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Before you prepare your turkey
for deep fried turkey, make sure you read your manual that came with your
turkey fryer. Make sure you follow the following turkey frying
rules:
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Allow your
turkey to thaw completely! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! This
is what causes all those horrible grease fires you see on TV.
-
Never, never
insert a frozen turkey or partially frozen turkey into hot
oil.
-
Always test your
turkey fryer thermometer before you attempt to fry your turkey.
We suggest testing your turkey fryer thermometer several weeks
before you plan on frying a deep fried turkey. Many times you find that
water has gotten into the thermometer, someone stepped on it or you
had to use it as a door opener (when your kids locked the door on
accident. . . speaking from experience).
BASIC COOKING RULES:
When frying a
deep fried turkey, you cook it 3 1/2 minutes per pound at 350°F.
For a crispier skin, add an extra five minutes to your frying time.
For best results, fry a 16 pound turkey or less. If frying a bigger
turkey, you'll end up with turkey jerky for the legs and wings by the time
you get the breast done. Our family fries two 12 pound turkeys,
marinating each turkey with a different marinade. This way, unless
you were given the turkey, you have a better chance of getting awesome
results.
Preparation - Getting your
turkey ready for turkey frying is an easy task. Just a few steps
and your ready to start frying!!
One step that most turkey frying
people forget . . . VERY IMPORTANT . . .DON'T FORGET! Start by
taking your wrapped turkey (sitting up, not laying down) and set it in
your turkey fryer. Fill the pot with WATER until your turkey is
covered plus add an extra inch. Take the turkey out of the water.
Mark the line with a marker or crayon. This is your oil line.
Make sure you do not fill your pot with any more oil than needed.
Clean and dry your
turkey on the inside and out. Remove the giblets and neck.
("You don't know how many phone calls we get from people that left the
giblets in their turkey!! What a mess!!") Most people tell
you to trim away all excess fat and skin, however, our family LOVES the
skin. We keep it on the turkey for them. Make sure the
opening around the neck cavity on your turkey is wide and clear.
Make a 1 inch cut in the skin at the
leg/thigh joints in your turkey. This allows the oil to drain from
your turkey when it is done.
Rub your turkey with seasonings.
("Some people use a poultry seasoning. We
use Cajun seasonings. Don't worry, our cajun seasonings aren't
"hot" like most people think. It has more flavor . . . enough
flavor that'll make you chase your family around the kitchen with a
spatula because they won't keep their hands of our turkey's skin.
Try here for the seasonings:
Cajun Seasonings")
For more flavor, inject your turkey
using your favorite marinade. Inject the marinade into your turkey at various
points on the breast, thighs, and drumstick. When you stick the
turkey with your marinade injector (Which we carry! <smile>), don't
bring the needle all the way out. Try to stick it a few times
going each direction. The less holes you make, the better.
(Our best sellers in marinades are creole butter marinade, creole
garlic, roasted garlic and herb and cajun hot n' spicy.) Although,
we'd love for you to try our turkey frying marinades, you may also use
your favorite beer, wine, or sherry mixed with Worcestershire.
The results were great when we tried them, but we like our turkey frying
marinades better. Another hint. . . you can mix a little orange
juice in your marinade. It acts as a meat tenderizer.
Place turkey upside down on poultry rack
(the disk thingy with the long thingy coming out of it . . . can you
describe it better??)
with legs facing up. Don't forget, your turkey's leg should be
facing up.
Pour your peanut oil into your
turkey fryer pot and attach thermometer to the top edge,
making sure the stem of the thermometer is in the oil at least one
inch... very important!
Put your turkey fryer pot on top of
your turkey fryer burner. Fill your turkey fryer with your peanut
oil up to the oil line (the one you marked with a marker or crayon).
Follow your turkey fryer burner's instructions and light your gas cooker
and set your turkey fryer burner at a low flame. Heat your oil to
350°F. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR FRYER UNATTENDED. Depending on the
amount of oil used, weather conditions and the BTUs of your burner, this
might take anywhere from 15 - 30 minutes. Optimum frying temperature
is 350°F. When turkey frying oil reaches 350°F, reduce heat by turning regulator valve. Attach
the turkey frying grab hook to the top loop of the rack. Wearing gloves
(we've got them too!!), very
slowly & carefully lower poultry into your turkey fryer
pot. It may take 60-90 seconds to completely lower poultry into the oil!
(Don't drop it, don't chunk it. The turkey fryer oil is going to
bubble and pop. . . Again, DO NOT drop the turkey into the oil! This could cause a
boil-over resulting in a serious
grease fire! Remember ...slowly...lower the turkey into the oil.
Turn your turkey fryer burner up to return to 350°F. After cooking temperature is achieved, reduce the flame in order to
maintain a constant temperature
while cooking.
Meanwhile . . . lay some newspaper
down on a large pizza pan. Basically, the idea is that you'll need
something to sit your turkey fryer rack on once your turkey is done.
Don't wait until it is done to do this. You'll be stuck without
hands!!
(Just in case. . . . again . . . )
WARNING:
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When your turkey is lowered into hot oil, it will cause the oil to splatter
from a furious boil.
-
This can cause severe
burns; therefore, we recommended wearing gloves, a long-sleeved shirt,
shoes and safety goggles.
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After passing 450°F, cooking oil can heat up rapidly to its flashpoint
of spontaneous combustion, which is
a serious grease fire! Therefore, never leave cooker unattended!
Control turkey frying temperature by turning the valve on the hose &
regulator assembly. Constantly monitor your turkey frying oil with your thermometer! When
your turkey is done, turn your turkey fryer burner off at the tank. Leaving pot on
cooker, place your
grab hook through top loop of the rack and very carefully remove rack
with turkey from pot. Surely you follow directions well . . . so .
. . place your turkey fryer rack with turkey on your pan with the
newspaper on it (or absorbent material). Once your turkey has
drained, carefully remove turkey from rack and place on your platter.
This is going to take a few hands and a little tugging and pulling.
We haven't found a graceful way to do this yet. :)
In case
you didn't catch it the first time . . . because we care and don't want
to see you in one of those insurance commercials . . . WARNINGS WORTH REPEATING
. . .
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Make sure turkey is completely thawed!
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Do Not insert frozen or partially frozen
turkey into hot oil!
-
Slowly lower poultry into the hot oil. This may take 60 to 90 seconds.
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Do Not DROP poultry into the hot oil!
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Cooking must be monitored at all times. Do not permit cooking
temperature to exceed 350°F.
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Do Not leave pot and cooker unattended! Always monitor the thermometer!
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Always test thermometer prior to cooking!
(Weeks before in case you need a new one.)
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DO NOT use lid when frying. Use lid only when the pot is being used for
other types of cooking such as boiling
soups, stews, gumbos; or steaming vegetables and seafood.
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Your turkey fryer will get very
hot. DO NOT touch! Keep children and pets at a safe
distance while cooking
and afterwards during the cool down period.
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Allow at least 2 hours for the oil to cool down before handling or cleanup.
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After turkey is completely in the oil, remove grab hook from rack.
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Inserting the poultry will reduce the temperature of the oil. Slowly
increase the heat so that the temperature
of the oil will come back to 325-350°F This will take several minutes.
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Monitor the thermometer to maintain
this temperature.
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Oh, we get asked this all the
time. . . unless you have an electric turkey fryer. . . USE YOUR
TURKEY FRYER OUTDOORS. DO NOT USE PROPANE BURNERS INDOORS!!
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