Ok fellas, who has one? What are your recommendations for a great fried turkey. I just bought a 30qt fryer and a 4 gal of planters peanut/veg oil. Gonna give it a shot this year. What are the best temps, cook time,oil?

Thanks for your input

 

Keep the oil at about 350. Should take about 45 min.

 

Lessons learned ....

Fill the fryer with water FIRST ... submerge the turkey inside and then adjust the level of liquid inside to the right level between the top of the bird and the top of the fryer.
Take the bird out and note how much liguid is left in there .... this is your fill line for the oil !!! Mark it some how ... magic marker on the outside or scratch a line and write the weight of the turkey you are frying (reference for next year).
Dump the water and get to cooking !!

This little tip will help prevent your garage from burning to the ground !!


*** Oh yeah .... and it's not a good plan to wear flip-flops while deep frying a turkey .... bad ju-ju !! A bunch of us learned this the hard way on Thanksgiving in Key West !!!

Cheers,
PISTOL

 

Thanks gents. Great advice on the water, will definitely do that.

Determine correct oil level, set temp to 350, then rapidly drop in a frozen solid turkey while wearing shorts and flip flops. Got it.

J/K, went to an apartment block fire last year because of that. They did not know the turkey was supposed to be thawed before putting it in the oil. I will also go out on a limb here and say that having the fryer on the 3rd floor probably was not a good idea either.



Thanks gentlemen, I appreciate it.

 

That had to sound like the fourth of July

 

Make sure turkey is dry--water and hot oil does not mix.
Jay

 

^^^ yes, also advisable to wipe dry the pot after you do the marking for water.

 

Shut the flame off when you put the turkey in.

 

I think I'd forget about it this year Tim. The thread title might be a Freudian slip or a precursor of things to come!



chaikwa.

 

when we do the turkey frying. we situated the turkey under a tree and run a rope thru a pulley on the tree to lower the bird into the fryer from a safe distance. learned this from a Fireman. works great and keeps ya away from the grease fire.

the above water tips are spot on to.

 

Try and keep the fryer away from your house and trees. My mother in laws boy friend almost caught a tree on fire becasue he didn't realize that the oil would setoff about a 12 foot flame once it touched the fire.

 

As mentioned, cook at 350 deg. I let the oil get a little hotter than that right before I plunge the bird in, as it'll cool it right off. Never let the oil get over 400 deg. though, it can spontaneously combust. I cook it for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, then 5 minutes more. After that, I'll check the temp at the thigh and look for 180 deg. or more.

Let us know when it's ready.

 

Watch this video right way and wrong way. Never have kids or dogs anywhere near deep fryer. Have a safe Thanksgiving!

 

mythbusters had a good episode of hot oil and water.

 

I have my oil at 350 when I "Slowly ease the bird" into the oil. I then maintain 325 for 3 - 3.5 min.s per lb. This keeps the outside of the bird from getting black.
Yes turn off the fire, wear long pants, long sleeves and welding gloves to put the bird in the oil. And absolutely keep this far from the house, trees, cars kids etc!!!!!! Also make sure the big hole (rear) on the bird is up. The other way can cause the small opening to sear over thus causing a massive geyser to blow out the top of the bird.
Oil burns for a long time before cooling down.....very painful!!
Don't forget to shoot it with a good cajun injector.