I must be one of the last Americans who have never tasted fried turkey. Gonna do one up Thurs and can't decide whether to inject it with some kind of mixture or just rub it and throw it in. Any suggestions for seasoning/flavor???
That title could have been anything. I have never cooked a turkey, but I would guess injecting would be less work, more time for adult beverages of your choice. :up:
Brine it overnight. Make sure it is dry before frying. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35148,00.html Brining works great for roasting also.
tcas.....I appreciate the link and advice, but if I can't slap some shit on it or stick a huge syringe of juice (which is weird to me) in it and throw it in oil for a short while then I ain't tryin to hear it. Thats why my girlfriend, mom, and aunt do all the cooking. Thank god we'll still have a reg turkey to fall back on if it goes to hell.
Inject it, try different seasonings on each side of bird. Before you do that put the bird in the empty cooker and put water in to determine oil level, it takes alot less oil than you think, and you dont want the oil bubbleing over the sides of the pot when you put the bird in. Use peanut oil, its almost impossible to burn. Good luck, its easy, and you can bet money there will be more of moms and girlfriends turkey leftover than the fried one.
The Good Eats where alton does the fried turkey was a good show, did you see the demo where they intentionally dropped one into a pot that was overfull!!! YIKES!!! that fire was crazy! just be careful!!!
Yeah, what they said. Keep a fire extinguisher handy just in case, and fry it out away from your house!! Also, make sure you have a good thick set of gloves, that come up past your wrists. When that ice cold turkey hits 400 degree oil, there is a major reaction, and often times oil flies out. My buddy has a couple of small permanent burn scars from his first turkey frying attempt. But trust me, if you do it right, it is definitely worth it. The turkey doesn't take anywhere nearly as long to cook, and it comes out about as juicy and tender as possible. Definitely worth it! :up:
Make sure you have a thermometer and keep the bird at 400 degrees. Resist the temptation to pull the bird out before it's time. it needs to be in a full 45 minutes before you start screwing around with it.
Be sure to wear safety glasses....burns to the skin are one thing but any little droplet of hot oil to the eye and you'll be done for.
I think we need to have a talk with Paul I have done the deep frying thing with pop for years, and here is the reality... #1 - For the best results, use a bird that is 11lbs or less, and has popper. #2 - Never heat the oil past 300 degrees. One, it only makes the initial drop that much more dangerous, and two, anything hotter and you will essentially cook the skin too fast. Once you drop the bird the thermometer will drop considerably, but will rise back to temp shortly. #3. I rub the outside with salt, cracked pepper, seasoning salt, and a little oregano. No need to put a bunch of fancy stuff in it. #4 - Cook the bird between 285-300. If it's a cold day (OUTSIDE - yes you need to do this outside LEVER) the temp will fluctuate. When the bird is done, the popper will pop. #5 - The reason for the low cooking temp is so that the outer portion of the bird does not burn. This takes longer, but ensures that the white meat does not dry out.
Oh yeah, and for best results, DO NOT use peanut oil. Go to a bakers shop and get a big block of shortening and render it for the oil. Or, you can go to Wal Mart and buy a bucket of Lard, or several small buckets of Crisco. The shortening and Lard produce the same great results. The peanut oil does not fry well.
