This is the best advice yet, makes it a lot less likely that you will get hot oil splashed on you.
After you fry it, can you bottle the oil back up and use it over and over? Can you save it for next year?
When I first moved to Chicago I was shocked as Thanksgiving grew near to see a sign reading “Reserve your Thanksgiving Deep-Fried Turkey at McDonald’s Today.”
Apparently as soon as you wander a few states away from Plymouth Rock there are new interpretations of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
But my question is, do you deep fry the stuffing too? What about the cranberry sauce?
Yes, smoked turkey is indeed wonderful. Unfortunately, it takes all day long. With a deep-fryer like the ones linked to here, you can cook the entire neighborhood’s Thanksgiving dinners before the Lions game starts.
Do not stuff the turkey! I’m not sure why, but I suspect that for one thing, your bird will not cook properly, and for another, you will end up with large quantities of stuffing in your oil.
What cranberry sauce? Where? What do** you** do with cranberry sauce?
ShouldBeWorking, Lsura’s links talk about reusing the oil.
I’ve deep fried two turkeys with the kit available from Menards, and they both came out great. The oil sears the skin shut, keeping the juice in and the oil out, and the skin is crispy.
The warning is this: oil at high temperatures doesn’t boil like water does. It’s perfectly still. But, when the turkey hits it, the oil will seem to explode. It’ll become a beastly bubbling cauldron of hell. The advice to mark the level by pre-dipping the turkey into water in the pot is excellent advice, but make sure that you leave a couple extra inches for bubbling.
The first time I did this, the near explosion was so shocking that I nearly dropped the turkey in, which would have knocked a vat with 20 gallons of boiling oil over, with an open flame underneath, and me standing next to it. Be prepared for the dramatic change in the oil when the bird hits it. And have a fire extinguisher standing by.
One additional tip to keep in mind. Right before you put the turkey into the hot oil, turn off the flame. Leave it off until the oil settles down a bit. This will help you avoid adding the not so pleasant flavor of fire extinguishing material.
I second the peanut oil recommendation. If you buy in bulk at a Costco, Sam’s Club, etc., you can usually get enough for $20 or so.
On the downside, while the turkey will be quite good, you’re going to have to figure out another way to make gravy, as you obviously don’t have any pan drippings. You also have to settle on oven baked stuffing. These two were reason enough for us to cook traditionally this year.
Once you dip the turkey in the water to check the oil level…for gawd’s sake, dry that bird off!!! All that wwater on the turkey adds to the bubbling boiling cauldron of oil.
“Hey! You got stuffing in my oil!”
“No, you got stuffing in my oil!”
“You son of a bitch!”
“Fricking bastard!”
i ate six and a half pounds of food last night. guh.
jb
son of a bitch. the second line is to read “You got oil in my stuffing.”
overproofreading is not your friend!
“Yes, smoked turkey is indeed wonderful. Unfortunately, it takes all day long. With a deep-fryer like the ones linked to here, you can cook the entire neighborhood’s Thanksgiving dinners before the Lions game starts.”
bit of a homer simpson-esque reaction, innit? “this baby can deep-fry a buffalo in 40 seconds.” “40 seconds? but i want it now!” isn’t part of the fun of thanksgiving dinner the waiting? take in all those sweet, sweet smells of turkey and whatnot.
i am really afraid…
poor poor turkey… what did it do to deserve that?