Directions for Using a Turkey Deep Fryer
According to Food Timeline, a website dedicated to educating individuals on the origins of food and cooking techniques, deep frying turkeys began in the southern United States. Today, the cooking method is widespread. In fact, turkey deep fryers are now sold in stores. Because deep frying a turkey is potentially dangerous, it is important that precautions are taken to avoid a disaster. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Turkey deep fryer w/ basket
- <15 lbs. turkey
- Kitchen scissors or knife
- Deep fry thermometer
- Meat thermometer
- Peanut, canola or corn oil (about 3 1/2 to 5 gallons for a 40- to 60-qt. fryer)
- Fire extinguisher
- Heavy-duty pot holders
- Injector for marinades
- Dry spice rub
Instructions
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1
Thaw the turkey completely. Remove giblets and the neck from inside the turkey cavity. Clean and dry the turkey inside and out. Trim excess fat and skin with kitchen scissors or a knife. Slice a 1-inch cut at the joints where the leg meets the thigh. This is very important as it allows the excess oil to drain after the turkey has cooked.
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2
Place the turkey deep fryer outdoors. Never deep fry a turkey indoors. Make sure that the area where the deep fryer is placed is level. Do not place the deep fryer on a wooden deck as it may burn if a fire starts. If you want to avoid oil stains, do not fry on concrete.
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3
Put the turkey in the basket upside down. Place the basket with the turkey inside into the empty pot. Fill the pot with water about two inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and measure the water level from the top of the water to the top of the pot. Take note of this measurement. Dump the water and dry the pot as well as the turkey.
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4
Rub the turkey with a dry spice rub if desired. Use orange juice to spread the dry spice rub instead of water. Orange juice is acidic and acts as a meat tenderizer, while also enhancing the flavor of the rub.
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5
Fill your marinade injector with a marinade of your choice. Stick the injector into both sides of the breast and both thighs. Move the needle around as you inject the marinade into the turkey. You may want to inject the thighs from inside the cavity of the turkey.
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6
Pour oil into the pot. Keep the oil level equal with what the water level was after removing the turkey from the water.
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7
Turn on the deep fryer and set the temperature to 325 F. Use a deep fryer thermometer to figure out the temperature of the oil. Heat until the oil reaches 325 F but do not exceed 350 F.
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8
Place the turkey upside down in the basket, legs facing up. Use pot holders to very slowly lower the turkey into the pot with the turkey hanger.
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9
Let the turkey fry. Estimate the cooking time by calculating 3 minutes per each pound of turkey. After the time has passed, remove the turkey and check the temperature using a meat thermometer. The temperature should be at least 170 F in the breast and at least 180 F in the thighs.
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10
Remove the turkey with the hanger and use pot holders. Set on an absorbent towel and allow to drain for about 5 minutes. Carve the turkey and serve.
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Tips & Warnings
Always measure the oil level for the turkey before marinating. If you put it in the water after you've marinated it, your efforts will prove useless.
Serve turkey immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Never fry a turkey over 15 pounds.
Never leave a deep fryer unattended. Always check the turkey after the cooking time has elapsed to avoid burning your turkey. This is a common mistake.
Never stuff a turkey if you're going to deep fry it.
Avoid cross contamination by washing hands and all utensils that come into contact with the turkey immediately after using in hot, soapy water.
Keep children and pets away from the hot deep fryer.
Allow oil to cool completely before storing it or dumping it.
Never let the cooker reach higher than 350 F. Over 450 F may cause combustion which could lead to a dangerous grease fire.
Thaw the turkey out completely. A half-frozen or completely frozen turkey may cause the oil to pop which increases the chance of a grease fire.
Always keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case something goes wrong.
Never use a lid when frying.
Do not touch the deep fryer when cooking.
References
- Photo Credit turkey image by Diane Stamatelatos from Fotolia.com
