Using My Beer Equipment To Deep Fry a Turkey

[Donasay]

Hey everyone, I am going to deep fry a turkey for Thanksgiving this year, and I was thinking of using my keggle as it is the only vessle big enough for a 20 pound bird. I have done research and have seen this done before, but never done it myself, so I know about frying the turkey. This is more of a post fry question, or a will this ruin my keggle question.

I have a question about the best way to get all of the oil residue out of my brew pot once the turkey is cooked, and the oil is out of it.

Do you think this will affect future batches? Has anyone done this do you recommend it or would you suggest just going out and buying a new turkey fryer pot.

 

[Soulive]

I'd be too worried about ruining my keggle to do this. I wouldn't even want to risk screwing it up. No matter what you use, be careful with that 350 degree oil!

 

[Beerrific]

I think you could do it, hot PBW at the correct concentration should take care of all the oil. Not to say I would do it, but...

 

[BlindLemonLars]

You should borrow Biermuncher's keggle...it will automatically carve the turkey on the way out.

 

[Cookiebaggs]

You should borrow Biermuncher's keggle...it will automatically carve the turkey on the way out.

Now that's some good stuff right there!

 

[david_42]

Plain old soap & water will do the trick, unless the oil is scorched.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

My opinion is that these types of equipment should have dedicated purposes. Sure, you could do it, and probably be fine, I'd just rather go out and spend the extra $30 or whatever to get something dedicated to the purpose I need.

 

[shafferpilot]

It will be FINE!! That keg had a ton of oil on it when it was manufactured!! Anyways, I'd start with hand dish soap at a high concentration with hot water then let it sit for a couple hours. Then rinse it about a thousand times with hot water. Then start your normal cleaning process. If you or anyone you know has a pressure washer, I'd use that at the first step instead of the soap soaking. BTW THAW THAT TURKEY!!!! Like for a couple days! Frozen turkey = big explosion. partially frozen turkey = big explosion. almost completely thawed turkey = big explosion...... you get the idea

 

[Evan!]

I made a bigassed batch of Deer Chili in my aluminum kettle. A couple days with a PBW soak and some good scrubbing did the trick to get it clean. Not quite the same as hot oil, but it was pretty fatty.

 

[Aiko]

If you do it, be very careful of the area around the handle rivets, they tend to collect oil and it is very hard to remove. My first shot at brewing I borrowed a buddies turkey fryer pot to boil in, all came out fine, but there was a slight oil sheen floating on the wort. Was going to call it "Turkyweizen"!! :cross:
I cleaned it real good before use, but still couldn't get it totally clean.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I made a bigassed batch of Deer Chili in my aluminum kettle. A couple days with a PBW soak and some good scrubbing did the trick to get it clean. Not quite the same as hot oil, but it was pretty fatty.

man I love venison chili. My mom used to make huge batches during hunting season.

 

[Donasay]

It will be FINE!! That keg had a ton of oil on it when it was manufactured!! Anyways, I'd start with hand dish soap at a high concentration with hot water then let it sit for a couple hours. Then rinse it about a thousand times with hot water. Then start your normal cleaning process. If you or anyone you know has a pressure washer, I'd use that at the first step instead of the soap soaking. BTW THAW THAT TURKEY!!!! Like for a couple days! Frozen turkey = big explosion. partially frozen turkey = big explosion. almost completely thawed turkey = big explosion...... you get the idea

I ordered a fresh organic 15 - 20lb bird from Al the butcher, who by the way was good enough to debone a whole chicken and a whole duck and a whole turkey for me so I could make a TURDUKEN for last years superbowl.

I suggest that everyone find a good local butcher and go in every week and get meat from them, after a while, they get to know you and hook you up with the choice cuts. Not many people use the butchers anymore, and it should totally make a comeback, supermarket meat just doesn't cut it.

 

[BREW N QUE]

I've been using my old stainless steel turkey fryer pot for brewing. It had some scorched oil on it but it came off pretty easy with some Comet and a little elbow grease. Since then I've been cleaning it with oxyclean and it always looks shiny as new. I don't think you could ruin your keggle by using it.

 

[abracadabra]

The best thing for cleaning Stainless Steel IMHO is Bar Keeper's Friend. It's also cheaper than buying PBW from the LHBS or online.

I would not recommend Comet or any chlorine based cleaning product on a Stainless Steel Keggle because someone might be tempted to let it soak and the chlorine can cause pitting on Stainless Steel.

 

[TexLaw]

Are all your fittings welded on, or do you have anything weldless fittings? If everything is welded, you are probably okay. I don't know that weldless fittings can take the heat. There is a big difference between holding 212F water and 350-375F oil.


TL

 

[trainfever]

After scrubbing it out with a good grease cutting dish liquid like "Dawn", fill the pot up with water and boil it. Any oil left in the pot wil float to the top of the water. Then just dump the water and oil.

 

[Dr Malt]

I have used my turkey fryer turned brew/mash pot for frying 2 turkeys and a half dozen chickens over the past 4 years around the holidays. When I finish my frying operation and the oil has cooled overnight, I empty the pot of oil, wipe it out with paper towels and wash it with hot water and dish detergent. I may do this twice if I feel an oil residue after the first wash. I then do as trainfever said, I do a water boil and check for any suface oil. I have not had any problems with my brews or beer and like I said, I have done this several times.

Dr Malt

 

[Paulinuke]

I agree with most of the other posters, fry that turkey. Then just to be safe after it is clean boil some water in it to see if any oil films forms on the surface, I am so sure that you will be fine I plan on doing the same thing Saturday after thanksgiving. Paul

 

[RichBrewer]

If I were you I wouldn't do it. I did it once about 3 years ago and I'll never do it again. It makes a huge mess which took me a LONG time to clean up. The oil that spills down the sides gets cooked onto the pot and is hard to clean off.

Also, safety should be considered. Keep the pot FAR away from the house. Make sure you don't have too much oil in the cooker. If you do it will over flow when you insert the turkey and the oil WILL ignite when it hits the burner. Never place a frozen turkey into a fryer. The moisture will flash and react with the oil and expand violently spraying oil everywhere including onto the burner.

Please be careful if you are going to fry your turkey.

 

[Chriso]

Are all your fittings welded on, or do you have anything weldless fittings? If everything is welded, you are probably okay. I don't know that weldless fittings can take the heat. There is a big difference between holding 212F water and 350-375F oil.


TL

+1 to that! Most "weldless" kits use Viton brand O-Rings, which test to I belive 325*F

In other words, once that oil starts a'boiling, so will anything near your keggle's outlet valve.

As long as you're welded, though, you should be fine.

 

[Donasay]

I am cut and welded, so no problems here, I am going through with this little endeavor, and I'll let you all know how my hot rubbed deep fried turkey comes out.

 

[D*Bo]

Make sure you have the oil temp stable before placeing the turkey in. My roommate overshot the temp, then dropped it in when the temp dropped back down. The flame was still low, so of course when he placed the still wet and cold (probably partially frozen) turkey in, the temp dropped way down and the oil saturated the meat.
You need patience, if not at least listen to everyone around you.

The turkey tasted like oil and made everyone feel like crap. Nothing like eating turkey where half the weight of the meat is cheap processed cooking oil.

 

[Aiko]

This has been a good thread, I plan on frying a turkey this year also. I have always went to friends houses and fried with them, this year i'm doing it myself at home. Some real good tips, thanks for the info!

 

[Drunkensatyr]

We are frying 5 turkeys and I am using both of my brew pots. Never had a problem with cleaning them out. As for the turkey, yup has to be absolutely thawed and dried. Oil level is best checked by using water and dropping the turkey into the pot to see how full it is before filling with oil. Have fun be safe and have an extinguisher handy.

 

[wild]

I've fried and smoked birds each year. Don't worry about the keggle. Just stay sober enough to finish the birds.

Enjoy

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Here's what Alton has to say:

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Good luck! I LOVE fried turkey

 

[Donasay]

Alton Brown is the man, he really is. My rig is not that elaborate, I am just going to shove a broom handle through the top ring of my turkey carrier.

 

[Donasay]

I did a test turkey over the weekend, and it was a little over done, but it came out amazingly well. When I do one on thanksgiving for the family, I'll know what do do differently. I also cleaned out the brew kettle, and it is ready for turkey round 2, but I think I need to scrub it a little better for my beer. Thanks to everyone for their advice, and I just want to let everyone know to go for it it is a great turkey.

 

[meatbeagle]

Glad it worked out. I know I may be overcautious, but I'm with the folks who don't want hot oil in their keggles. I have an aluminum pot just for cooking in on my burner. It wasn't that expensive, and now my brewing kettles have a dedicated use.

 

[the_wrath_of_Khan]

I think I will give frying a turkey a try this year.