Deep Turkey Fryer Information

A turkey that is deep fried, rather than baked in the oven, has a delicious taste all its own, and that is why this method of cooking is becoming so popular. A turkey cooked in this fashion using a deep turkey fryer will come out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. This is because this method of cooking actually seals the juices in, helping to prevent the turkey from drying out. In this article I am going to examine some of the basics that you need to be aware of before you start deep frying your own turkey.

First off, you will need a deep turkey frying kit. This kit usually consists of a 30 to 35 quart pot, propane burner, oil thermometer and a cooking apparatus that allows the turkey to be lowered in the oil and removed safely. These kits are available in a variety of price ranges, and are made from different materials, such as aluminum and stainless steel. The stainless steel kits are often times more expensive, but both do the job just as well. Other than the propane fuel and cooking oil, this kit provides everything you'll need to deep fry your own turkey.

The burner on these frying kits uses the same type of propane that you would use to heat your grill. It provides even heat throughout the entire process and makes it easy to keep the oil at a consistent temperature.

You'll want to choose an oil to deep fry your turkey in that has a high smoke point. This means that the oil you choose should not start to smoke until around 400 degrees preferably. Canola, peanut and soy oil are all great options to use when deep frying a turkey. You want oil with a high smoke point because you will need to cook your turkey at a temperature of around 350 degrees. Using oil with a lower smoke point could result in the turkey tasting burnt.

In terms of cooking times, you'll want to fry your turkey for 3 minutes per pound. For example, if you have a 15 pound turkey, it will require around 45 minutes to completely cook. An important thing to mention here is that your turkey needs to be completely thawed before you place it in the heated oil. If you put a frozen bird into the oil, it will cause the oil to expand, possibly spilling over and igniting the flame below. Also, a turkey that is deep fried is not stuffed, so if you have stuffing lovers in your family like I do, you'll need to make this separately.

Although the process of deep frying is fun and results in a delicious turkey, there are some safety precautions that you need to be aware of before you start cooking.

Always use your turkey fryer outdoors at a safe distance from your home.
The propane tank should be positioned as far away from the pot of oil as possible.
The propane burner should be turned off when you are initially lowering the turkey into the oil.
Make sure you turkey is completely thawed before lowering it into the oil.
Do not overfill your pot with oil. To prevent this, place your turkey in the pot while it is empty and fill it with water just until the water covers the top of the turkey. This will show you where your oil level needs to be.
Keep children away from the deep turkey frying kit at all times during the cooking process.
Wear long sleeves, pants and shoes while cooking to prevent the possibility of oil splashing you.
Always have a fire extinguisher nearby.
If you pay attention to what you are doing, and take the proper precautions you should not have to worry about any of the serious safety issues that are mentioned above. I felt that it was necessary to mention them though because of the possible risk that is associated with deep frying with a large quantity of oil.

I hope that you have found this information helpful, and good luck frying your first turkey. For more information on deep turkey fryers, please visit my site, deep turkey fryers.com.

Dominick Ciccone is the main content contributor for the site : Deep Turkey Fryers.com. For more information about deep turkey fryers, please visit his site.