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Mark Hulette
11-17-2005, 9:25 AM
Has anyone deep-fried a turkey? I've tasted it and it is wonderful so I bit the bullet and bought a kit to attempt it myself.

Like most things in life, there's the right way, the wrong way and the way the instructions tell you how to do any given thing. I'd like to do it the 'right' way the first time and am looking to the experts here for tips/advise.

What is the best type of oil? (most say Peanut oil but my son is allergic) Where is the best place to purchase said oil?

Lots of questions... thanks for your help!

Harry Goodwin
11-17-2005, 9:32 AM
My son does things like this. I have had dead grass in one spot in the yard when he failed to dry off that bird before you drop it in the hot oil. It will bouble up and out if water is present. Harry

Tyler Howell
11-17-2005, 9:42 AM
Make sure you calculate your oil/turkey displacement accurately.
Work outside.Been to more than one home fire with deep fried turkeys:eek:

Jeff Sudmeier
11-17-2005, 9:48 AM
As the others have said, the biggest risk is to boil over the oil.

What we do is take the bird put it in the fryer and then fill it up with oil to cover the bird. Then we take out the bird and start up the fryer.

Also, the bird must be thawed or you will end up with a mess(Oil boiling over).

Mark Singer
11-17-2005, 10:00 AM
I heard David Marks uses tung oil for this.....I don't reccommend it...:)

Keel McDonald
11-17-2005, 10:31 AM
Please don't become one of those people on the Allstate commercial that burned their house down while frying a turkey. :)

Rob Bourgeois
11-17-2005, 11:17 AM
Its amazing how somethign that has been going on in Louisiana has spread so far and become so popular. First time I ever had fried turkey was back in 1990 and I started cooking themin 1992.

Easy to do if you follow directions that came with the pot.

Hint to stop boiling over. After thawing turkey put it in the pot then fill up the pot with water till it covers the turkey.
Remove the turkey and mark how high the water is. Clean and dry your pot and that is how much oil you put. No boils over in 20 plus turkeys. Dont forget to dry off your turkey adn inject it with something..( Cajun butter flavor is what I use from Cajun Injector)

Incidentally..that all state commercial is a bit misleading, it snot turkey frying that dangerous, its not using comman sense that gets people in trouble. More of the accidnets happen when people try it inside thier houses. Infact I would say that in all my years in Louisiana, I havent heard of a single turkey pot causing a house to burn down. This also includes my father who has never been to a turkey frying casue fire in all his time as a fir fighter. Of course its usually hot( warm for Thanksgiving) here, so we wouldnt dream of doing it in the house.

Michael Stafford
11-17-2005, 11:20 AM
Absolutely delicious idea! By far the best oil for this is peanut oil. It imparts a great flavor and has a high smoke point. As others have said never underestimate the amount of fire you will have if you catch a few gallons of oil or shortening on fire. Serious business when cooking with that much oil over an open flame.

I just reread your post, and I see peanut oil is out. Soybean oil would be my second choice and you can find it in quantity at restaurant supply houses, usually in 5 gallon jugs. But, do you know if your son has allergies to soybeans? Some people do.

Stuart Johnson
11-17-2005, 11:48 AM
Follow the direction that came with the pot and you should be okay. I used peanut oil so can't help you a recommendation but I think any oil that can maintain the heat should be okay.

A few cautions are in order:

1. Outside only. Not the covered porch or gargage.
2. No children in the area. This includes the older ones that want to rough house or fool around after a couple adult beverages.
3. The oil will be very hot for a long time. Plan ahead to make certain nobody forgets number 2 just because the bird is done.

I don't fry them anymore. The clean up mess was more than I care to handle three or four times a year.

Doug Jones from Oregon
11-17-2005, 12:29 PM
Deep fried turkeys are definitely good eatin! But, now that I'm newly divorced after 32 years and doing the TDay thing alone....the already smoked turkey from the local grocery store is sounding just fine!

As for the oil...I used to get mine from Associated Grocers or as they are known here...Cash and Carry. These stores specialize in sales to resturants and have the oil in the larger containers.

Doug

Mark Hulette
11-17-2005, 12:56 PM
My son does things like this. I have had dead grass in one spot in the yard when he failed to dry off that bird before you drop it in the hot oil. It will bouble up and out if water is present. Harry

Harry- that is a great reminder. Thanks!


As the others have said, the biggest risk is to boil over the oil.

What we do is take the bird put it in the fryer and then fill it up with oil to cover the bird. Then we take out the bird and start up the fryer.

Also, the bird must be thawed or you will end up with a mess(Oil boiling over).

Jeff and Others- I will definitely be attempting this outside if not my neighbors garage (just kidding! :D ) . Jeff, I had read about your method of calculating the displacement but using water. Not sure which way to go there.


I heard David Marks uses tung oil for this.....I don't reccommend it...

:D :D :D What about precat lacquer?


Thanks for all the tips so far guys! I knew if food was involved I would get good direction here! ;)

Randy Meijer
11-17-2005, 3:41 PM
I looked into buying one of those fryers; but spending 50 bucks for a fryer and another 20 or so for oil just didn't make sense for 2 turkeys per year. I let a local restaurant fry mine.....and let them worry about the risk of a fire.

As to cooking, don't even cook on your back deck. It could catch fire and spread to the house. Put that cooker way out in the back yard on a patch of dirt or non-flammable material and keep "EVERYONE" away from it except the cook!!

Richard Wolf
11-17-2005, 5:10 PM
As an added benifit, I use my turkey fryer as a streamer in the off season.

Richard

Mark Hulette
11-17-2005, 9:37 PM
As an added benifit, I use my turkey fryer as a streamer in the off season.

Richard

Richard- Great idea. See I knew someone could connect frying a turkey into woodworking! :p

Tom Peterson
11-17-2005, 9:52 PM
Just had to pass along, that about five years ago, my neighbor did this on his driveway. It bubbled over as most comments have warned. The next day, he used an extension ladder with rubber feet to put up christmas lights on the house and place the ladder right where the fryer had been. We chuckle about it now because he was not seriously injured when the ladder slid out.

Vaughn McMillan
11-18-2005, 4:42 AM
As an added benifit, I use my turkey fryer as a streamer in the off season.

I'll bet you get some frightened looks when you light the fire beneath that gas can, though. :eek: :D



We chuckle about it now because he was not seriously injured when the ladder slid out.

I couldn't help but laugh when I read that. Made my night.

- Vaughn

Randy Meijer
11-18-2005, 3:11 PM
As an added benifit, I use my turkey fryer as a streamer in the off season.Richard

"...Streamer, huh...??? What do you do, tie that whole rig to your car antenna?? :D :D

I assume there is a vent somewhere so that thing won't blow up???

Mark Hulette
11-30-2005, 9:15 AM
Just wanted to report back on my experience...

After researching many sites on the 'net and putting all the good tips from here to use, I'd have to say the birds came out quite tasty. I didn't get to marinate one of them like I'd wanted but there's always Christmas!

Didn't burn anything including the house - actually followed the instructions (for once) to a tee and still saw how dangerous the process could be - lots of splatter.

Nows a great time to buy a kit if you're interested in trying it out! Plus you don't have to use peanut oil exclusively if allergies are a problem.

Thanks for all the tips and hints!

Rob Bourgeois
11-30-2005, 11:03 AM
Here is another hint...dont ask why I thought of this..I just figured it might work.

IF you are working on concrete and its not too cold, wet the concrete down before dropping in the bird. This stops any of those nasty splatter marks by causing the oil to float away. All you have to do is hose it off after your done cooking and you can never tell you fried a turkey there.

My wife was much happier this year becuase their were no splatter marks on the patio. And I didnt have to go about cleaning it up either.

Lars Thomas
11-30-2005, 11:36 AM
Another hint, don't do it in your garage.

This could happen. . .

http://www.kcchronicle.com/MainSection/local/284796112628698.php

Mark Hulette
11-30-2005, 5:04 PM
Here is another hint...dont ask why I thought of this..I just figured it might work.

IF you are working on concrete and its not too cold, wet the concrete down before dropping in the bird. This stops any of those nasty splatter marks by causing the oil to float away. All you have to do is hose it off after your done cooking and you can never tell you fried a turkey there.

My wife was much happier this year becuase their were no splatter marks on the patio. And I didnt have to go about cleaning it up either.

That's a really good idea! A cold front blew through Thanksgiving morning and the temp dropped about 24 deg in 12 hours with a wind chill in the teens. By the time I was finished with the 2nd bird, it was not pleasant outside.

I actually cooked them at my B-I-Ls house and where we cooked didn't really matter about splatter. I can see where if frying on a nice wooden deck or brick patio, that would be a great tip! Thanks.