  Don't forget to dry the frying basket completely before filling it with oil and heating.

How do I fry the Turkey?

Use a candy thermometer, and heat the oil to about 325 degrees, no higher then 350 degrees.  It will take up to a half hour to get to desired temperature so plan ahead.  After you reach the desired temperature, place the turkey in the basket or turkey hanger (Read instructions on your deep fry kit carefully) and SLOWLY lower it down into the pot of oil.

How long will it take to fry?

When you are deep frying a whole turkey, you can estimate about three minutes per pound to cook.  A good rule always is to check the turkey with a meat thermometer.  When the turkey is done, the meat thermometer should read 170 degrees in the breast and 180 degrees in the thigh.