About 15 years ago, I decided to try frying a turkey for Thanksgiving. The results were excellent and I have made it an annual tradition ever since. Turkey cooking time is less than 1 hour and the meat is always very moist, even white meat. I recently tried frying a duck and had the same great results.
You can fry the turkey inside or out. Inside you should use an electric fryer and outside you can use a propane fryer or electric fryer. I’ve used both and they both work equally well, but I always cook outdoors for safety. The procedure is the same for a turkey or duck except where noted in parentheses.
what will you need
• Turkey Fryer: electric or propane (propane outside only on dirt or grass areas).
• Thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil.
• Food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the bird.
• Injector for marinades and seasonings.
• Fire extinguisher, oven mitts and potholders.
• Peanut Oil – 3 gallons (other oils can be used but peanut oil is best)
• Up to a 14-pound whole turkey (up to a 6.5-pound whole duck).
Determine the amount of oil needed
Most turkey fryers have a fill line that indicates the correct level of oil to add to the pot, but if that line is not on your fryer, do the following before marinating the turkey:
Place the defrosted turkey in the fryer basket and place both in the empty pot. The minimum oil level should be between 3 and 5 inches from the top of the fryer. Add water to cover the top of the turkey. Remove turkey allowing water to drain from turkey. Be aware of the water level. Drain or pour out the water and dry the pot well. If the fryer has a drain valve, be sure to remove all excess water from the faucet.
kitchen preparation
Remove turkey from wrapper. Be sure to save the turkey weight label. You will use the weight of the turkey to calculate the total frying time.
• Thaw turkey completely and remove neck and giblets from body cavity.
• Add oil to the fill line using up to 3 gallons to 5 gallons.
• Preheat oil to 375 degrees (325 degrees for whole duck).
• While oil is heating, prepare turkey as desired.
• Remove the wire or plastic armor holding the legs in place,
• Remove the pop-up timer from the breast, if present.
• Do not stuff turkeys for frying.
• To reduce spattering, dry the inside and outside of the turkey thoroughly.
Inject the turkey with marinades and seasonings of your choice and place the turkey in a clean roasting pan for no more than 30 minutes to 45 minutes. This allows marinades and seasonings to penetrate the turkey and raises the internal temperature of the turkey so there is less spattering during frying.
cook the turkey
Just before submerging the turkey in the oil, turn off the burner. As soon as the turkey is secure in the pot, immediately light the burner. To avoid excessive spattering, slowly lower the turkey into the oil.
For whole turkeys, wait 3-4 minutes per pound and for turkey parts, wait 4-5 minutes per pound (for whole duck, wait 9 minutes per pound). Oil temperature can fluctuate based on outside temperature and wind conditions. Keep the oil temperature at 350 degrees (325 degrees for the duck).
Remove turkey from hot oil and drain on paper towels. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°F to 170°F in the breast and 175°F to 180°F in the thigh (for duck, place the tip of the thermometer at the joint of the leg where the thigh connects to the the vertebral column and the internal part). temperature should be 175 degrees). Then the skin of the turkey may be dark brown or blackened, but it is not overdone as long as the internal temperature is as indicated above.
Carve and Serve!!!