You know you’ve been curious about it. You’ve been seeing amazing pictures of your friends and family and colleagues doing it for years on their social media accounts. You’ve thought, “ah, I could have done it this year, but I just didn’t have enough time.” Well now, you can stop wishing and wondering and start doing! This is the year you finally deep fry that turkey, baby! Here are some tips and strategies for you to deploy on your bird frying mission this year. Good luck and have fun.

Safety First!

Yes, deep frying a turkey has its risks. It has the potential to go wrong, but with the right knowhow and some good safety measures (and a little practice!) you can get your turkey fried quickly, easily and safely this year and for years to come. Deep frying a turkey definitely has its benefits as well. It leaves the meat more moist and tender and it cooks in a fraction of the time, as opposed to sitting in the oven taking up valuable real estate all day. Deep frying can help you save time and allow you to sleep in even longer on the big day so that you can be less stressed and more relaxed for the holiday.

Some safety tips to keep in mind:

• Never fry inside.

• Make sure you have at least one fire extinguisher on hand and that they are fully charged and ready to deploy.

• Put the fryer outside and on a sturdy flat surface, like a concrete patio out back. Make sure you are at least 10 feet from the walls of your home.

• Start with a low oil temp, then add the bird then turn the heat up. This prevents oil splashing when you first insert the bird. First 275F then turn heat it to 350F after the bird is in the frying oil.

• Wait until after the bird is safely out of the fryer and the fryer is turned off before enjoying any “adult beverages.”

Items You Will Need

In order to actually deep fry the bird, you will need a few things, of course. 

• 30 quart sized cooking pot
• 3 to 5 gallons of peanut, vegetable, or canola oil (your choice)
• Portable heating element
• Fire resistant gloves
• Deep fryer thermometer
• Instant read food thermometer
• Turkey of your choice

The Step By Step

The process is pretty simple, but can be a bit overwhelming. 

• Measure the amount of oil you will need by placing the turkey into your pot and pouring cold water into the pot until there is about a half inch to one inch of water covering the top of the turkey. Take the turkey out of the pot and mark the level of the water. That will be how much oil you will need. 
• Pat dry your turkey and season the outside with a dry rub or just simply generous amounts of salt and pepper. Make sure there is no excess moisture on the bird. Make sure the bird is as thawed as can be before frying. 
• Get your thermometer ready and clip it to the side of your pot. Pour in the oil and make sure the pot is on the cooking element safely and securely. Bring your oil up to 275F. Slowly lower in the turkey and then turn the heat up until the oil reaches 350F. 
• It should fry for about 45 minutes or 3 minutes per pound. Check with your instant read food thermometer to make sure it is at least 165 to 175 in the thickest part of the bird before consuming. 
• Take the turkey out of the fryer and place it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath. Let it rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. This is a good opportunity to finish your sides and to gather everyone around the table. Once the 20 minutes are up, then it’s time to start slicing! Enjoy your bird!

No matter what you do for your Thanksgiving holiday this year, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season from Better Man Beard.