Anybody Deep Fry Their Thanksgiving Turkey ?

I was watching some food show --
The restaurant explained all the code enforcement
stuff they had to do in the kitchen.
Just wondering........

 

We've done it outside.
Inside seems a bit risky to me.

Comes out tasty and juicy. Not greasy at all.

 

I've done it every year for the past several years.

always outside on the lawn.

have to take a lot of safety precautions.

this is how you do it right.

[video=youtube;u5a7gJ0_Fds]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5a7gJ0_Fds[/video]

 

That's what it is about, right equipment, right technique. It ain't rocket science but it can get away from you. Not my preferred way but it is damn good on a plate.

Every year dozens if not hundreds of idiots always end up burning down part of the house or giving themselves a nasty burn. But thankfully in America we have the right to be imbeciles. The rest of use enjoy really good food.

Cook away!

 

I've done it a few times, but when my husband started brewing, he cannibalized my fryer equipment for his brew rig.

Ah well. I prefer to use the smoker anyway!

 

Did it once and it was nice and juicy.

Downside is you can't use the juice to make the gravy and stuffing, so we went back to the traditional way.

 

A long time ago I fried them. I got tired of buying the oil.

 

I will say - if you're going to do it, take advantage of the oil and prepare a bunch of other things you can fry

(yes, like that episode of Gilmore Girls)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE95jwN6Bfo

 

Have to be very careful!! I've seen some horrible fires start from this.

I'll be smoking mine this year

 

I purchased one of those electric turkey fryers about 8-9 years ago. I think it's made by MASTERBUILT. It takes a lot of oil and I use peanut oil so it's quite expensive and not always easy to find in the large size
You can fry pretty much anything in it and also use it to boil lobsters and crab legs. You can use it in the house (it's very safe) but I do my turkey out in the yard on the patio table otherwise you get a lingering smell of fried food
in your house. QVC had one for sale on yesterday. You can probably watch the demonstration video on their website www.qvc.com (search turkey fryers). I believe it was the same brand I have.

 

My BIL did one once for Thanksgiving. But I my sister is allergic to peanuts and therefore sensitive to peanut oil so that's not going to a tradition. Personally, I still think smoked is still the best way to go.

 

WHATEVER you do, the three most important things are:

1. Do it in the house. You'll be warmer.
2. Fill the pot to w/i 1" of the top.
3. Do NOT thaw out the bird.



4. When you get out of the hospital, rebuild your house.

 

I heard deep fried turkeys taste the best but I think it's too much work. I'd rather go to someone's T-Day dinner and try the turkey that they would deep dry themselves.

 

My neighbor has done it a few times and it's always come out perfect. You gotta make sure that the bird is completely thawed out though or it will blow up.

When I was stationed on Guam a typhoon knocked out the power for Thanksgiving. I had to cook my turkey on the Weber and it came out very good. You put the charcoal around the edge of the Weber and a pie plate with water in it directly under the bird.

 

See it's legitimate comments like this that keep me from trying this... I don't know what the hell I'm doin' and not willing to risk "life and limb" over a stupid turkey. I do hear they taste fantastic when done correctly!

 

So once I did one that wasn't completely thawed. It didn't blow up, but because of the temp differential it ended up greasier than it should have been (a properly heated oil will seal the skin off so the oil doesn't seep into the flesh) and it took longer to cook and then the legs were dry. So - defrost thoroughly!!! Because when the bird is prepared properly, it does taste good.

I also agree it's way too time consuming to do ON Thanksgiving. I have 17 other dishes to prepare - I can't spend the day outside babysitting a fryer!

 

Is Boston Market open on Thanksgiving?

 

Man, I feel really bad that my step-by-step directions weren't better received.

H2 kinda hit on the key, locking things down with this process. I am not a fan of many supposedly roasted turkeys because they are steamed not roasted. Just my taste preference. My way certainly isn't the best or the only. But when think of the science of it all can't fill the cavity with crap then put the oven on 325 and expect to do otherwise.

 

You're in MD, so go to Giant supermarket, buy a rotisserie half turkey breast on Wednesday and re-heat it on Thanksgiving.

As for the Alton Brown clip, I saw this a few years ago and decided it was too much of a pain in the butt for me. My late mother in law used a grocery paper bag (sprayed with pam) to roast the bird. No crispy skin, but very moist and pretty simple. Seam side down.

 

That's a technique my sister uses, but with butter in the kraft paper bag not spray.