Speaking of deep frying the Bird

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fatrap

fatrap

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This morning driving to school I was listening to Bob and Tom they had a guy call in and told them that last year he dropped his turkey into the oil and had too much oil in the cooker and it overflowed. The oil hit the flames and flared. His brother panicked and knocked the large (50lb)propane bottle over knocking off the valve. The bottle became a rocket and shot through the garage door smashing into his brothers new Cadillac Escalade setting it on fire and burning it to the ground. Took fire engines to put out.

The guy says his brother still isn't talking to him.

I blew coffee all over my lap.

fatrap
 
Then there was the story a couple of years ago about the construction workers in Oregon that had just finished building a new house. They celebrated by deep frying a turkey in the newly finished abode. Same thing happened - oil overflowed, flared and up went the brand new house in flames. I hope those guys had insurance!!
 
Tip...

TURN THE FLAME OFF WHEN LOWERING THE TURKEY IN THE FRYER!

And do it very sloooowly;)

Another tip...

Put the turkey in the fryer first (without being lit) and fill with water to where it just covers the turkey. Mark the side when you pull out the turkey to know where your oil level should be.

Remember you'll always get a lil' overflow when dropping the bird in...the oil will really expand at first so cover the ground with cardboard or something.

And don't do it on a deck:blink:
 
Tee,



Tanks for the tips... We were considering the "deep fry" thingb this year, but opted to roast one more time. I know I need to do some detailed planning and need the research... So, you will be hearing from me later on...:)
 
Also...3 1/2 minutes per pound @ 350 degrees.

My 17.3 pound bird will take 1 hour give or take a few minutes.

You can tell when it's done by the sound of the oil frying starting to die down a lil';)

It'll look a lil' crispy on the outside...don't worry this is normal.

The inside will be juuuuuicy.
 
Man, that Tee is one fart smeller.....uhhhhhh I mean SMART FELLER.:wacko:



Wife doesn't like the deep fried turkey (go figure). I usually smoke ours....the turkey that is.



Have a Happy Thanksgiving NTOWSer's:D



Harpo
 
Remember you'll always get a lil' overflow when dropping the bird in...
Click to expand...



Tee - respectfully, are you sure about that?? I've been deep-frying birds for the past four years (at Thanksgiving and Christmas) and we NEVER have any overflow. I always understood overflow of hot oil near an open propane flame was always bad! It meant too much oil or a pot too small. Now if you mean sputtering or spitting of oil off the surface that may cause droplets to launch out of the pot, I'll agree that is normal. Just wanting to make sure in case folks are trying for the first time.



I would also add that folks trying this should put the fryer set up on a level surface AWAY from the house. Have a fire extinguisher nearby and also figure out the flow of liquids from the frying location to the house. I've always picked a spot on my driveway that slopes away from the house. That way in a worst case scenario, the river of flaming oil flows away from the house, cars, people, etc. May mean a burnt up lawn, but it sure beats a burnt up house!
 
I do the water thing an mark it below where it covers the bird because the oil does expand. I wasted a lot of oil before I started doing that. You will always lose some due to the boiling and popping of the oil when you put the bird in.



My first experience with fried turkey was with my brother in law. He had never done one but watched someone else do it. He didn't have anywhere close to enough oil in the fryer to cover the turkey. So he decides to pull it out and cut it into pieces. Somehow the turkey dropped back into the fryer, causing a spout of hot oil to spew out. It ignited and you should have seen people scrambling. Luckily no one was burned, they sure could have been.



Gene
 
I am sure deep frying a bird will taste good or people wouldn't do it. But to have a list of HazMat rescue gear near by, "just in case", just doesn't seem right when trying to prepare a dinner?:huh:



I may be getting up in years but nothing is better then my mom's turkey with all the fixins, bless her soul!:wub:



Everyone have a nice turkey day!:D



Randy!
 
Randy - deep frying a bird is an awesome way to cook the bird. The biggest drawback to oven roasting is in the uneven cooking that results because the leanest part of the bird (the breast) is the most exposed to heat, whereas the fattier parts (i.e., drumsticks/thighs) tend to be the least exposed and tucked under the bird. The result is the stereotypical dry white meat and undercooked dark meat. Deep frying helps eliminate this in that the heat (from the oil) is evenly distributed all around. Moreover, the oil acts to "seal" the outside of the bird to lock in juices and prevent them from running out of the bird.



Is deep frying the only way to get that even cooking? No - just one of the recent ones that became very popular. Other "tricks" that folks have used and passed on include "tenting" the bird with aluminum foil to reduce exposure of the breast, cooking the bird upside down (i.e., breast side down) and then flipping for the last part of cooking, and the new one this year - spatchcocking - where the backbone of the turkey is removed and the bird pressed flat to expose both the breast and legs/thigh evenly. Makes for an ugly bird to present, but its a lot safer than deep-frying!



Personally, deep frying appeals to my inner cave-man desire to cook over real fire. Nothing like the sound of a propane flame at full tilt when cooking (akin to the roar of a really small jet engine)!
 
Jim...always have the flame OUT when putiing the bird in.

I did foret to tell everyone about using some kind of big oven gloves when putting it in and taking it out...old jacket recommended:)
 
Jim, didn't say it wouldn't be good, I like fried food also, just look at me and you'll know why my Tracker won't hit top speed!



Just the picture of cooking dinner in one of those silver reflective heat suits with the local fire department on stand by is kinda comical!



I will have to find someone local and see if I can sample the fare!



Thanks!
 
It's not that bad. I use my turkeey fryer for a lot of things. Beer battered Crappie comes to mind!! I do chickens as well. There's nothing better than fresh cut curly-Q french fries out of a hot peanut oil bath. I've done a lot of birds and only once had an overflow. I measured the oil right (covering the bird minus a little for boil up) but what I forgot to do was look at the temp of the oil and it was way hotter than it needed to be, so it "foamed" too much. To eliminate this make sure your bird is at room temp. and dry as well as measuring out the oil correctly and getting it to the right temp. When done, throw 3 or 4 cubed potatos in the oil and it will clean it out (plus they are great to eat!!LOL!!). After it cools pour it through cheese cloth and you can use to another 2 to 3 times. Peanut oil is not cheap!!



TOXIC
 
Seen that Dick's had it for $24.99 @ 3 gallons....not bad.

I'll reuse the rest for fish frys.
 
My nephew-in-law has deep fried his birds for the last five years until this year and he cooked his on the grill. He said it was just too much oil to waste. The first year he did four birds and we got to take one home. That's why I ALWAYS tell him his fried birds are the best I have ever eaten:lol:

I like the idea of Toxic's about the potatos.





Uncle Billy
 
We deep fry a bird several times a year. Its always fun to try shooting it up with different spices and marinades.



So what do you guys think? Is the bird a lot more fattening if deep fried?



Paul
 
I like to think not! Seriously, my understanding of the theory is that at 350 to 400 degrees farenheit, when the bird is placed in the oil, the heat quickly sears the outside to lock in the juices and keep out additional oil. The bird cooks from the oil's heat steaming the natural water inside the turkey. Its only when the oil is not heated properly that significant oil calories are added by seeping into the meat. Again, that's the theory. My own experience is that the birds do turn out moist with turkey juices versus oil so I personally buy into the theory!
 
Jim



Thats the explanation I keep trying to convince myself of. No reports to the contrary so all the more reason to keep doing it.



Paul
 
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