For most people celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States, they will be cooking or eating a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. There are a number of different ways to prepare a turkey, ranging from stuffing and baking it to grilling it. In recent years, deep frying turkey has grown in popularity. Proponents of deep fried turkey cite a number of advantages-it tastes better, is easy to prepare, cooks quicker, produces a more moist turkey, and adds a unique flair to the otherwise fairly predictable Thanksgiving menu.
If you are planning to deep fry a turkey, the technique is fairly straightforward:
* Heat oil in a turkey fryer to 350 F while following the manufacturer’s instructions. This will typically take 30 minutes.
* Place the turkey in the basket or hanger and slow lower the turkey into the oil.
* Once you have reached the required cooking time, remove test the turkey to make sure that it is at the right temperature (the breast should be at 170 F and the thighs at 180 F).
* Remove the turkey and let cool for at least fifteen minutes before serving.
As you can see, deep frying a turkey is pretty simple. That said, there are a number of turkey frying tips that expand on the basic process and make deep frying turkey easier. After deep frying turkey, my friends swear by it and are quite willing to share their tips for frying a turkey:
Prepare to Go Outdoors – If you are thinking about deep frying turkey for Thanksgiving, keep in mind that you will need to cook outdoors. With the hot oil involved in the process, it is far too dangerous to deep fry a turkey inside. If your area is prone to awful weather around Thanksgiving, you might want to think twice before committing to this method. Moreover, you will want a flat, level spot on the grass to fry your turkey-a deck might catch on fire and frying on the cement will likely leave grease stains.
Purchase the Proper Equipment – If you are going to deep fry turkey, you will need to purchase a turkey fryer. Essentially, this is a forty to sixty quart pot with a propane grill underneath. While you might be able to fry a turkey without the specialized hardware, beginners would do well to just go ahead and buy the hardware-it will make the process a lot easier.
Consider Safety – Because you will be dealing with very hot oil, it is important that you consider safety when deep frying a turkey. You will want to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of a fire, while some heavy duty potholders will keep you from burning your hands. You will also want to keep pets and children away from the fryer. In addition, you will immediately want to wash any utensils that touch the raw turkey to avoid contamination.
Choose the Right Turkey – When planning to deep fry turkey, it helps to select the right bird. Generally, you will want to choose a bird between ten and twenty pounds. Moreover, you will need to thaw your turkey before deep frying it, so plan accordingly (a twenty pound turkey will take four days to thaw in the refrigerator).
Buy a Meat Thermometer – While you can estimate how long it will take to safely deep fry turkey (about three minutes per pound), you must ensure that the oil and your turkey are properly heated to prevent illness. Before putting your turkey in the fryer, you will want to heat the oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you think the turkey is done cooking (based on the three minutes per pound rule), you will want to check to make sure that the breast is heated to 170 F and the thigh to 180 F.
Add Marinade for Additional Flavor – Some people think that you should just fry a turkey directly in the oil and eat it as is. While this will be fairly tasty, you will get a better flavor if you inject a marinade (using an injector) anywhere from half an hour to two hours before cooking. There are a number of different marinades that you can use and choosing a different marinade can keep your deep fried turkey technique fresh year after year. This is one of the best turkey frying tips as a good marinade can really make your turkey stand out.
Use the Proper Oil – When many people think of deep frying something, they automatically think of vegetable oil. However, when it comes to deep frying turkey, you are better offer choosing between canola, corn, or peanut oil as they have higher burn points and will do better.
Make Stuffing on the Side – If your family is used to traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, you will need to make it on the side if you are deep frying turkey. When deep frying, you do not put stuffing inside the bird, so plan accordingly. If you usually have stuffing, you should probably still make it, especially since some people might be skeptical of the deep fried turkey-having their usual stuffing will help reassure them.
Remove Excess Oil – Some people complain that deep fried turkey has too much oil. While others argue that this isn’t the case, it does certainly help to make an effort to remove excess oil from your turkey. When you remove your turkey from the oil, let excess oil drip off. Then place it on a plate lined with paper towels to cool for fifteen minutes before serving. This will allow additional oil to be absorbed by the paper towels.
Reuse the Oil – If you are planning to deep fry another turkey during the holiday season, you can reuse your oil. Be sure to let it cool completely-three hours will be enough time-and then strain it using cheesecloth. You will be able to use the oil to fry an additional turkey at Christmas time or for another holiday meal.
