How to fry a turkey

This is a recipe for frying a turkey. This is something I learned from my family in Louisiana. I think it tastes better than baking, and it's quite a bit faster as well!

Step 1: Ingredients

Ingredients and special tools:

1. Turkey

2. Turkey Frier

3. Oil (I use peanut oil but other oils would work)

4. Fuel for fryer (ussally propane)

5. Thermometer

Comments

[Audrey27]

I have two suggestions and hope it helps. Last year was the first time we did a deep fried turkey and the taste was good especially if peanut oil is used. The only thing is a lot of oil gets wasted unless someone knows what you do with that fatty/peanut oil. I wanted to mention that when the turkey is lowered into the hot oil, you can have a long enough piece of wire (like a wired clothes hanger) and twisted enough and inserted into turkey above the legs. Then two people can lower it into the oil. To me, it’s safer that way. Also to measure how much oil should be used, a good idea is if you don’t want to wash the turkey with it absorbing too much water, put the turkey in a sizeable plastic bag and fill enough water in the fryer then put in the turkey adjusting the water level.

[susanchen2011]

It seems flavorful.

[honeybearcorgi]

Another precaution is to turn off the flame until you lower the turkey into the oil. This will prevent the ignition source from the spilled oil. If all is well you can relight the burner.

[jsalas5]

If you put the turkey into the container and add water till the turkey is covered, then take the turkey out and mark the water level, it works really well. dry the turkey off, empty the water out of the container and dry it, then fill the container with oil to the mark you previously made and heat it. make sure the turkey is as dry as possible before very slowly lowering into the oil and you'll be good as gold.

[ikeike40]

hi

[wmfxir]

Very very very important not to do this in house, garage, deck, or too near any of the above. Some people actually do this every year with disastrous results.

I always use the method suggested by Cammel8, works like a charm.

[menahunie]

True - some people do this and it defys me why? Also one thing forgotten to mention? NEVER put the turkey in the oil if it is still FROZEN - IT WILL EXPLODE..

[Steamdnt]

All you need to do is measure the turkey in Grams because 1 G---->1ML
So then you fill the the fryer with So many ML of Oil, Then when you put the turkey in the oil will displace a certain amount of oil, if you did you calculations right there will be no chance of spill over.

[billybobjhonson]

no not necessarily it all depends on the density of the turkey, maybe water weighs 1 gram per milliliter but a turkey isnt the same density as water

[Steamdnt]

I was referring to Archimedes displacement law. (1G= 1ML =1cc)

[billybobjhonson]

 yes that works with water and items of a known density 1 gram of lead will not be the same volume as say 1 gram of wood so you cant make an accurate estimate to what the volume of the turkey is unless you know the density

[Nabil]

Or maybe try first with water instead of oil... measure the water and then (after drying the fryer) use that amount of oil.

[tkjtkj]

How Oil Cooks the bird ..
this will surprise ya :  the reason the bird gets cooked (and the reason a fried turkey isn't greasy to eat) is that what actually happens is that the bird is STEAMED !  yes.. the flow of bubbles exiting the bird and oil bath is actually steam .. Its higher pressure prevents oil from entering the bird, as long as the temperature is hot enough.  In chinese cooking, where deepfrying is common, its best to use TWO woks ... and to switch the food from one to the other, so that the the temperature during the cooking process stays high ..

Also, i STRONGLY suggest to all that you do NOT do this inside a home!   DEVESTATING fires are not rare!  any fire is likely to destroy the entire home, so: do it outdoors, away from any building !  Do 'know' how much oil is needed, as others here have described.  DO LOWER THE BIRD VERY SLowly!
As for cooking temp, an internal thermometer into the center of the breastmeat should be 160F. .. NOTE: it is dangerous to measure while holding the bird over the oil..
so : DO NOT HOLD THE BIRD OVER THE OIL WHILE PROBING ITS TEMP! . move it aside! Losing your grip while multitasking WOULD have serious consequences!

Also, having a good-sized fire extinguisher , rated for oil fires, nearby makes great sense!  NOT having one could put you in jail for 'reckless disregard' !!
 

[wmfxir]

The turkey is done incredibly quickly, 45 minutes or less. I like jsummerlin's suggestions.

[wmfxir]

The best method I have found is to suspend the turkey from the hook supplied with the fryer, from a broom handle or the like and have 2 people slowly lower the bird into the oil.

[Bryandav]

This is an instructable? Buy a turkey fryer and put it in? I thought I would learn something awesome here. Sorry, bit of a let down....

[jsummerlin]

I  R a Cajun so let me see if I can add a few tips. I cut any fat or turkey butt away from the rear of the bird. Make sure you drain and dry your bird as much as you can. Put the bird in breast down, then when you add the bird to the 350 degree oil, add slowly very slowly. The cavity will fill with the hot oil. I like to use oven mitts that go all the way up to the elbow or work gloves that fit the wrist tightly If added too fast it will load up with steam and spray hot oil all over you.
When you hear the frying crackling sound of the grease don't freak out and let the bird go all at once. If let drop slowly there is no risk of getting burned. It is best to have a good thermometer and consider adding time for the initial shock of the oil. Consider cooking a 12-14 lb. bird they seem to cook best. When checking the bird for done, poke a fork at the leg joint if the juice runs clear your done.
Fried turkeys are not greasy and the turkey skin fries up crispy like a cracklin.

[jayjay124]

you must not cook very often. cooking is sort of an art. adding all of your ingredients(mostly your own) with the right equipment, and using the right precautions such temperatures, bastings and the such, you are sure to surprize and most of the time please whomever you are cooking for. I've never fried a turkey before, But if done right, they sure do taste good.     

[Bryandav]

Actually, I cook all the time.  The prep of the turkey is (perhaps) the part that should be an instructable.  The turkey fryer would have instructions in the box, so I see no need for this instructable.  Just my opinion.

And thanks Jayefuu, glad someone else saw it this way.

[jayjay124]

Hello Bryandav,
Say there youngman, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I believe where i went wrong was that I failed to read to the orginal article before posting to your comment. 

Sorry if I offended you and your intelligence.   

[Bryandav]

No offense taken, no worries Jayjay.  I'm actually an "oldman", but thanks anyway.  I worry that I may have been too strong myself.  I haven't posted an instructable myself, and should not have been so critical of this one.  I guess I just would have liked more out of it, that's all.

Kudos to you Jayjay, you have a sense of class about you, not seen much anymore.

[sing1ejack]

And kudos to you both for being polite to each other throughout these posts.  

I kind of agree with Bryandav; it feels like perhaps there might be some more tips that could be thrown in here.  One thing I'd like to know is how long it takes a turkey to thaw out?  How far ahead should I be buying the bird? 

[jayjay124]

What's up sing1ejack,

If you haven't already brought a bird yet, I would get it soon. I would say but it at least 24 hours before you plan on cooking it. My mom would buy hers 48 hours before to give it time to thaw and prep it before throwing it into the oven. When she heard that people were frying turkeys she looked up at me and said what on earth is this world coming to. I believe you can buy them already unthawed in some places.  

[Jayefuu]

I agree with Bryandav

[jayjay124]

Hello Jayefuu,

It's okay to agree with whomever you wish to, I was just stating my opinion. Evereyone should know that baking or frying a turkey isn't  just buying it and throwing it into the oven or fryer. who knows how it would come out by doing it that way, certainly not very tastee. Wouldn't  you agree.    

[vandal1138]

If thats all you got from this instructable you're probably one of the guys that burns his house down on thanksgiving. Its not that simple..

[tabi]

Instead of using water and then changing... I put the turkey in, then I fill the fryer with oil up to about an inch over the turkey, take the bird out, heat up the fryer and then put the turkey in agian....
;)
TNX I love fried turkey and try some fried ducks.. mhmmmm ... delish!

[minimalista]

YO!

not only turkey with this one!

www.uncrate.com/men/home/kitchen/butterball-turkey-fryer/


Bye

[bumsugger]

Jeez, yet another "hammer to crack a nut,"...................how much does a turkey fryer cost???

[rbhays]

I wrote this 3 years ago, so clearly its in need of a update haha. I'll add some details when I get a chance

[burntkat]

lamest instructable EVER

How about mentioning a water dunk to get an idea how much oil you need, without starting a fire?
How long per pound to cook?
Internal temperature of the bird, measured where, to ensure it's done?
Aftercare of the bird when you pull it out?

[askantik]

Ok, I'm vegan, so obviously I don't eat turkey. I just saw in the summary this part: "I think it tastes better than baking" Uh, duh! LOL. Of course fried tastes better-- it's a lot worse for you. I'll go back to frying my tempeh now :P

[Crash2108]

 It's actually not a lot worse for you at all, depending on technique and the oil you use.

[Spokehedz]

(removed by author or community request)

[leebryuk]

I'm not sure where you thought askantik was proselytizing, but there was none. S/he digs tempeh and stated fried food was tasty. That's all.

[askantik]

Yay! Finally someone who doesn't tell me I'm "pressing my ideals on them" just by stating that I'm a vegan!

[Steamdnt]

What exactly Does "Vegan" Mean is it somewhat like vegetarian, or is it completley different? Enlighten me.

[askantik]

DNT, A vegetarian doesn't eat anything that requires the death of an animal, such as meat, poultry, seafood, gelatin (made from animal bones/tissue), etc. A vegan doesn't eat (or use) anything that comes from an animal, like cheese, milk, eggs, wool, fur, leather, etc. Many vegetarians avoid using these products, too, but not all. In general, vegetarianism is more of a diet, while veganism is a philosophy (not trying to sound like I'm on some high horse or better than vegetarians-- I'm being serious). Hope that helps :)

[Steamdnt]

Hmm. I always thought that it as not eating anything that had a face.

[zenomax]

"Frying doesn't always make things taste better. That's just your perception, and a very skewed one at that." Obviously, how anything tastes cannot help but be one's "perception." But it's widely accepted by nutritionists that humans are born with an innate preference for the taste of foods fried in fats. So askatik's judgment is hardly "skewed"! It's plain conventional wisdom. While it's true that frying a turkey is faster than what rbhays calls "baking" (and everyone else would call "roasting") it, the reason certainly is not that only via the former method are "you . . . cooking all sides at once"! Obviously, anything roasted is being cooked on "all sides at once." But fat transfers heat better than still air does.