Even though fried food is bad for us I still occasionally find myself cooking fresh caught catfish in my twenty two inch cast iron skillet when were on fishing trips. Other than the considerable contribution it makes to my cholesterol count, it’s relatively safe and simple to do.
The same can’t be said for deep fried turkey. While this method is quick and produces a fantastic tasting bird it can be very dangerous. Every major city in the country has several houses burn to the ground during the holidays because people don’t know what they’re doing.
I’ve deep fried approximately fifty turkeys and twenty chickens in the last ten years or so. I bought all the necessary equipment to make the job as safe as possible except one thing. Common sense. It’s not for sale. Either you have it or you don’t. If you weren’t born with a generous amount of it then don’t read any farther. Just stick to cooking turkeys in a conventional oven.
I’m far from being an expert but I’d like to share a few safety tips on deep frying these delicious birds.
I always pick out a turkey between twelve and fifteen pounds. Buy one bigger than that and you’re inviting trouble. A twenty pound bird will fit in the pot but in all likely hood the 350 degree oil will be bubbling, gurgling and erupting over the top of the pot. If it comes in contact with the flames underneath the pot you’ll have yourself one heck of a fire.
The first thing I do is set the plastic wrapped turkey with its legs in an up position in the empty pot. Fill it with water until it’s about one inch above the bird. Mark the water level on the outside of the pot with a magic marker. Now you know how much oil to put in the pot so it doesn’t over flow and cause a fire when you add the turkey.
When you’re ready to cook the turkey set it in the sink and pull out all the gross stuff like the gizzard, neck and liver. Rinse the entire bird and do an extra good job drying it inside and out with paper towels. A dry bird will make a huge difference when you start lowering it in to the pot. Moisture is what makes the oil splatter and work itself into frenzy.
I’ve tried injecting a few of my turkeys with various liquids but now stay away from them for the reason stated above. It adds moisture which can and does throw extremely hot oil for two or three feet which can be painful enough to cause you to let go of the turkey you’re suppose to be gently lowering into the oil. A dropped fifteen pound turkey will probably cause an over flow of grease which will result in a fire you’ll be talking about for years to come.
Instead of liquid seasoning, I mix pepper, garlic salt and Lawry salt in a bowl and rub it between the skin and the meat. I also rub some on both the outside and inside of the turkey.
I set my deep fryer up on my concrete driveway a good fifty feet from my house. I always scatter oil dry under and around the cooker for five feet so it will help keep a fire from spreading if one should start. It also helps when it’s time to clean up. I bring out absolutely every thing I might need before I start heating up the oil including a working fire extinguisher.
Most deep fryers have a triangular shaped hook that attaches to a metal stand on which the turkey sits. I run a four foot long piece of fence pipe through the triangle so it keeps myself and whoever helps me approximately two feet away from the pot as we lower the bird into the hot oil. We both wear long sleeve shirts and heavy duty gloves.
The trick is to lower the turkey very slowly. It takes me at least five minutes to completely submerge it. For safety reasons, I make sure the kids and pets stay in the house. Once I begin cooking I never take my eyes off the fryer until I’m completely finished.
I like to use peanut oil and cook the turkey at 350 degrees until temperatures reach 180 degrees in the legs and 170 in the breast. Use common sense when cooking these huge birds and you’ll have a safe, happy holiday.
