Fried Turkey

[fifi]

Fried turkey, in my opinion, is the only reason for the turkey to exist on this planet. However, frying a turkey can be a hazardous proposition. I am going to post some safety tips that I developed for a safety presentation at my company. These tips are not comprehensive and there may be other issues in your particular situation. My only point is that you are dealing with large quantities of hot oil and a fire source. Some attention to detail is warranted.

You need to keep these operations out of traffic areas.

Look for a short legged propane burner. I have seen some on taller legs that look positively hazardous. You have a big pot with several gallons 360F oil. You want that puppy STABILE.

Another reason for short legs… You can more safely lift that turkey rack out of the oil. If it is too high, you are in an awkward position, it is heavy, and you could catch the bottom of the on the edge of the pot and tip it over.

If you are frying turkeys, use a thermometer. You are probably not used to that high BTU burner and you can get oil to the flash point really fast. Oil fires are nasty!

Use a rack for frying turkeys. Trying to use a basket for frying turkeys slops too much oil around.

Carefully measure the amount of oil to put into the pot so that when you immerse the turkey there is still plenty of room at the top of the pot to keep the boiling and bubbling oil in the pot. If it boils over, you are guaranteed a spectacular fire. One way to do this is to put your biggest turkey on the rack, lower it into the pot, pour in oil until it is covered by a couple of inches, leaving plenty of room at the top of the pot. If you don’t have at least 6 inches, get a bigger pot. Pull the turkey out and drain the oil off, setting it aside for later. NOW start to heat the oil. (It is better to stick to 10 – 12 pound turkeys then always use the same size. That way you only have to do this once and mark your pot for next time. Bigger turkeys don’t work that well anyway.)

Turkeys MUST BE FULLY THAWED AND PATTED DRY INSIDE AND OUT. Chunks of ice on the inside of the body cavity turn to steam pretty quickly in 360F oil => Turkey Launch! Wet turkeys make for a lot of bubbling, foaming and potential run overs. Pat ‘em dry then put the rub on, inject them or whatever.

Slowly, VERY slowly immerse the turkey into the hot oil. This allows some control over the initial bubbling and foaming.

Watch that thermometer.

Lifting out a turkey is better accomplished as a two person operation. (So is immersing it, come to think of it.) I put a piece of rebar through the loop at the top of the rack. Me and my lifting partner SLOWLY lift the turkey straight up. Then you should hold it over the pot to drain before moving it sideways to the receiving pan. That way you are not dribbling hot oil everywhere, maybe too close to the flame. (Do this one time and you will be convinced of the wisdom of that low burner.)

Let the bird sit at least 15 minutes before cutting it up. Hot juiciness can spurt.

Now… Go fry that next turkey. (You aren’t going to go to all of this trouble for just one, after all.)

Edited November 7, 2003 by fifi (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Great list, fifi. Thank you.

I've been looking at this issue lately -- partly because of the upcoming holiday, but also for the eGCI class on deep frying that I'm developing.

Without admitting to any stupidity on my own part, I'll point out that many people, in their concern about spilling oil, focus more on the potential aesthetic damage than the possibility of flaming peanut lipids. As a consequence, they set the fryer on several layers of newspaper or corrugated cardboard, the better to absorb the drips and avoid defacement of the concrete underneath. This is mind-bogglingly dangerous.

A proper bed would be flameproof, it would absorb oil, and it would be easily cleaned up. I'm considering sand and kitty litter. Any other ideas?

Another tip, again without admitting to any stupidity on my own part, you can't submerge a probe thermometer in 350 F oil. Well, actually, the probe will be fine. The cable, however, will die a painful death.

Edited November 7, 2003 by Dave the Cook (log)

[guajolote]

Is deep frying a turkey any more dangerous than deep frying anything else?

My wife made a rule a couple of years ago that I continue to follow: NO DRINKING BEFORE OR WHILE DEEP FRYING!

[hjshorter]

Thanks Fifi!

Scott and my brother want to fry a turkey this year. I'm going to print this and make it required reading for both of them.

[Dave the Cook]

Is deep frying a turkey any more dangerous than deep frying anything else?

I agree that deep frying a turkey is no more dangerous than deep frying a 14-pound shrimp, a 14-pound french fry, or a large bowling ball.

[bilrus]

Is deep frying a turkey any more dangerous than deep frying anything else?

I agree that deep frying a turkey is no more dangerous than deep frying a 14-pound shrimp, a 14-pound french fry, or a large bowling ball.

That made me laugh out loud. That would be a bad way to be "outed" on my eGullet habit to my boss.

[Toliver]

Can I suggest an alternative instead of placing the turkey in the pot and then adding the oil to gauge how much to use? We usually inject and rub our turkey so to use it to set the "oil fill line" on the day of cooking isn't really possible.

The day before we do the deep frying, we partially filled the pot with water. Then we submerge the still thawing turkey in it and then add more water until it just covers the turkey (like in fifi's post using oil). We then take the turkey out and use a metallic object (screwdriver) to make a small mark inside the pot indicating the water line. We dump the water out and completely dry the pot and use the marked line the next day when we go to add the oil.

After marking the water line, we dry the turkey off and let it continue it's thaw in the fridge before it gets injected with marinade (the night before cooking) and gets rubbed the next day before being submerged in the hot oil.

[mudbug]

fifi,

A couple of things to add... (you'd be surprised)

* Fry outside, not inside.

* Pick a flat concrete or asphalt surface away from any trees, etc.

guajolote.

To answer your question, yes. Deep frying a turkey can definitley be more dangerous than frying a fish fillet or french fries. The quantity of oil is much greater and the turkey more difficult to handle especially for first timers. If you're curious, just type in "deep fried turkey" dangerous in google. There are endless stories of mishaps.

[Alex]

This will be my first year (of many, I hope) of turkey frying. Thanks, fifi et. al. for the info. The great idea of doing a second turkey hadn't even crossed my mind. :duh: I've read that each successive cooling and reheating of the oil makes it less desirable for deep-frying. Would it be much better in this case to do the second turkey immediately as opposed to, say, several days later? I ask because it may be just the two of us this year, so we'll need at least a couple of days to get through the leftovers.

I intend to brine my (organic, free-range, fresh-killed, etc.) bird(s). I assume there'll be no problem with deep-frying so long as I rinse and dry them thoroughly, yes?

About how long does it take to do a 10-12# turkey? Do you lift it out after a certain amount of time and check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer? Dave, what is the difference between being in 360° oil vs. a 360° oven that would cause a probe thermometer's cable to expire?

[Dave the Cook]

Dave, what is the difference between being in 360° oil vs. a 360° oven that would cause a probe thermometer's cable to expire?

Oil is more conductive than air. Immersing the cable in oil is not much better than immersing it in water. The cable shorts out.

[slbunge]

Perhaps this is obvious but make sure you have a fire extinguisher in easy distance and make sure it is appropriate for a grease fire. You certainly don't want to have to run into the kitchen if you've got a fireball on your hands.

Also, pull the propane bottle away from burner as far as is practical with the hose that you have. That way, if you need to get to the valve it will be out of the way of any overflowing oil. In fact, though the cooker I have has a valve at the burner for control, I've found that it is very touchy and gets hot to the touch. I usually set it partially open but such that it can give a reasonably strong flame. I then modulate the flame with the valve on the propane bottle. A decent regulator would be better but this method gets the job done.

Setting up in a sandbox or on a decent layer of sand is a great idea because it will help soak up any dripping oil. Also, you can put the legs of the cooker slightly depressed into the sand to give a very solid and level surface (some driveways aren't level).

[Alex]

Dave, what is the difference between being in 360° oil vs. a 360° oven that would cause a probe thermometer's cable to expire?

Oil is more conductive than air. Immersing the cable in oil is not much better than immersing it in water. The cable shorts out.

Hmm. I'm not an inventor by any means, but I wonder if it's possible to construct a cable that's protected by a heat-resistant sheath, maybe even with a layer of air between the cable and the sheath.

And if the cable is magnetized, it could double as a wine clip™.

[fifi]

slbunge... your recommendations are right on.

I can't imagine trying to do this indoors. This is an outside... away from the house... on a nonflammable surface... enterprise. Yes... keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires handy.

The thermometer that I use is a probe thermometer, no cable, that is clipped to the pot.

We have fried as many as 12 turkeys in the one pot of oil. Peanut oil is expensive. I wouldn't want to set up to do this for just one turkey.

[fifi]

A proper bed would be flameproof, it would absorb oil, and it would be easily cleaned up. I'm considering sand and kitty litter. Any other ideas?

You are absolutely right. The best solution for doing turkey frying, shrimp boiling, BBQing, etc. is an area away from the crowd (not on the deck, sorry). What I am going to do is have an area covered with crushed granite (available here) that any spills can just linger and decompose without bothering anybody. Sand would work as well. You could contact some landscape companies in your area and see what options are available.

Covering a concrete surface with cardboard or other stuff to keep the grease off is just nuts.

[Toliver]

We fry ours outside on a concrete patio. We lay an old canvas tarp down and place the pot/tripod on that. Then we spread kitty litter around under the pot area to help absorb any spills or splashes, though sand might be better.

The key to getting the turkey fried right is maintaining the proper temperature. If it gets too low, then your turkey will get greasy. Too high and you'll be eating cracklin's instead of turkey.

Be aware that it cooks fast, too. I think it's about 7 minutes a pound. Check your fry-pot manual for proper temp and instructions.

Since we rub our turkeys (and inject marinade) before deep frying, the rub can come off into the oil, in effect seasoning the oil. I guess that would be a caveat regarding rubs for anyone who didn't want their oil to get seasoned. We ended up sending my niece in to raid my mom's freezer and bring out all the onion rings and french fries she could find. They were mighty tasty, albeit non-traditional, appetizers fried in that seasoned oil (and were cooked in an instant, too).

edited to add we also always have a fire extinguisher on hand, too.

Edited November 7, 2003 by Toliver (log)

[fifi]

At 360 to 375 oil a 10 to 12 pound turkey will take 35 to 45 minutes to get done. It isn't critical. Don't try to fry one over 14 pounds. It just doesn't work well. You do this by time and don't try to use a temperature probe in the turkey. The thermometer you are interested in is the one monitoring oil temperature. Remember, you are using a high BTU burner that you probably don't have a lot of experience with.

We have reused oil multiple times without any problem. We have even kept it from year to year by filtering it before storing.

[fifi]

Since we rub our turkeys (and inject marinade) before deep frying, the rub can come off into the oil, in effect seasoning the oil. I guess that would be a caveat regarding rubs for anyone who didn't want their oil to get seasoned. We ended up sending my niece in to raid my mom's freezer and bring out all the onion rings and french fries she could find. They were mighty tasty, albeit non-traditional, appetizers fried in that seasoned oil (and were cooked in an instant, too).

Yeah, Toliver, this is the most fun. We throw all sorts of things into the seasoned oil. Even brocolli is good! Pretty soon, the whole "crudite" platter gets dunked.

[budrichard]

I haven't read the various treatments on how to 'Deep Fry' a turkey but will only tell you from the perspective of somone that has attended NFPA Fire Provention Schools and been a Fire Chief and former Fire Marshal, I find it extremely dangerous and would not do it myself. The probablility for a disfiguring injury and severe burn is much too large to justify the risk for the any individual. -Dick

[schneich]

i would suggest you folks try to do a turkey "galantine" which is basically

a totally "deboned but still in one piece" bird biggest advantage is that you

loose most of the "volume" and it therefor is easier to handle while frying

and gain a nice flavor transfusion from the stuffing to the meat, last not

least you cant fuckup the carving since it cuts like a big sausage...

the "god of technique" jaques pepin shows the how to on www.allfood.com

i do this to mostly any bird, be it duck, poulet, goose or turkey....

cheers

t.

[tommy]

We have reused oil multiple times without any problem. We have even kept it from year to year by filtering it before storing.

do you refrigerate it?

mods: i know this thread was supposed to be about safety, but it's inevitable that we'll have two concurrent threads on deep frying turkey, which is unfortunate. additionally, next year when we start to discuss it again, there will be 2 threads to link the inevitable new thread to.

[Al_Dente]

i would suggest you folks try to do a turkey "galantine" which is basically

a totally "deboned but still in one piece" bird biggest advantage is that you

loose most of the "volume" and it therefor is easier to handle while frying

and gain a nice flavor transfusion from the stuffing to the meat, last not

least you cant fuckup the carving since it cuts like a big sausage...

the "god of technique" jaques pepin shows the how to on www.allfood.com

i do this to mostly any bird, be it duck, poulet, goose or turkey....

cheers

t.

Can we get a detailed explanation on how to do this? I've read about doing this before, but it seems you'd have to be a serious bird surgeon to pull it off... or pull all those bones out as the case may be. Could you then roast the bird conventionally? Perhaps by stringing it up into a large more or less uniform "sausage"?

[fifi]

tommy...

We didn't refrigerate it but we did filter it really well... through coffee filters, I think. We were running low on oil after about the tenth turkey. Instead of going to the store, we remembered the bottle of oil from the past year. It was pretty dark and we were skeptical. Then we tasted it. It was fine. Delicious, in fact.

Back to the safety thing... As the oil is used be aware that the flash point may decrease. WATCH THAT THERMOMETER!

On the other threads issue... I searched but I am not very good at it. I think I remember that the software upgrade will improve my searching skills. I started this because I read on another thread that someone was going to fry a turkey for the first time. It bothered me that all of the hazards may not be well known.

[Jinmyo]

Fried turkey, in my opinion, is the only reason for the turkey to exist on this planet.

Nope. There is no reason. No reason at all. They exist like dust bunnies in corners and like carpets. Inedible.

[fifi]

Jin... Fried turkey is the only edible form. If properly injected, it doesn't even taste much like turkey.

My sister just reminded me of our stroke of brilliance. We put the turkeys in the oven and pre-warm them. That way, the oil temperature doesn't drop as much and the outcome is much better.

Also, we inject the turkeys and don't put rub on the outside. This keeps the oil cleaner and the flavor is better. I find that the rub on the outside gets a little too toasty.

[tommy]

On the other threads issue... I searched but I am not very good at it. I think I remember that the software upgrade will improve my searching skills.   I started this because I read on another thread that someone was going to fry a turkey for the first time. It bothered me that all of the hazards may not be well known.

we could just make this the deep fried turkey thread then! i think, like you, it's important to incorporate safety issues into the discussion on procedure and technique. hopefully people can chime in with their approach to deep frying here as well.