I am going to deep-fry a turkey ..
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GB
Chief Eating Officer
No need to brine it, but brining will not hurt anything. Just make sure to dry the bird well before putting it in the oil. I was not crazy about using a dry rub. It was not bad by any means, but it did get darker than I wanted. I would either inject it or add flavors to your brine.
Try doing a dry run with a chicken first to see what you like and don't like.
Try doing a dry run with a chicken first to see what you like and don't like.
QSis
Washing Up
What GB said.
Brining helps protect a bird from drying out when you are cooking with dry heat, usually over a long period of time.
Deep-frying a turkey is a quick cook in very hot oil, so brining isn't warranted.
Patting the turkey as dry as you can get it before you lower it into the oil is VERY important, so keep that in mind after you inject.
Lee
Brining helps protect a bird from drying out when you are cooking with dry heat, usually over a long period of time.
Deep-frying a turkey is a quick cook in very hot oil, so brining isn't warranted.
Patting the turkey as dry as you can get it before you lower it into the oil is VERY important, so keep that in mind after you inject.
Lee
VaporTrail
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2006
- Messages
- 191
Friend of mine does this every year. I don't believe he brines... would have to ask to be sure though.
All I can really contribute (beyond "watch your butt when you put the bird in") is "Make sure you have enough oil before starting."
First year he did the deep fried turkey bit, he didn't have enough oil. (the jug was a 3 gallon, not a 5 gallon like he figured. So we had to run around to four different stores looking for another jug of oil.
All I can really contribute (beyond "watch your butt when you put the bird in") is "Make sure you have enough oil before starting."
First year he did the deep fried turkey bit, he didn't have enough oil. (the jug was a 3 gallon, not a 5 gallon like he figured. So we had to run around to four different stores looking for another jug of oil.
Uncle Bob
Chef Extraordinaire
My Tip....Lower the bird into the pot. Fill with water to about 2 inches above the bird. Take the turkey out. Notice the water level, and mark it somehow (on the outside of the pot) That is how much oil you need! This must be done for each bird because of various weights.
Be Careful & Have Fun!
Be Careful & Have Fun!
Like Uncle Bob mentioned and Alton Brown does as well....
Deep-Fried Turkey Recipe: Recipes: Food Network
Also saw a show today with Paula Deanne about frying turkey so maybe you could look that one up on food network.com
Deep-Fried Turkey Recipe: Recipes: Food Network
Also saw a show today with Paula Deanne about frying turkey so maybe you could look that one up on food network.com
mikki
Sous Chef
We've done this a few years,measure for the oil like uncle bob said, we have always injected the turkey with marinade,have never tried dry rub or brine, if you do brine make sure all the excess water is off and out of the turkey or the oil will go everywhere(had it happen the first time when I didnt tip turkey up to get water out of the inside). This Turkey is addicting, everytime we have fryed one no one can just leave it, everyone usually picks the bones clean while cleaning up. I would love to do it this year, but hubby hunts and doesnt want to come in early to cook. Good luck I hope yours turns out as well as ours has.
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
Just be sure to do it safely no kids or pets around you at all also its good to do it not to close to the house etc as many house fires have occured over a spilled turkey fryer.Make sure your fryer is really stable.Im sure others will have more suggestions on safety
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Yeah I have one to add jpmcgrew...no drinking!
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
One more thing keep a fire extinquisher made for grease fires handy.Hope I haven't scared you off.
mikki
Sous Chef
Drinking + Hot Oil + Big Flame = NOT GOOD
I DARE you to call your homeowners insurance agent and say that!
One of the concepts of deep-frying a turkey (other than decreasing the total cooking time factor and flavor) is to seal in the natural juices ... so brining isn't necessary.
As for brining in general - look at the label on your turkey. If the ingredients say anything other than 100% natural turkey and nothing else (ie. if it includes any mention of sodium, water, broth, etc.) it should not be brined, and I would be a little leary of injecting them with anything containing salt - even if roasting in the oven. They have already been pumped-up, plumped-up and injected with all the salt and water they need. This also goes for "Kosher" turkeys.
Uncle Bob was right about measuring the oil you need before you start. And, when you lower your dried off turkey into the oil - do it slowly! You might also need to do it in stages ... lower it a couple of inches ... wait a few seconds (if ithe oil boils up too much pull it back up out of the oul and wait for the oil to settle down) ... lower a couple more inches ... it depends on the "boiling up" of the oil.
But, since you do fish frys - you've probably got the routine down.
As for brining in general - look at the label on your turkey. If the ingredients say anything other than 100% natural turkey and nothing else (ie. if it includes any mention of sodium, water, broth, etc.) it should not be brined, and I would be a little leary of injecting them with anything containing salt - even if roasting in the oven. They have already been pumped-up, plumped-up and injected with all the salt and water they need. This also goes for "Kosher" turkeys.
Uncle Bob was right about measuring the oil you need before you start. And, when you lower your dried off turkey into the oil - do it slowly! You might also need to do it in stages ... lower it a couple of inches ... wait a few seconds (if ithe oil boils up too much pull it back up out of the oul and wait for the oil to settle down) ... lower a couple more inches ... it depends on the "boiling up" of the oil.
But, since you do fish frys - you've probably got the routine down.
ronjohn55
Head Chef
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,080
A lot of good advice in this thread.
We've had some big discussions in the past on this subject too (Funny, seems to come up every year, right around now. I wonder why????)
Here's one of the older links. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f15/deep-fried-turkey-question-4483.html
John
We've had some big discussions in the past on this subject too (Funny, seems to come up every year, right around now. I wonder why????)
Here's one of the older links. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f15/deep-fried-turkey-question-4483.html
John
Poppinfresh
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2006
- Messages
- 496
All I'm gonna add to this thread is another voice of be very, very careful. I had a buddy that tried this 2 years ago and he ended up setting his house on fire. I'm not even kidding.
Make sure you pull the deep-frying apparatus at least 15 feet from the house before you start (he had it just outside his sliding glass door, under an overhang). Have a fire extinguisher handy, be slow, etc.
I'm still not sure how he ended up creating an oil fire--probably had something to do with something he was coating the bird with--but I'm told it was quite the blaze that came shooting out of his turkey fryer.
Make sure you pull the deep-frying apparatus at least 15 feet from the house before you start (he had it just outside his sliding glass door, under an overhang). Have a fire extinguisher handy, be slow, etc.
I'm still not sure how he ended up creating an oil fire--probably had something to do with something he was coating the bird with--but I'm told it was quite the blaze that came shooting out of his turkey fryer.
AllenOK
Executive Chef
I guess I need to repost my "Ten Commandments to Frying Turkeys" ???
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
Please do.
