Deep Fried Turkey

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HopHead24

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Brooklyn Park, MN
Anyone fry a turkey larger than 20 lbs? I heard that you're not supposed to fry larger than 20 lbs. I'm supposed to fry a 22lb bird tomorrow. Any suggestions?
 
That is a huge bird! I don't have any tips, since I only fry 14lb turkeys. Just make sure to use a meat thermometer when you think its done. Nothing worse that undercooked poultry.
 
Yeah it is huge. A friend asked me to fry it up. Just found a post that said start out at 325 then raise up to 350 and cook the same. Yes I have thermometer to check the breast temp.
 
The only thing I would worry about would be the oil sloshing out of the pan. Since it's such a big bird you're gonna need a lot of oil.
 
That's what I get for not proofreading. What I meant is that you're not gonna have a lot of room in the pot.
 
I would put the bird in the pot empty first and fill with water to see how much it takes to cover it. That way you have less of a risk of putting in too much oil.
 
I deepfried a 19# last year, no problem. It was frigging tastey.

Stick a meat thermometer in to the breast to make sure it's done.

I think the concern is that they cook so fast, the outside will burn before the inside gets to temp with a bigger bird.

Maybe one way to keep this from happening is to lower the temp a bit. Dunno.
 
I deepfried a 19# last year, no problem. It was frigging tastey.

Stick a meat thermometer in to the breast to make sure it's done.

I think the concern is that they cook so fast, the outside will burn before the inside gets to temp with a bigger bird.

Maybe one way to keep this from happening is to lower the temp a bit. Dunno.

I was thinking the same thing. It's also got to be hot enough to keep the moisture near the surface of the meat in vapor stage which forms a barrier, or it will get greasy instead of crisp. I don't know what that equilibrium is, but it's right around that number in the range of mid-300's.
 
No problem cooking the 22 lb turkey. Thought it was 20 lbs but turned out to be 22. Oil was 350 when we dropper her in. lost 50 degrees when it went in. Warmed back up to 350 and let it do its thing for 70 minutes. Pulled the bird out and it was golden brown and thermometer read 170 in the breast!!!!

Bird #2 on Thursday!!!
 
I'd do one this year, but man that peanut oil was more expensive than the turkey. I don't have any other use for peanut oil.

In Clearwater, you should have plenty of sea critters that were made for hot peanut oil. Shrimp, flounder, pompano, grouper, snapper, mangrove snapper, bugaboo snapper, slant-eye snapper, mingo snapper, yellow tail snapper, sea trout, alligator, redfish, crab, catfish, bluegill, clam, oyster, and sea chicken.
 
Triggerfish, black sea bass, sheepshead, black drum, whiting, spots, croaker, spanish mackerel, wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel, bonita, barracuda, permit, jack crevalle, and amberjack.
 
I'll be frying my turkey this year for the first time, its actually what got me into signing up here and buying stuff to brew beer. *I've yet to brew beer, still collecting parts*

I bought a $40 Turkey Fryer with 30QT pot on CraigsList as I've heard nothing but awesome things about fried Trukeys and I just HAD to try it out. well in my quest to find a LP to NG conversion kit I stumbled upon sever threads about the 23 tip NG burners and figured i HAD TO HAVE ONE.

one thing lead to another, I now have a 23 tip burner hooked up to my NG quick Disconnect, im getting another QD to plumb into the garage for beer brewing in winter months, I have 10 5Gal Cornies, and 2 AB 1/2 Barrel Kegs getting converted this weekend.

oh man SWMBO has no idea what she let me get into when she said "yes you can buy a turkey Fryer"

anyways I've got a 14.40lbs bird getting Fried tomorrow. its plenty thawed out been in the fridge all week with several sessions of being pulled out and left on the counter the speed up the process.

speaking of I need to look into how I should prep my bird for the fryer tomorrow.


-=Jason=-
 
God Damn, every response I had in mind was in the next post down the line!!! Excellent work fellas.

Hot enough is SOOO IMPORTANT!!

Not too much oil.....yes,.......yes....

Overcooking is a problem too. Too bad a digital can't be left in the bird during frying.
 
I now have a 23 tip burner hooked up to my NG quick Disconnect,

FLO did you need to use a regulator with your wok burner?

speaking of I need to look into how I should prep my bird for the fryer tomorrow.

Inject that sucker with some creole butter marinate from sporting goods store and rub some spice on it before you drop the bird in the oil. FYI turn off the flame when you put the bird in the oil.
 
well my fry went great.

bone head move I mad was marking the level of oil needed the day before WITH the turkey still in the pot. result was nearly a boil over good thing I shut off my flame or else I would have had a serious fire going on. also pot was just big enough for my mistake. I ended up using a small pot and removing the excess oil. I cooked my 14.4 bird for 50 minutes at 350 or as close to as possible.

I think I'll be removing some of my 23 tips I do not have a regulator just a ball valve and it seemed like at WOT it was starving for air, with the valve turned way down it was doing alright, but was orange flames.

I had some sissy lala's over so i didn't prep my bird at all. but for christmas I'll be doing it up with an injection and a rub for sure.

-=jason=-
 
The only thing I would worry about would be the oil sloshing out of the pan. Since it's such a big bird you're gonna need a lot of oil.

no the bigger bird displaces oil you want less oil do a trial run with finished trimed bird in pot of water to find fill level place the bird in pot that's going to be used add water to top of legs mark and if u still have at least 5 inches from top you should be good remember to slowly lower bird to avoid over flow of hot boiling oil be safe I do at least 3 to 8 a year for friend neighbor's what ever so I ask them to get the same size if possible and then I know my oil level each time and remember to inject them with different marinates so you can find what you like best wine and butter garlic hot sauce all filtered so it flows through the injector with out clogging and all ways bring back to room temp before injection and before frying to speed up cooking time and causes less chaos in the oil even better
 
I had some sissy lala's over so i didn't prep my bird at all. but for christmas I'll be doing it up with an injection and a rub for sure.

-=jason=-

Have you ever tried brining the bird for 24 hours prior to cooking? I never used to, but once I brined for the first time, all of my turkeys now get the treatment. The cooked meat will be much more moist and juicy. You can find lots of brine recipes online.
 
:ban:
no the bigger bird displaces oil you want less oil do a trial run with finished trimed bird in pot of water to find fill level place the bird in pot that's going to be used add water to top of legs mark and if u still have at least 5 inches from top you should be good remember to slowly lower bird to avoid over flow of hot boiling oil be safe I do at least 3 to 8 a year for friend neighbor's what ever so I ask them to get the same size if possible and then I know my oil level each time and remember to inject them with different marinates so you can find what you like best wine and butter garlic hot sauce all filtered so it flows through the injector with out clogging and all ways bring back to room temp before injection and before frying to speed up cooking time and causes less chaos in the oil even better

Have you ever tried brining the bird for 24 hours prior to cooking? I never used to, but once I brined for the first time, all of my turkeys now get the treatment. The cooked meat will be much more moist and juicy. You can find lots of brine recipes online.
 
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