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Thread: Need Advice For Deep Frying A Wild Turkey

  1. #1
    Getting the hang of it

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    Default Need Advice For Deep Frying A Wild Turkey

    Anyone who has any tips or info on the process would be greatly appreciated. This will be my first time and I am just curious as to how folks on here like to do it. Any thoughts on cook time, best type of oil, etc....

    The Stats:
    -16lb bird
    -no skin
    -I will be doing this outdoors in my deep fryer.

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  3. #2
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    Believe they estimate 3 mins per every pound of bird.........but a good thermometer would be a good idea as well....temp wise I dunno may have to google that one.....we do one at teh camp usually but its never me doin it.

    good idea on doin it outside......cause it can get outta control in a hurry if something were to happen

  4. #3
    Has too much time on their hands

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    I done it a few time at the camp.

    Brine it for 24 hours in cold water and salt.
    Attach a steel wire to the feet so you can lift it out when needed.
    325/375 deg
    3 minutes/lbs.
    Buy one of those huge paper bag, the one you use for the tree leafs in the fall, and throw the turkey in when cooked to suck up the extra oil and to keep it warm.

    Also, after the turkey is cooked use the oil to make French fries or wedges it only takes 5 to 10 minutes......


    Not too sure without the skin though. I don't really understand why you would do that unless you wanted to cut it in pieces and slow cook it or make jerky and so on.... I have the feeling that you will lose the meat in contact with the oil but it won't be much.

    Bonne ap.....

  5. #4
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    One more thing, to know the amount of oil you need.
    Put the turkey in the fryer.
    Add enough water to make sure you cover the turkey.
    Remove the turkey and mark the water level.
    Remove the water and replace it by oil up to the mark.

  6. #5
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    Deep Fried Turkey: Part 1 of 2
    Wiley Mixon's Ten Commandments of Frying Turkeys Keep these rules handy if you are planning to fry a turkey. These rules are critical to enjoy the deep fried turkey experience.
    Posted by Paul Schleer (aka Juggy D. Beerman). Originally appeared on Stu Carpenters Outdoor Cooking list.
    “1) Don't get too big a turkey. The average pot that comes with these frying kits will hold about a 12 to 14 pound turkey. If that isn't enough, do two turkeys instead of trying to pack a huge one in a little pot.
    2) Always fry your turkey outside on a flat even surface. Don't let kids or pets around while you are cooking. It might be a good idea to find a chair for drunk uncle Bubba to sit in also.
    3) Be prepared in case of an accident. Fire extinguisher...good idea. Water hose...probably bad idea. If the pot tips over and catches fire, where is the burning oil going to go??? Under your car? Down through the gaps between the boards of your wooden deck? It is best to do this out in the yard or on a driveway. Get a piece of plywood to set it on and that will help keep splattering oil of off your grass or driveway.
    4) Know how much oil you will need. Don't fill the pot up and get it to 365° and then try to put a turkey in it. If you do then you need to re-read #3 because about 1/2 of that oil will leave the pot. A good tried and true way of figuring the amount of oil is the water method. Put the raw turkey in the pot and fill it with water just until the turkey is almost underwater. Now take the turkey out and mark where the water level is. That is the amount of oil you will need.
    5) Get rid of all the water. Before you fill the pot with oil dry it as good as you can. That goes the same for the turkey. Pat it dry with paper towels. Shake it around to get the water out of the cavity. Hot oil and water do not mix very well.
    6) Use good clean oil. Peanut oil is usually the preferred oil in that in can withstand the higher temp.'s better then other oils. Regular oil can be used but I spend the couple extra bucks and get peanut oil. You can use it for quite a while if you take care of it. Get a filter of some kind and use it. They can be bought all over the place and are made just for this. I found that coffee filters do not work unless you have about 6 days to kill filtering oil.
    7) Wear thick leather gloves. When you are lowering that turkey into the oil you will get some splattering so expect it. Our natural instinct when something very hot hits our hand is to pull it away. Ok...you get splattered... you let go of turkey to pull hand away...turkey now PLUNGES into boiling oil...you are on your way to the hospital to get new skin on both of your legs. Just get some good thick gloves. Also watch out for that hole where the neck was. Oil will gush out of that like a volcano.
    8) TURN THE FIRE OFF. This has to be the one thing I really try to do. After you get the oil up to temp. and are ready to lower the turkey in, turn the burner of first. 99% of the time you will have some oil splash over the side. With the fire off all you got now is a little mess (but you have a piece of plywood down just for the messes, right) instead of the possibility of a flare up. Once the turkey is in and the oil has settled down re-light the burner. Remember, you do not have to have the flame at it's highest. Once the oil heats up it doesn't take too much to keep it hot with the exception of outside temp. and wind. That is just something you will have to figure out.
    9) Go slow. Don't just try to lower the turkey in the oil in a few seconds. Take your time. Lower it in a couple of inches and then raise it up just a little. Lower it in a little farther and then back up a little. When the turkey is a little over half way in kind of tilt it a little to each side. This will let any air pockets out and you won't have a big splash of oil when an air bubble comes out. Never leave the turkey by itself. Always have someone there watching (except drunk uncle Bubba) just in case something happens. Going slow also applies to taking the turkey out. Don't just yank it out and splash oil on everyone who will now be out there wondering when it will be ready. Take it out slow and let the oil drain out of the cavity back into the pot. Make sure that you have the turkey high enough so that it won't hit the lip of the pot when you swing it around to sit it on something.
    10) Know when the turkey is done. The general rule is 3.5 minutes per pound. That usually works real well but I take the internal temp, also. I will raise it up (or have someone else raise it) about 1/2 way out of the oil and take the temp. in the breast. It should read 165 to 170 and I will consider that bird done. Take it out and let it sit for about 15 minutes and carve it up."
    The only thing I would add to what Wiley has written is if you have never deep fried a turkey before, don't wait until Thanksgiving Day to fry your first turkey. Do a trial run in advance so you have an idea of what to expect when you have guests waiting for dinner. “

  7. #6
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    Deep Fried Turkey: Part 2 of 2. Be sure you have a copy of the Ten Commandments of Frying Turkeys and read them well. They were in last week’s paper.
    Equipment Required:
    Pot and Rack: You need a 30 to 40 litre turkey frying pot with a turkey rack or strainer insert. Almost all commercial pots are about 11 inches in diameter and 15 inches tall. You can easily fry up to a 13-14 pound turkey in an 11 inch diameter pot. The taller the pot; the better.
    Thermometer: You also need a long shank thermometer for monitoring the temperature of the oil, and I like to insert one in the breast to monitor internal temperature of the turkey.
    Burner: You also need an outdoor propane burner, regulator and propane gas tank.
    Injection syringe: Get one from a BBQ retailer or from a farm supply store. About 1 oz capacity is a good size for most home needs.
    The first thing to do is to place the fresh turkey in the pot and fill it with water to just cover the bird. Remove the turkey allowing it to drain into the pot. Mark the water level on the pot. This mark will indicate the quantity of oil required to cook the bird. Do this the day before you plan to cook.
    Next, mix the marinade:
    Marinade
    ¼ cup butter
    ¾ cup finely chopped onions
    ¼ cup finely chopped celery
    3 T minced garlic
    2 T finely chopped hot peppers
    4 t salt
    1 T cayenne
    1 t black pepper
    2 T Worcestershire Sauce
    ½ cup chicken stock

    Heat ingredients and simmer till all are softened; purée with a blender and cool.
    Inject Marinade: Inject about 1 oz marinade per pound of turkey. Use an injecting syringe. They hold about 1 oz and have a needle with holes on the sides just below the tip. Inject into the breast, thighs, legs and wings. Pour any remaining marinade into the cavity of the turkey and rub the turkey inside and out with a Cajun spice mix.
    Ingredients: Cajun Spice Mix
    • table salt, 4 oz
    • cayenne pepper,1 T
    • black pepper, 2 t
    • onion powder, 1 ½ t
    • garlic powder, 1 ½ t
    • chili powder, 1 ½ t
    • thyme, ½ t
    • sweet basil, ½ t
    • bay leaf, ½ t
    Refrigerate the injected and seasoned turkey overnight.
    Cooking: Next day, fill the pot with canola oil or peanut oil to the mark you made. Drain the marinated turkey and pat dry. REREAD THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF TURKEY FRYING. Heat the oil to 350º and TURN THE BURNER OFF! Slowly and gently lower the turkey in the basket or on the stem into the hot oil until it is covered and the vigorous boiling has subsided. Relight the burner and return the oil to 350º. Cook for about 3 to 3 ½ minutes per pound of turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the breast is 160 - 170º or higher.
    Serving: Place the turkey on a pile of brown paper bags in a pan for about 20 minutes covered with foil then slice and serve. Deep fried turkey is a sensational dining experience.
    Last edited by bbqguy; February 25th, 2014 at 12:59 PM.

  8. #7
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    Do not try to deep fry anything that is wet or frozen!!!

  9. #8
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    Our family does quite a few turkey cooks in the summer. We do the two-man lower with the bird suspended in the middle of a hockey stick. If there is an eruption or boil over, everyone is well out of the way of the oil volcano. Go slow and if it starts bubbling up, raise it up a bit until it settles down.

    I never thought it would have to be said but since I witnessed it, please drink and fry responsibly. I saw a guy that had one too many pops trip and stumble into a turkey burner, dumping everything on his arms and chest. It wasn't pretty.
    Get the net...Get the net...Get the net!

  10. #9
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    I think that's the reason most of the big pots for outdoor cooking are labeled everything except "turkey fryers" Weasel words to avoid the liability associated with large quantities of hot oil.
    Be very, very careful with turkey frying!!!

  11. #10
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    I also do the 2 man lowering thing, the last one I did I cut the legs and thighs off so that it fit in the pot better. The legs and thighs I stewed down to tenderize and made a soup/stew.

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