# Deep Fried Turkey



## fishngrl1377

:help:
Ok since i only do this once a year I forget. Can someone please tell me about how much peanut oil I ma going to need to fry a 13lb turkey and i forget how long you leave it in per pound. Also anyone care to share their marinade receipe for how they prepare their turkey prior to frying? I know you can buy the stuff at the store I was just curious to see what other people do. Thanks in advance!!!!!


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## MarshJr.

i think around 3 gallons


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## wadespade

i always put the bird in the pot and fill up the pot with water until the desired level of coverage, take the bird out and note the water level, then fill oil to that line.


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## fishngrl1377

Thanks wasespade that is a GREAT idea!!!!


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## Outklassed

Code:


Can someone please tell me about how much peanut oil I ma going to need

Depends on the size or your pot. Just do the water trick, place your turkey in the pot, fill with water to cover bird, remove bird, measure water, mark you pot on the outside for your fill level, every year get same size bird.


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## fishngrl1377

thanks I will do that.


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## bogan

I cook mine for 3.5 minutes per pound at 350.


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## fishngrl1377

Thanks bogan


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## BATWING

yep water to get your mark. Be sure to leave your turkey in the plastic wrapper before putting in water. LOL

I do mine at 350 degree and about 4 min per pound. I use tony's inside and out. I never cared for injection.

Also since your going to spend about $50 on oil. You might get a couple of pork tender loins and cajun fry one and butter fly, flour and chicken fry the other in the grease after the turkey is done. It's good appitisers while your kin folk is waiting on your wifes bird in the oven.


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## fishngrl1377

Great advice on the tenders!!! Never thought about that. so how long do you leave that tender in for? I would not imagine that it would take very long to fry up!! Making my mouth water!!!!


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## yer_corks_under

No oil, no mess, safe 
http://www.charbroil.com/Consumer/Pr...uctSeriesID=95


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## bwguardian

You guys and gals remember when you are finished with the oil to shoot me a PM and I will make arrangements to pick it up.


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## Roger

Wadespades right, put your turkey in the pot and fill with water. Pull the turkey out and measure the quanity of water. That will tell you how much peanut oil you'll need.


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## DavidCorpusTX

yer_corks_under said:


> No oil, no mess, safe
> [URL]http://www.charbroil.com/Consumer/Pr...uctSeriesID=95[/URL]


Frying a Turkey - Oil = Not Frying a Turkey


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## BATWING

fishngrl1377 said:


> Great advice on the tenders!!! Never thought about that. so how long do you leave that tender in for? I would not imagine that it would take very long to fry up!! Making my mouth water!!!!


Depends if you get the little skinnys or the monster fat ones. But just a few mins and the battered one you can tell, it'll be golden brown crust.

I'm hungry..

One step further. If you still have your oil in the cooker a couple days later. Last year I my some frieds over a couple days later watching football and I cajun fried some wings in the oil then wing sauce in a bowl inside, mix'em around and serve. Bad to the bone!


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## BATWING

bwguardian said:


> You guys and gals remember when you are finished with the oil to shoot me a PM and I will make arrangements to pick it up.


Bio Diesel ???


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## Roger

Something else, heat the oil to 375 degrees and cook and average of 3 minutes per pound.


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## Haute Pursuit

Don't forget to yank out the giblet bag! One of my buddies fried one and forgot to take it out... nasty turkey! LOL


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## Roger

HP, that can be some nasty and explosive stuff in hot oil.


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## energinerbuzzy

Let me add my ignorance to this thread with what NOT TO DO.

Years ago I fried my first turkey. I went out and bought the fryer, peanut oil, propane tank, seasonings, ect.
I got it all out and it occurred to me that if I have too much oil in the pot, it will overflow when I put the turkey in. 
So me, thinking I am smarter than the average bear. I decided that I would put the turkey in the EMPTY pot and fill it with water to the desired level. Then I took it out, dried it off and measured how much water it took to cover the turkey. Thats how much oil I put in and I started to heat it up.
Once I got it to temp, I lowered the Turkey in the oil and it was like an explosion once I got it half way down. Started burning me and I just let it drop.
Oil violently started blowing up out and over the top of the pot in turn catching the driveway, hose, tank, chair and everything else in a 3 foot radius, ON FIRE.
We had towels close by and was able to pat out the fires.
Turns out, those **** turkeys will hold A LOT of water inside the cavity if you don't look to make sure you got it all out.
I had an onion stuck in mine and when I turned it up to empty it out, shake it and turn it the other way, the onion was blocking the opening not letting all the water out.
Needless to say, I don't use that method of oil measuring anymore and learned my lesson the hard way.


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## Haute Pursuit

Roger said:


> HP, that can be some nasty and explosive stuff in hot oil.


Yeah it smelled like Dow Chemical in his backyard. Some of the floks ate it anyway. I made me a ham sandwich!


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## Steven H

I have my BIL the firefighter do it. Do it in the grass, the grease splatters and stains concrete. For the price of the oil, check your area for places like BBQ joints that usually do them for $1 per lb. smoked or fried. I think that is the easy way to go. The oil will be between 30-50 bucks.


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## Roger

Oil does get a little expenses, peanut oil is the best, When fried right the turkey doesn't get any better.


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## Cartman

Steven H said:


> I have my BIL the firefighter do it. Do it in the grass, the grease splatters and stains concrete. For the price of the oil, check your area for places like BBQ joints that usually do them for $1 per lb. smoked or fried. I think that is the easy way to go. The oil will be between 30-50 bucks.


$32.99 for 3 gals. of peanut oil this last weekend at Costco. $38.99 for it at HEB today. Peanut oil has a higher smoking point which is why it's preferred other than the price from what research i've done...


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## Roughneck

Peanut oil used to be very very cheap until frying turkeys became popular in Texas about 15 years ago.


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## fishgravy

We put a pork roast (butt) in the fryer mmm...mmm . The night before rub the roast with table mustard and dry seasoning of your choice. I believe I heard about this on 2cool a couple of years ago. We liked this better than the turkey.


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## Blackgar

You dont need any peanut oil, use vegetable, it doesn't come out as greasy


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## Stuart

A 13 lb bird is the upper limit of what i like to fry.


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## Roughneck

They say cotton seed oil works great too. I don't know how expenisive it is.


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## jason101

Cottonseed or Peanut oil. Get it an extra 20 degrees hotter than what you want to cook at. The temp will drop quick when the bird is put in. Low oil temp causes greasy bird. I put a water heater pan under my fryer with cat litter to catch any oil splatter so it doesn't stain the concrete.


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## zrem32

I always turn the flame off while placing the bird in the pot then relite.


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## Roger

Smart Move!!


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## ifish2

Does anyone inject and if so, what with? Does the Tony's or whatever seasoning not come off when placed in the oil?


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## Roger

Tony's makes some real good injecters of different flavors. Butter and garlic are my favorite.


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## Mantaray

If you have to do with dry seasonings only then rub the bird all over, inside out. Don't think about your wife or girlfriend while doing this or you would be turned on.... Then leave the bird in the fridge overnight. 

I agree with Roger on Tony's butter & garlic injector, that's my favorite also. I use this injector in addition to dry rubs.

Here are a few more tips:

Injection should be done overnight if possible or several hours before cooking. Carefully lift the skin from the meat and insert the needle into the meat rather than puncturing the skin. This keeps the marinade and natural juices from leaking from the turkey when you fry it. Do this on the breast, thigh and drumstick. Inject the breast in several different locations, the thicker the part, the more injections. But don't over-do it or it would seep out & make a flash. Keep the bird dry before frying is what I meant. 

By the way, peanut oil is expensive and could be re-used. Don't waste that $50. Let it cool and pour back into its container (use a funnel of course), close cap tightly and leave in a cool place. I have re-used it 2 years in a row with no problems (how often do you think KFC and Popeye and Churches' dump out their oil)?


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## haparks

cajune butter is the only injectable one to use DO NOT USE ANYTHING IN THE NAME GARLIC IT WILL BURN AND TASTE BAD


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## shorty70

A few thoughts, based on my experiences :

Make sure turkey is dry, hot oil and water is not fun.

350 about 3.5 mins. a pound or till it's bobbin.

Strain and reuse the peanut oil, you will lose little.

I season mine after, cause seasonings mess the oil up.

Chicken, for some reason is like 9 mins. a pound.

For something diff, drop a t-bone in if your still hungry.

Do two, cause you will want more, later.

Just my .02

:mpd:


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## KillaHookset

You can strain and reuse the oil. Keep it in a cool dark place while in storage and should be good for 3-4 months maybe longer before it goes rancid
Biodiesel yes not a problem at all, however you can run straight filtered oil added to your tank


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## rodsnscrews

Cottenseed oil is being used in south La. by most cajuns who fry 1bird per year! Cottenseed oil is $29.99/5 gal vs $47/4gal peanut oil! If your frying more than 1 bird or multiple birds per year peanut is better! Also I ask my neighbors if they want me to cook them a bird and get them to help with the oil costs and I cook for free! By the way a whole chicken does take about 9mins per lb!


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## finfinder951

*After you follow all of the directions below, put the bird in a kitchen sized garbage bag and tie it tightly. Put bird on ice and chill over night. Put bird and bag in pot and fill with water until the legs are covered. Mark the outside of the pot at the water level. Remove the bird, pour out the water and dry thoroughly before filling with oil.*

The best fried turkey I've ever had and the only recipe I use anymore.

*Ingredients*

*For the Marinade:*


2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid Zatarian?s Concentrated Crab and Shrimp







Boil (optional)
1/4 cup apple cider
3/4 cup honey
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1/2 cup Emeril's Creole Seasoning (Essence), recipe follows
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pinch ground cloves
*For the Seasoning Mix:*


1 cup salt
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
*To Fry:*


2 turkeys (8 to 10 pounds each)
About 10 gallons peanut oil
*Directions*

To make the marinade: Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process for about 5 minutes. Fill a syringe and inject each turkey in the breast and thigh area, as well as the back, wings, and legs. You will have to fill the syringe several times. Next, combine the seasoning ingredients and rub the mixture evenly all over each turkey. 
Place the turkeys in large plastic bags and secure before icing them down or refrigerating them for 24 hours. 
To fry each turkey: Fill a large pot three quarters of the way full with the peanut oil and heat the oil to between 350 and 360 degrees F. Place 1 turkey in the basket insert and carefully and slowly lower it into the hot oil. Turn the turkey every 10 minutes, using long-handled forks. A whole turkey will take 3 to 5 minutes per pound to cook. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 170 to 180 degrees F on an instant read meat thermometer. Carefully lift the basket out of the hot oil. This can be done by inserting a broomstick through the handles and having two strong people lift the basket out of the pot. Using the long-handled forks, transfer the turkey to a large brown paper bag and let stand for about 15 minutes before removing to carve. Repeat the procedure for the second turkey. Carve the turkey and serve with the other traditional side items. 
*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):*


2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. 
Yield: about 2/3 cup 
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.


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## Clarko

Howdy folks,

I'm new to the forum, but have been frying turkeys for years....so here's my 2 cents.

I agree that the best way to judge your oil level is to use the water method mentioned earlier. I prefer one of the Creole Butter injectables (several brands to choose from). I usually inject my birds the night before and sprinkle some Tony's on a few minutes before it hits the oil. Then 3.5 minutes per pound in 350 degree oil. 

I prefer cottonseed oil rather than peanut oil for several reasons. It's cheaper. The smoke point and the flash point is slightly higher. It doesn't impart a taste into whatever you are frying and it doesn't carry the flavor of whatever you cooked.....so you taste the food, not the oil. (and the second thing you cook doesn't taste like the first)

Another reason for cottonseed oil is that it's non-allergenic. A lot of people are allergic to peanuts....Some don't even know it.....but Thanksgiving dinner isn't the time to find out.

I usually fry 6-8 birds on Thanksgiving morning for family and friends....and a couple of more the next day. I've never had a problem frying that many birds with one batch of oil. After I'm done, I dispose of it....it's too cheap to risk saving it, only to find out that it has turned rancid.

I also agree with the earlier posts about the frying time for whole chickens...9 min. per pound. The reason for the longer time is the cavity size of the chicken. A turkey has a larger chest cavity which allows a larger volume of hot oil to enter. A chicken has a much smaller chest cavity. Basically a chicken needs enough time to cook from the outside, whereas a turkey cooks from both the inside and outside.

Sorry for the long post.....but hopefully it helps.....especially for those who have food allergies.


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## jamaicablonde

CharBroil makes an oil-less turkey fryer called The Big Easy. I used mine once before "Ike" destroyed it. It gives the same taste as a turkey fried in oil and the seasonings stay on the bird. At about $50 for oil, it only takes a couple of uses for it to pay for itself.


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## CAJUN THUNDER

haparks said:


> cajune butter is the only injectable one to use DO NOT USE ANYTHING IN THE NAME GARLIC IT WILL BURN AND TASTE BAD


 where do you get cajun butter from???i usually use the butter and jalipeno...


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## mcgoo21

One of the tricks I use is rub the outside of the bird with olive oil. This helps keep the Tony's stick and helps keep the golden color after you have fried a few in the same pot.

Goober


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## mcgoo21

The cajun butter is made by canjun chef and they call it creole butter. Its in a pint jar academy and HEB usually carry it.

Goober


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## CAJUN THUNDER

cool i'll check academy and heb this weekend....thanks


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## Cartman

CAJUN THUNDER said:


> cool i'll check academy and heb this weekend....thanks


Tony C's has a creole butter flavor. It's available everywhere.


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## CAJUN THUNDER

Cartman said:


> Tony C's has a creole butter flavor. It's available everywhere.


 i really like the tony c's jalapeno butter..i'll look for it...


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## Cartman

I'm going to add some Slap Yo Mama crawfish seasoning to the creole butter injection. That oughta kick it up a notch.


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## CAJUN THUNDER

Cartman said:


> I'm going to add some Slap Yo Mama crawfish seasoning to the creole butter injection. That oughta kick it up a notch.


 academy has a spicey creole butter i saw...


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## dkmarb

does it make a difference if the turkey is upright (legs sticking up) or lying flat or at an angle (45 degrees)?


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## Clarko

I don't see what difference it would make, as long as you have enough oil to cover the bird. I think you'll have better results if the bird isn't pressed hard against the side of a pot. 

Most turkey pots come with a poultry rack that keeps the bird vertical, off of the bottom and makes the in/out process a lot easier and safer.

I've had several frying pots over the years. I prefer a tall pot with a smaller diameter, rather than the larger ones. (takes less oil)


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