Ok I've never done this before but know people who have.....will any of you attempt to fry your turkey this Thanksgiving? If you are or have, how does it taste:confused:

TaterTot -
I have had the pleasure of enjoying a deliciously deep-fried turkey that was nice and moist.

Do I know someone who did it - yes - and I also know 2 different people that burned down their homes doing it. The first idiot did it in his garage - goodbye house and 24 people out in the cold - 6 left homeless.

The second jerk did it in their carport - thinking it was "outdoors". Duh! No more home.

It takes several people to do it - not one or two. You need fire extinguishers or in some cases - the entire fire department to be there.

Would I do it - not in your life. Five gallons of peanut oil wasted as well. Plus the price of the deep fryer.

It is dangerous - and I don't agree with it. But that is my opinion.

Perhaps there is a simple explanation, but why must the entire turkey be fried at once? Why not quarter it so as to make frying safer?

Hi TaterTot! Frying a Turkey does carry with it some inherit danger. But, the danger is no different than other things in life which means that, if you are careful, follow the rules, and respect the tool, you can do a great job. I’ve fried many turkey’s in my day, still fry them today, but I’ll never ever forget that first one.

The first one is always the most dangerous one. The number 1 danger is overfilling the pot with oil! After that, it’s overheating the pot, and then it is be careful not to bump into your rig and knock it over. Technically, number 2 and 3 also apply to any outdoor cooking method such as grilling. I’ve actually knocked over a Weber grill once and showered the side of the house with hot coals and a half chicken. The key is to be careful and mindful of what you're doing.

Now, that being said, the Number 1 problem is over filling the pot! When my wife gave me my outdoor rig for Christmas, I had heard a lot about frying Turkey’s but had never done it. The big problem I ran into was conflicting information that came with the rig. The manual had some really cryptic instructions and actually said that, to find your oil fill line, you should place the turkey in the pot, then cover it with water. Once the turkey is covered in water, remove the turkey and mark the pot where the water line is resting and that is your oil fill line (after you dry the pot out).

That is HORRIBLY WRONG! Do not ever do that! In my case, an 18 pound turkey, this method resulted in a water level that was nearly 3 inches over the “Max Fill Line” that was etched on the inside of my pot. Seeing that the line was well above the pot’s inner markings of max fill, I felt uncomfortable and thought something may be wrong. But, the manual said to do it, so I figured the manual was right and probably written for a different pot than what came with my rig?

We used the high line and filled the pot with oil and then heated it to temp. I then slowly lowered the turkey into the pot. The first minute or so was all oooohs and ahhhhs which quickly turned to OH NO! OH NO! as the oil swelled and threatened to overflow the pot. Had the oil overflowed, it would drip down to the open flame of the burner and ignite resulting in a huge and uncontrollable fire. When I saw this happening, I passed off the cam-corder and turned off the propane at the tank thus killing the flame……just as the oil was dribbling over and leaking down the side of the pot!

I pulled the turkey out and placed it on newspaper and then we drained off some excess oil once it cooled a bit. With that done, I brought the lower level of oil back to temp and then fried a perfect turkey. And to be honest, it is some of the most incredible meat I have ever eaten. The breast is so succulent and juicy, I can only compare its smooth juicy texture to the finest lobster you have ever had. It is amazing.

Since then I have deep fried several other turkeys, whole chickens, Cornish hens, boxes of chicken breasts, a pork loin rib roast, etc. It’s not only fun to do, but very tasty.

The two most important rules to follow are get well away from your house. Move it out into the yard or furthest corner of your patio (NOT a covered patio). Get far away from the house, garage, etc.

Second, and equally important. Do not fill the pot more than 50% no matter what the manual says. If you buy an outdoor rig that comes with a pot, the pot should have lines inside marking the max fill for less than 14 pounds, and another mark for greater than 14 pounds. Be very mindful of these marks, and never exceed them! If you lack a mark on your pan, then you can fill to 50% for 14 pounds or less, and about 2-3 inches lower than that for a larger bird.

Also, keep your thermometer in the oil, and maintain a temp of about 330 at all times (min of 325, but no higher than 350). This will require adjusting the flame a bit as the turkey cooks, but it’s a simple matter to turn the knob on the tank and keep an eye on your thermometer. Also route your hose and tank away from the traffic areas that you walk, and never try to step around or over the hose of the tank.

Further, always let your turkey rest 10 minutes or so on the counter before it goes in the fryer. During this time, cover it in paper towels or periodically rub it with paper towels to remove excess moisture (liquid and hot oil do not mix well). Just before frying, use a dry rub or shake if you like. For maximum flavor, inject it an hour or so before you intend to fry.

Respect the cooker, give it a wide birth as you walk around it, keep everyone away from it since it isn’t a toy for all to come poke at, and you can do an excellent and safe job of frying your turkey.

Hope that helps.

If you are going to fry that turkey...get you some canned buscuits...after frying your turkey, cut of your gas cylinder and just drop the separated canned buscuits in the hot oil. They will sink..and when the float to the surface they will be done.