Andy's Deep-Fried Turkey

Deep-frying a turkey requires some effort, but it yields a moist bird with crispy skin like potato chips.

Reasons for Its Effectiveness

Thoroughly drying the turkey, both inside and out, protects against oil flares.

Switching off the burner while lowering the turkey into the oil prevents flare-ups from developing into full-blown fires.

I must begin with a crucial disclaimer: Frying a turkey poses significant risks. Although many safety measures can be implemented to reduce the danger, it's impossible to heat several gallons of oil to 350°F (177°C) with a large propane burner, lower a turkey into the oil, and ensure that you or anyone else will remain unharmed. Let’s begin with several key aspects:

Kids and animals ought to stay for away from a deep-frying area. There mustn't be even the slightest possibility that they'll get near it.

You must read and adhere to all the manufacturer's guidelines and cautionary notes provided with your deep fryer, and follow those guidelines whenever they differ from what I have stated here.

Do not utilize an outdoor frying arrangement inside, or in any confined or sheltered area, and do not operate an indoor fryer outside.

If you reside in a chilly region, expect to spend a few hours outdoors in the cold: Considerate turkey fryers do not leave their cooking unattended. (Or, seek individuals to take over for you if you wish to return indoors.)

Avoid drinking while frying.

Alright, having shared those cautions, let's discuss deep-frying turkey.

Reasons for Deep-Frying a Turkey?

Clearly, the right to boast.
Honestly, the primary reason is that it's a technique that can produce an exceptionally succulent bird with the crispiest skin possible. I'm referring to potato-chip crunch.

Certain individuals will claim that it's quicker than all other approaches. That's accurate when you consider just the cooking time (less than an hour, even for a big bird), but when you include the time for heating the oil and cleanup, it ultimately isn't faster than roasting the turkey in an oven. In certain ways, it's a far larger hassle, unless you're fond of handling a large amount of used frying oil—no, pouring it down the drain isn't allowed.

In my experience, it’s a relatively forgiving technique: Even if you end up overcooking your bird—which I don’t suggest—as I've observed, it turns out juicier than an equally over roast turkey. I mistakenly cooked a deep-fried turkey to an unexpectedly high internal temperature of 210°F (99°C), and although I wouldn't claim the outcome was ideal, it turned out to be less dry than I anticipated.

The crucial point is to remove it once the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C); exceeding this will result in an overcooked turkey. If it's removed from the oil when the coldest section of the breast hits 145°F, the ultimate internal temperature will rise to 155°F (68°C), resulting in moist and juicy outcomes.

If you enjoy preparing gravy from drippings and love the aroma of a roasting bird filling your home, it's best to avoid deep-frying, as this technique yields no drippings and has a strong scent reminiscent of a fry shack.

What Size Turkey Can I Fry?

The fryers I utilized, both indoor and outdoor, asserted that they could accommodate a bird weighing up to 18 pounds. I suggest remaining significantly under that maximum size.

First, smaller birds will heat more uniformly, and frying a large bird raises the chance of charring the skin before the interior is fully cooked. Secondly, my experiments revealed that 18-pound birds can cause issues in both configurations.

For an outdoor rig, there's a danger of an oil spill, even if you've accurately measured the oil and kept it below the maximum-fill line in the pot. With the indoor fryer, an 18-pound turkey may become lodged and obstruct the rotisserie system.

I recommend avoiding turkeys heavier than 15 pounds in fryers advertised for an 18-pound capacity.

Inspect Your Bird for Ice, Two Times

Another thing you definitely want to avoid is placing a wet or frozen turkey into hot oil. The outcome might send you to the hospital, especially if there are ice pieces involved.

Exercise caution with this: A turkey that appears completely defrosted might still contain ice within its cavity, particularly between the rib bones. That space serves as a small icebox, and even when the rest of the bird is completely thawed, the cavity itself can remain quite cold. Thoroughly inspect for any hidden ice, and ensure the bird is completely dry, both inside and out, prior to placing it in the heated oil.

How to Deep-Fry a Turkey Outside

This is the most recognized technique and has generated numerous unfortunate deep-fried turkey catastrophe videos. Honestly, I believe this technique is quite risky.

An outdoor turkey-frying setup is necessary, comprising a burner with a stand, a pot, an oil thermometer, and a mechanism for hanging and lowering the turkey. I utilized a Brinkmann model; Kenji has utilized the Bayou Classic. Neither of us has any issues with them.

You will also require a propane tank. You shouldn't attempt to improvise your own configuration.

The most common errors people commit with this method include: placing the fryer in or close to a house or other flammable object; overfilling the pot, leading to hot oil overflowing when the turkey is immersed; and dropping the turkey, which results in hot oil splattering.

Keep a fire extinguisher close that is certified for use on grease fires; using water to try to put out a grease fire is extremely hazardous.

To prevent an oil overflow, it’s essential to first accurately assess the amount of oil required. To accomplish this, place the turkey in the pot and add water, measuring as you fill, until the turkey is submerged by approximately half an inch; take the turkey out and dry it with paper towels.

After taking out the turkey, the water level in the pot must be less than the maximum-fill mark. Empty the water, thoroughly dry the pot, and then fill it with an equal amount of oil.

An ideal setup should be located in an open space, at a secure distance from anything flammable. In the image above, it's clear that we have placed the burner and propane tank on a concrete surface, with no objects located within approximately 10 feet of it in any direction. Make sure to avoid walking in the space between the propane tank and the burner: You might trip over the gas line, leading the pot of oil to fall.

When the oil hits its temperature, approximately 350°F, place the hanger through the bird.

You need to be able to grip the turkey firmly.

Before lowering the turkey into the oil, make sure to put on sturdy oven mitts and strong footwear, ensuring no skin is exposed. Wearing shorts and sandals isn't a good choice.

Kenji suggests turning off the burner for this step, then reigniting it after the turkey is placed in the pot to eliminate any risk of a flare-up while adding the turkey. That's a clever suggestion (you'll understand shortly), but it also entails fumbling beneath a pot of hot oil to reignite the burner once the bird is in, which carries its own hazards.

Descend the turkey extremely, extremely gradually. Gently lower it into the oil, and if something appears off, pull the turkey out slowly instead of dropping it—oil splashes can lead to serious injuries.

you'll understand why it's wise to switch off the burner when lowering the turkey into the oil, as well as why the largest bird (here, 18 pounds) isn't advisable.

Although I had measured my oil precisely to consider displacement, ensured the turkey was dry and devoid of ice, and lowered it gently, a spray of hot oil still erupted from the pot once the turkey was completely submerged. In this specific scene, we observe oil splashing from the pot, some catching fire near the burner, while I rush to the extinguisher, shouting for Vicky to move away.

The positive aspect is that nothing negative occurred and the situation was swiftly managed, but this serves as a clear illustration of how, despite taking all the necessary precautions, deep-frying a turkey in this manner can still pose dangers.

Once the turkey is added, it will fry quite quickly. Many individuals suggest around three minutes for every pound of poultry, but I would begin monitoring it even earlier. My oil level began above the turkey, but it gradually decreased while the bird was cooking, leaving a portion of it uncovered by the end. This had no adverse effect on the bird or its skin.

When you're prepared to measure the temperature with an instant-read thermometer, use the hook to pull the turkey out, and lift it gently, letting the oil drain off as you elevate it.

Once it hits an internal temperature of 145°F, it's prepared. Allow it to sit for roughly 20 minutes prior to slicing it.

How to Deep-Fry a Turkey Inside

Many people may not be aware that frying a turkey can be done indoors, but it is indeed possible. I found indoor turkey fryers while researching a turkey article for Food & Wine and required a method to experiment with a fried-turkey recipe in a test kitchen lacking outdoor space.

Honestly, I believe these methods are significantly safer than the outdoor technique (though, as it still uses a lot of hot oil, there remains some danger).

Essentially, it's a sizable countertop fryer capable of handling large quantities of fried chicken (or functioning as a steamer for a clambake at home). It's approximately twice the price of the outdoor setups, but it's significantly more versatile because it allows you to deep-fry, boil, or steam various items.

Just place the turkey in the basket of the fryer according to the manufacturer's guidelines.

Once the oil is prepared (which I verify with an instant-read thermometer, despite the fryer having a thermostat and temperature gauge), it’s time to submerge the turkey.

Once the bird is finished, raise it from the fryer using the basket.

I discovered this turkey to be equally as tasty as one made using the outdoor deep-frying technique, and it took a comparable amount of time to cook.

There you have it: two routes to deep-fried-turkey happiness, one of which, in my view, is considerably safer than the other. As a sage once stated, now you are aware, and awareness is half the struggle.

Fixings

1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dark pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (14-pound) turkey, giblets eliminated, washed and dried
2 3/4 gallons nut oil, for frying*

Headings

Subsequent to estimating how much oil required for the profound fryer, dry the turkey well, all around, prior to continuing.Panda-express-cream-cheese-rangoon.

Blend the smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, dark pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and thyme together in a bowl. Sprinkle the zest rub inside the hole of the turkey and on the skin. Separate the skin from the bosom meat and back rub the rub onto the meat with your hands. Set the turkey on a huge sheet plate and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate for the time being or as long as 24 hours.

Fill the electric profound fryer with nut oil and preheat to 400 degrees F, (it will require around 1 hour for the oil to come to temperature).Healthy-butternut-squash-and-turkey.

Eliminate the turkey from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

When the oil is hot and the turkey is at room temperature, cautiously bring down the turkey into the hot oil. Ensure the oil keeps up with its temperature while fricasseeing. Fry the turkey until the skin is dull brilliant brown and fresh, or until the interior temperature of the bosom arrives at 155 degrees F on a moment read thermometer, around 45 minutes. Cautiously eliminate the turkey from the oil and let it lay and channel on a wire rack, around 30 minutes. The inside temperature will ascend to 165 degrees F while resting.

Move the turkey to a serving platter and serve.Enjoy it !!!Slow-cooker-red-wine-beef-stew.

Andy's Deep-Fried Turkey VIDEO :

DEEP FRY TURKEY