How to deep fat fry a turkey

[hillbilly]

Seeing as how Thanksgiving is one of my favorite meals, I decided to go all out and deep fat fry a turkey. So come on into the kitchen and see how a hillbilly cooks a turkey.

First, is buying the turkey. Here in the states the price of a frozen turkey is considerably cheaper than in Thailand...



A frozen turkey tends to create an explosion in the cooker. Hence, I have to thaw out the turkey for about 3 days.

[hillbilly]

After the turkey has been thawed out, now comes the part of getting the cooker setup. The propane tanks costs about $79 and the cooker itself runs about $60.

Please notice the dry patio for future reference.



After adding the peanut oil crank up the heat. Takes about 3 1/2 gallons for a 10 pound bird.

[hillbilly]

The temperature that I am look for is about 350F. As the weather is a bit chilly, this will take awhile.



Almost there.

[hillbilly]

Now it looks like I might have a problem. Need to turn down the fire and wait, wait and wait.



A friendly debate with a brother about adding more oil. I like the bubble effect, he likes the no bubble effect.

[hillbilly]

I think the temp is close enough. Let's begin cooking!

Notice the cement now...

[hillbilly]

Experience has taught me to always use 2 thermometers. Trust me, oil over 400F can and will create a big mess.

I usually cook a turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound. So this one should take about 35 minutes. Try to keep the temp fairly constant.

Eventually, the turkey will begin to float when done.

[hillbilly]

The turkey should be cooked by now.

[hillbilly]

Your invited to come on over anytime...



...to sit down to a good homecooked meal and an old movie.

[jizzybloke]

Enjoyed watching that thanks HB, love those trousers too

[Jet Gorgon]

Wow, HB, that's great! As Jizzer said, nice plaid trousers (what a git!). Wow, $9.57 for the bird? Think we paid $20 for a roaster for Cdn Thanksgiving. Three days to unthaw? Did mine a day and a half. Think it was a 12 pounder.
A few Qs: How did you make the gravy and stuffing? Do you drain and paper-towel dry the bird? Where are the mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce????? (I make dam fine cranberry sauce and can send you some for Xmas if you're still in CO).
It all looks fabulously yummy. Thanks for sharing the vid, too. I especially liked the John Cash background music.

[hillbilly]

A few Qs: How did you make the gravy and stuffing? Do you drain and paper-towel dry the bird? Where are the mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce?????

Your post made me chuckle!

The gravy was really pretty simple. Bought the pre-made brown gravy packet. But the stuffing was homemade. And yes, you have to dry the turkey real good. If you don't then, well it makes a big mess.

The mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce were on the serving table (not shown) besides the main table. Got to have both!

[Jet Gorgon]

Glad you had a laugh. The turkey looks dam good. When I roasted the gobler last month, I noticed the skin and meat shrunk away from the leg ends like on yours. ( I cooked it at 350 instead of slow roasting her). Guess it doesn't matter, but I wanted it to look like the one in the Norman Rockwell painting. How did you make the dressing without it being in the bird? Are those home-made beet pickles? The buns look good. yada yada...

The gravy was really pretty simple. Bought the pre-made brown gravy packet. But the stuffing was homemade.

WTF? Call the kitchen police! That's a travesty of American home-cooking. Please tell me you did not use that Bisto gloop that the Brits pass off for gravy.

[peterpan]

^ ain't nothing wrong with Bisto Jet.
Your Gobbler Looks loverly HB but I've converted to a slow cooking man now, still have a problem getting the finished look right and this brining and subsequent slow cooking is a pain in the ass but the result is worth it.
Wouldn't have turned down a bite at your bird tho'.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ Hey, share some of your recipes, PP!
I never liked Bisto and had it often enough at Brit Sunday roast dinners in Thailand. Just doesn't take like home-made and what a waste to throw out the pan drippings. I can make gravy from beef, pork, chicken, turkey. It's the best! Milk gravy is also yummy.

[sabang]

It looks damn cold in Colorado.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ Not really. Didn't see any snow coming down.

[sabang]

^ I thought it was coldest when it doesn't snow? Never been in a blizzard though- but I have skied in Aspen on a sunny day with just a T shirt.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ True at times, but it was raining in his vid. I've done minus 40 plus with wind chill pulling it down further and the sun was feking shining.
Blizzards? You don't want to be out in a blizzard. If you get lost, nobody can find you, and you just get cold sleepy, curl up and freeze to death.

[blackgang]

I paid 330 baht a kilo for 9 pound boneless breast here,, damn spendy turkey when my friends paid 65 cents a pound in the states
I never roast a turkey at over 300*, baste with butter often and it never comes out dry.
soaking one is salt water is a waste of time as water don't a moist turkey make.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ Nah! 350*. Saves time and comes out moist and tender.

[blackgang]

Pigs ass too.

[peterpan]

Brining food and slow cooking is the way to go, the water the meat takes up with brining means the meat retains more when its finished cooking which for most of us is good, unless your Thai and enjoy old dried out bird meat.
Slow cooking places less strain on the meat and doesn't tighten up the protein, resulting in more tender meat.
I doesn't look so good tho, unless you can caramalise the exterior with high heat.

[sabang]

I've never had deep fried turkey- a local yokel is a good cook though, Louisiana boy, and he's promised to do a turkey fry before i move upcountry.

I hope it's good- most people in Australia or the UK do not know how to cook turkey, and it comes out dry, stringy and generally awful (or Butterball, so they can't stuff it up too much). Apologies to mum, but hers was the pits- never knew why she bothered doing it every christmas. Most of it just ended up in sandwiches or a stew.

[Happyman]

Wrap the turkey- with stuffing inside- completely in aluminium foil and put it in a deep roastimg tray.
In the centre of the oven, pre heated at 280 degrees - 20 minutes per pound.
Time up
Take it out and cut the foil off - dig out the stuffing and drain(and save) all the fat.
Turn the oven up to 350 degrees.
Slit the skin on the breast and legs and slide slivers of bacon underneath

Make the gravy with the fat and 'rest' the bird for about 15 - 20 minutes

Put it back in the tray with the stuffing around it about an inch thick.

Back in the oven for 15 mins .

It will come out with crispy skin and the stuffing will be crunchy on the outside and soft inside.

Used to 6 X 10 pound birds like this in our Bistro for the xmas dinner and never had a complaint !!!!!

Have never heard of deep fried turkey but it looks bloody great and a lot less trouble than my way !

( I like Bisto )

[Happyman]

Best is 'cold turkey'

There was a smokehouse in Tewkesbury (UK) for non Brits- who used to smoke any decent trout or salmon we caught.
The smokehouse Chef/fish filleter? whatever was an expert food prep man ( Vietnamese or Chinese not sure) but as a special order he would -

De bone a Quail
a Pigeon
a Pheasant
a Chicken
And either a turkey or a goose

FROM THE INSIDE !!!!

Then would stick a hardboiled egg inside the quail - the quail inside the pigeon - the pigeon inside the pheasant - pheasant inside the chicken - and the chicken inside the turkey or goose.
This would then be bound up with string and ended up looking like a rugby ball.

Smoking took 2/3 days and then you could collect it presented in a sort of basket made from plaited reeds !

Cost was anywhere between 20 and 30 pounds ( and this was in the 1970's- nearly a weeks bloody wages) and was worth every penny .

Cut in slices (like a swiss roll) in a sandwich bloody wonderful- I can taste it as I type !!!

Used to buy one every year for my Mums birthday present !!!