OttoFest's Deep-Fried Turkey Resource Page
by Tim O'Reily
A few years ago, OttoFest had a new item on the menu--Deep-Fried Turkey. Everyone loved it, they could not believe how good it was, and they kept asking us how we did it. So, I put together this informational page to show you how easy it is to deep fry your own turkey.
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Deep frying a turkey is not a horribly difficult thing to do, but it requires some preparation and effort
to do it right, especially the first time.
Why fry? There is no other way I can think of to cook that will give you a
moist, delicious turkey in such a short period of time. The skin will be
crispy and the meat will be juicy, and, depending on how you marinate,
it can be very spicy.
How to Deep Fry a Turkey:
Step One:
Get a turkey, 10-15 lbs. (6.5-8.5 kg), then get a turkey frying kit. Typically,
the kits include a large cooking pot, turkey stand, lift hook, and fry thermometer.
Spend a little more and get one that includes an injector and a burner if you
don't already own one. Make sure the pot holds at least 30 qts., so you'll have plenty of
room. If, however, you're going to cook only 10-lb. turkeys, you
can get by with a smaller, 26-qt. pot.
30-qt. Aluminum Complete Turkey Fryer Kit
26-qt. Stainless Steel Complete Turkey Fryer Kit
A word of caution--right from the start this whole process must be done outside.
Keep in mind that you will be working with bubbling, spitting oil heated to over 350 ºF (177 ºC).
There are plenty of stories that circulate on the web about people
who have burned their house down attempting to do this inside.
Cajun Injector
Step Five:
Add the oil to the pot and bring it to a temperature of about 400 ºF (204 ºC). You
should really get a good thermometer so you can get the temperature right.
Step Six:
The turkey should be room temperature and dry. Turn off the burner when you put
the turkey in. You are going to lower the turkey into the pot of very hot oil, so
the oil will splatter. You need some very good cooking gloves and a way
to put the turkey in the oil while you are at a safe distance. This is the reason
why it's really not a good idea to do it on your stovetop. There are
now devices to help you, like I have heard of people using a wire basket on
the turkey and a wooden board to do this. With a bit of ingenuity, I'm sure you'll
find a way. Anyway, slowly lower the turkey into the oil.
A good method to use here is dunking. When you lower the turkey into the oil, it will
boil up. This is why you want the burner off when you do it. People have been
burned by hot oil hitting the burner. You might not need to do more than a
single dunk, but you should be prepared to raise the bird out of the oil if it
starts boiling up. You can greatly reduce the mess and risk of personal injury
by lifting the bird up as the oil boils around it. A couple of dunks and the
turkey should be ready to put in for cooking.
Step Seven:
Once the bird is safely resting in the oil, turn the burner back on and bring it to a
temperature of 350 ºF (177 ºC). At this point you can go take a breather, but don't
wander too far, because the turkey will be done soon. A deep-fried turkey should cook
about 3-3.5 minutes per pound. A 10-lb. turkey should, then, take
30-35 minutes. An instant read thermometer can help you test for doneness.
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Step Eight:
Remove the turkey from the oil when it's done. Do this slowly, and only after you have
turned off the burner. Let the turkey drain a little bit, and you're set to go.
Step Nine:
Eat and enjoy. If you have never had a turkey cooked this way, then you are
really missing out! Do it, and you may never again put a turkey in the oven.
Despite what you might think, the turkey will not be oily or greasy; rather, it will be crisp, juicy, and delicious.
