Outdoor Turkey Fryer /Burners

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HomerT

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I am looking at getting an outdoor cooker /turkey fryer kit for doing outdoor/full boil batches. I got wife approval, as my last batch was too much for the stove...destroyed the element/switch on her stove. So...I am looking at two different kits...both come with a 30qt aluminum pot (big enough to do full boils).

I am not familiar with these things. Which brand/design is better....Bayou Classic or King Cooker. Here are the two i am looking at:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/601-1456608-6452102?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000BXHL1

And here is the other:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_12/601-1456608-6452102?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000BWFTI0

Any input as to which one might be better? Reasons? Anyone have any experience with either?

-Todd
 
I have no specific comment on the burners--only a general comment that 30 quarts is just barely big enough to do full boils. I think that some turkey fryers come with larger pots: if so, that would be a big plus.
 
I like this one better than those two:


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It's a Bayou Classic and will accomodate a converted keg to boil in, should you decide to go that route later. You gotta love the nice wide cooking top. I have read here that Home Depot sells them for 50 dollars. You would still need a boil pot.

Academy Sports has a stainless version of this along with a stainless 30 quart pot for cheap. They don't take orders online, though...

http://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/outdoors/grills/fryers


.
 
I have a 30 qt aluminum turkey fryer rig that i've done 3 batches in.

the shape of the turkey fryer pots (from what i can figure out) aren't ideal for brewing..

the reason being that being tall and skinny there isn't as much area on top of the wort for the hot break and foamy mess to spread out so it just goes UP.. and UP.. and UP and sometimes over :)

If I had to do it again.. I'd shop around for a rig that has a pot that is wider than it is tall.

the first two batches i did were both partial boils and both almost boiled over..

just my $.02 from what little ive learned so far.

ws
 
I saw a turkey fryer at Wal-Mart the other day for $37. It's pretty much like the cheap set-up I used for many 5 gal batches. You DO have to watch out for boil-overs, but with an adjustable regulator it's possible.

I think I'd go for the cheapest fryer w/ adjustable regulator you can find, buy an empty keg for the $10-20 deposit, cut the top out and make yourself a keggle. You can add the valve and bazooka screen etc at your leisure. Plus, then you're well on your way to being able to do 10 gal batches. All you'll need is a big enough MLT. :D
 
The fryer mentioned from Home Depot is a good one. I can get 5 batches out of a 5 gallon tank from mine. I would agree that 30 qt. pot is not quite big enough for full boils plus remember that you may need a wort chiller if you go full boil. It keeps adding up doesn't it.:D
 
Blender said:
you may need a wort chiller if you go full boil
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Blender really meant you will need a wort chiller. ;)
... and a converted keg MLT
... and a 3-tier system
... and a kegging system & kegerator
... and a ...

It NEVER ends! :D
 
Thanks for thr input guys. I actually found this one at Sams...
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=126459

Its 34Qt...nice. Its stainless....better for cleaning/durability. I only belong to Costco, but my old man is gonna swing by and pick one up for me. Only problem is he is in Pittburgh, so it will have to wait till the 4th of July to pick it up from him.

-Todd
 
Oh, and as for the wort chiller....I am planing on building my own. Hell, its only copper tubing...rubber hose and some garden hose fittings. A trip to the local hardware will make that easy enough......

-Todd
 
HomerT said:
Thanks for thr input guys. I actually found this one at Sams...
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=126459

Its 34Qt...nice. Its stainless....better for cleaning/durability. I only belong to Costco, but my old man is gonna swing by and pick one up for me. Only problem is he is in Pittburgh, so it will have to wait till the 4th of July to pick it up from him.

-Todd

Looks like a nice setup... Only 59.81 here in Texas. Stainless stockpot and everything.

I'm going to make a wort chiller, too, one of these days. As I'm sure you know, you have to be careful when making bends in the copper tubing so it won't kink...
 
OK, as I said, I went with the Sam's club one with the 34qt stainless pot. I am planning on using it for beer 90% of the time. If I do fry the occational turkey, do I need a seperate pot, or will a good cleaner/degreaser allow me to use the same pot?

-Todd
 
Wow.. that stainless one looks like the real deal! I ended up with the King Kooker myself and my cousin who brews bought the Bayou Classic. The King Kooker i think isnt as sturdy as the classic, but still perfectly fine for brewing on a flat hard surface. The nice thing about the King Kooker is the burner is a bit more shielded from the wind if you brew outside, but the thermo couple adds an annoyance factor that the classic doesnt have... If i ever need a second fryer or a new brew pot though, im goin to sams. :)
 
HomerT said:
OK, as I said, I went with the Sam's club one with the 34qt stainless pot. I am planning on using it for beer 90% of the time. If I do fry the occational turkey, do I need a seperate pot, or will a good cleaner/degreaser allow me to use the same pot?

-Todd

i would get a cheap aluminum to fry the turkey in. I once boiled a dungenous crab i caught in my stainless brewing pot (because the crab was soo huge i had too), and i could never get that crab smell out...you can get a huge aluminum for like 30 bucks. I would definitely recomend a dedidcated brew pot.
 
I love the burners from kegs.com They fit a converted keg perfectly and can boil 10-15 gallons easily.

You definitely need a chiller if you do full boils...

Cheers :D
 
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