turkey fryer

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beeramedic

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Hello to all, I boiled my first wort a couple of weeks ago in the kitchen. My wife says I can't do that anymore. Her comment, " the house smells like a brewery". My comment, "good, I must be doing something right". Anyway, you can figure out what her next comment was. My question is can I use the pot to my turkey fryer. I have washed it several times and used bleach, but I still smell peanut oil. will it effect my beer? Thanks, Beermedic
 
I doubt you can ever remove the taint of 350 degree turkey oil - you're halfway there, either get a new pot or wait until you see the set on sale and ante' up for a new one - last fall my local Menard's had the entire thing on sale for $19 on two occasions.............

Skol!:mug:
 
A new pot is the way to go. Use whatever you used in the kitchen until you find one. It's like trying to use a pickle bucket as a fermentor, they're free, but a pickle bucket is a pickle bucket forever.
 
I *just* bought a 28-quart electric turkey fryer at Home Depot, manager's special for $69 (regular is $99). I'm stoked. I really like that it IS electric rather than propane, so that I can use it inside when it's cold or raining, or I can set it up on the deck when it's nice out. I'll have to see how well it works, but it's designed to bring oil up to around 400 degrees, so it shouldn't have any problems maintainin a roiling boil for five gallons of wort!

SCORE!
 
Perfect for accommodating large volume pots up to 120 quarts or 30 gallons

If I wanted to go propane, that's what I would have purchased. I wanted to go electric to leave myself more brewing options in the winter - don't want to have to postpone brew day (after looking forward to it all week) because there's a blizzard outside, or because it's ten below. I just need to design a wort chiller that I can hook up to either the hose outside or the sink.
 
SBN said:
I doubt you can ever remove the taint of 350 degree turkey oil - you're halfway there, either get a new pot or wait until you see the set on sale and ante' up for a new one - last fall my local Menard's had the entire thing on sale for $19 on two occasions.............

Skol!:mug:
I don't know, brew one up, see how Turkey flavored beer tastes! :p If you start now you'll definitly have it ready in time for the holidays. You could even skip the turkey and go straight for the beer. :D

Jason
 
the_bird said:
If I wanted to go propane, that's what I would have purchased.

Ok, maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it seems you're getting defensive.....

I don't think anyone's post was to dog on your turkey fryer. :mug:
 
Oh, not at all, I didn't think people were. I literally mean - had I made the decision to go with propane instead of electic (if I lived in an area more condusive to 12-month outdoor brewing), that's exactly what I would have purchased. I've seen the pics of what happened to Denny's Brews' setup, so I am really impressed with this burner's ability to hold thirty frickin' gallons. I also like that it looks pretty low to the ground and stable; a lot of the propane turkey burners look kind of top-heavy to me.

Besides, I'm so stoked about my fryer - I ain't gonna let NONE OF YOU MOFOS take me down off my buzz... :)

The only thing I'm a little worried about with mine is whether it might be a *touch* small - I'm a little worried about boiling 6.5 gallons (to end with 5) when I'm only starting at 7. Quick project for tonight is to confirm the actual volume, see what seven gallons in the fryer actually looks like.

HAS anybody actually used their fryer for both beer and cooking? I am a little nervous about doing both, and if I have to pick you know which one I'll go with - but part of SWMBO's signing off on the purchase was her intrigue about being able to use this for cooking. More for making a big pot o' steamers than for deep frying, but still - not looking for a clam-infused brew. Wondering if I can buy a second liner, so that one can be for beer, the other for food.... hmmm....
 
propane-electricity.png


Whatchu talkin' 'bout 'lectric?! Propane's got something to say!

Asphyxiation is good.
 
You can cook and brew with the same pot as long as you clean it well between batches. I think the only reason that frying has a permanant effect is because of the high temperatures associated with it. I've brewed and run a crawfish boil in the same pot with no off flavors.
 
I've brewed and run a crawfish boil in the same pot with no off flavors.[/QUOTE]



UMMMMmmmm crustaian flavored beeeeeerrrrrrr!!!!!!!!
 
Good to hear. I don't imagine I'll do any deep frying - I spent four years working around a deep fryer while in college, just the smell of fried chicken still gives me a headache. BUT - I make some killer - absolutely frickin' killer - mussels, with sake, fish oil, all kinds of veggies, lemongrass, all kinds of Asian flavors. Be a nice vessel to cook up a bunch of them in, as well.
 
I went ahead and used my fryer last night for a batch of malt extract Pilsner. I'll let ya'll know how turkey flavored beer tastes in the near future.
 
beeramedic said:
I went ahead and used my fryer last night for a batch of malt extract Pilsner. I'll let ya'll know how turkey flavored beer tastes in the near future.

I am interested in this. I just got my fryer, and one of the points with the wife was that it can pull double duty for fish/turkey frying and beer.

-Todd
 
For those of you that are interested, my first batch of beer in the turkey fryer would'nt ferment and I had to throw it away. The 2nd batch is bubbling away nicely in the primary fermenter. More to come in a few weeks as to taste.
 
one tip i'd like to add -- if you're going to be using a thin gauge pot on top of your turkey fryer, be careful. some of the more powerful models can actually get so hot that they will melt your pot and melt the prongs that you set your pot on.

also, one trick i use is to place a large cast iron skillet upside down on the turkey fryer platform and then place my pot on top of the cast iron skillet. the skillet sucks up heat and acts as a "governor" of sorts -- it makes it much harder for you to quickly add or reduce heat. thus reducing the chances you have of scortching your extract. and you can drop some water on the cast iron skillet before you put your pot on it just to check how hot it is. also, the cast iron skillet keeps some of the black stuff that burns off from a hot turkey fryer off of your pot and out of your beer.
 
beeramedic said:
For those of you that are interested, my first batch of beer in the turkey fryer would'nt ferment and I had to throw it away. The 2nd batch is bubbling away nicely in the primary fermenter. More to come in a few weeks as to taste.

WHat was the reason for the failed ferment?

Also, have you used it for frying as well, or just beer so far?
 
I don't know why the ferment failed, I pitched twice and got nothing both times. I discussed this on another thread, and never came up with a definitive reason. I have fryed a couple of turkeys in the pot and couldn't get the peanut oil smell out of the pot. Now that I've used it twice for beer, I don't have the oil smell anymore.
 
I cleaned the pot with dish detergent several times and I also soaked it in bleach. I haven't had any beer go any further than the fermenter yet, so I am unable to tell you how the beer tastes. Soon as this batch has been in the bottle for a week I'll start sampling.
 
Don't use bleach in your cooking pots...at least the stainless steel ones. I suspect that theres reactions with aluminum as well.
 
beeramedic said:
I cleaned the pot with dish detergent several times and I also soaked it in bleach. I haven't had any beer go any further than the fermenter yet, so I am unable to tell you how the beer tastes. Soon as this batch has been in the bottle for a week I'll start sampling.

Thanks. keep me posted on any off flavors. One of the selling points for my wife was multi-use. I used mine the forst time this weekend to boil corn on the cob. Next week....a Vanilla Bourbon Imperial Porter.

-Todd
 
Turkey beer.... Im am quite intrigued.... A new drink for thankgiving dinner. Screw that wine stuff :)
 
Yes! I agree go with the new pot, b8t I recommend you using your burner from your turkey fryer. I have had great success with the propane burner even in winter.

Good Luck
 
Opened one of the Pale Ales that I brewed in the pot used for frying turkeys. It tasted fine to me, no off flavors that I could detect. I have used the pot twice for beer now and no longer smell the peanut oil.
 
the_bird said:
I *just* bought a 28-quart electric turkey fryer at Home Depot, manager's special for $69 (regular is $99). .... I'll have to see how well it works, but it's designed to bring oil up to around 400 degrees, so it shouldn't have any problems maintainin a roiling boil for five gallons of wort!

Bird,

How did the electric fryer work to boil with? Did it get the boil going fast enough? I do not relish the idea of doing boils outside in the winter either.

Cheers,
Paul
 
gonzoflick said:
Im gonna pick up this bad boy ASAP from the Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/jsearch/product.jsp?pn=100056313

185K BTU for only $30!! Anyone else used this? Its Bayou Classic Model SP10

Here is a link to all Home Depot Turkey Fryers

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/jsearch/product_map.jsp?N=2984+8645


I've got a Bayou Classic that I've had for years. I have no idea what the BTU rating is. It boils 5 gallons of water FAST, and that is at much lower setting than full blast. At full open (scary amount of flame), it sounds like a jet engine and sucks propane like crazy.
 
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