Thanksgiving PLANNING ON DEEP FRYING A TURKEY ???? PLEASE READ THIS FIRST !!!!!!!!!!!

[bigfurmn]

Aka... Don't burn your garage or house down with any cooker you are using.

 

[Fueling Around]

I read the entire thread and didn't see another note.
Make sure there is a good size hole at the neck into the body cavity to vent air as you drop in the oil.

Has any noticed that turkey fryers do not have a UL listing? These 4 pages of caution thread is the reason.

smokin218r Never heard the term of 218er.
For those of us that live in 218 area code, we use the expression "wood ticks" for the subculture you described.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Make sure there is a good size hole at the neck into the body cavity to vent air as you drop in the oil

Good Info right there.. thanks ...

 

[JckDanls 07]

It's that time of year... So I'll give this a bump

 

[BigW.]

Deep fry makes a tasty bird. Wow! Looks like $50 for the oil this year.

 

[Jonok]

Deep fry makes a tasty bird. Wow! Looks like $50 for the oil this year.

In response to all of the excellent cautions in this thread:
1: know your oil level with the water displacement method

2: dry the bird off before you fry it

3: dip it at 350f to start with the fire off, and not on your wooden deck.

4: Buy a CO2 fire extinguisher of sufficient size to get you out of trouble if you don’t pay attention to admonitions 1-3. It will save you and your house, and won’t even wreck your cook.


I am a fellowship-trained burn surgeon who has dealt with countless turkey fryer mishaps, and it is an awesome way to cook, but stupid easy to screw up.

 

[DemonPit]

It's usually rained or snowed. I've been itching to deep fry a turkey for the past 2 years. My deep fry kit has been collecting dust since new.

 

[fxsales1959]

This subject is brought up every year.. I haven't seen anything yet so I will start it... Deep frying a turkey can be disastrous.. Please take all precautions when doing this...

My suggestion has always been to put the turkey in the pot (before any seasoning).. fill the pot with water until turkey is covered by a couple or three inches.... Now take the turkey out of the water and use a piece of tape on the outside of the pot at water level and put a mark on the tape where the water level is (tape can be removed for the next turkey) .... so when ready to cook, fill pot with oil up to this mark... So now you know that the oil won't spill over the sides of the pot when lowering the turkey (very slowly) into the hot oil ...

Others... Please chime in with safety tips for deep frying ...

thanks Keith. 45 years using a bag in oven.. old habits hard to break.

 

[indaswamp]

Greaseless turkey frier is the way to go....

 

[pineywoods]

It's usually rained or snowed. I've been itching to deep fry a turkey for the past 2 years. My deep fry kit has been collecting dust since new.

You know you can fry a turkey any time of the year
I usually smoke 1 or more on Thanksgiving then do 1 once or twice more through the year.

Smo-Fried is the best turkey the best of both worlds.

 

[indaswamp]

Smo-Fried is the best turkey the best of both worlds.

^^^^^^this!!!!!

 

[DemonPit]

You know you can fry a turkey any time of the year
I usually smoke 1 or more on Thanksgiving then do 1 once or twice more through the year.

Smo-Fried is the best turkey the best of both worlds.

My local grocers don't normally stock whole turkeys during the year.

 

[zwiller]

Greaseless turkey frier is the way to go....

A few years ago I woulda strongly disagreed but not anymore. IMO there are 2 reasons why fried turkey is better and frying isn't one of them. 1. It is injected and 2. Pulled at proper IT.

I prefer the classic oven roasted bird for TG but admit injected fried birds are typically better than most smoked turkey. That is unless you cure them and then it's a toss up.

 

[Fraser]

All great tips!
just wanted to add:

I like to set up a simple ‘oil derrick’ so I’m away from the excitement. My usual rig is an A-frame ladder with a 2x4 clamped near the top with eyebolt, but this rig was just for smokafried breast (not whole bird).
(The fire extinguisher is just out of frame).

The important point is the lowering operation goes slowly and smoothly, and may be halted at any time if things get exciting.
Hope this helps!

 

[indaswamp]

Beautiful breast Fraser! I like the way you think! Great idea on your lowering system! I like it!


*edit-I might would add some cinder blocks, sand bags or some kind of weight on the ladder just for stability, but other than that, great idea!

 

[Fraser]

Beautiful breast Fraser! I like the way you think! Great idea on your lowering system! I like it!


*edit-I might would add some cinder blocks, sand bags or some kind of weight on the ladder just for stability, but other than that, great idea!

Absolutely agree! The rig was actually much more stable than appears in the photo, and I was only cooking a 4# breast. Wish I could get my hands on pics of my ‘usual’ A-frame rig, if I find, I’ll post. For a full bird, I’d definitely recommend a taller ladder with the bird suspended under. The concept can be adapted with a bit of ingenuity; I’ve even used it traveling:

Be safe!

 

[bigfurmn]

thanks Keith. 45 years using a bag in oven.. old habits hard to break.

So has my mother. Lately I've been smoking a turkey breast or two every year because well... she is an amazing woman, great mother and grandmother but a terrible cook. So managed to over cook it every time. Has gotten better though since i got her a Thermopen.

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

All great tips!
just wanted to add:
View attachment 680697

I know that's a very safe, well thought-out setup...but it still reminds me of:

 

[mneeley490]

Lol. My buddy fries his turkey in his metal shop. All steel and cement. Lowers it into the fryer with an engine hoist chain.

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I got into deep frying turkeys a few years ago. It was so popular that I made too many and after they were done I ruined the deep fryer. There was a crust on the bottom that a jackhammer could not remove.

The next year I tried the Alton Brown oven version and it was the best ever. I will do this one since.