Deep frying a 22-pound bird... tips?

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11-21-2008, 02:48 PM
Ben Brewcat

Deep frying a 22-pound bird... tips?

The wife brought home a 22-pound turkey for me to fry at our party! I've done lots of smaller (15 range) birds but I think the only other time I did a bigger bird, the skin was somewhat overdone (naturally). Anyone done this? Can I lower the temp of the oil (350 is my usual target for 3.5 mins/lb then until the meat temp says we're clear) and cook longer?

And just to illustrate what a ghetto fryer I am, I've always fried with a coathanger make into a turkey hanger suspended from some old chain I had laying around... this'll be my first year with a frying basket. Steppin' up!
11-21-2008, 03:21 PM
Hambone

Do you brine your bird? I used to not. But now thats the only way I do it. Cooking wise this is what I do. 18 pounds is the biggest one I have done. Here is what I do.

Bring the temperature of the oil to 250 degrees F. Once the temperature has reached 250, lower the gobbler into the oil and bring the temperature to 350 degrees. Once it has reached 350, lower the heat in order to maintain 350 degrees. 3-3.5 minutes per pound is what I basiclly go with. Once the breast reaches 151 degrees, take that bad boy out of the oil and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to carving. The gobbler will reach an internal temperature of 161 degrees F due to carry over cooking.
11-21-2008, 04:26 PM
MapMan

My tip:

Don't burn down your deck and house in the process. :D

MM
11-21-2008, 05:32 PM
magnet-man

So tell us about deep fried turkey.
11-21-2008, 05:43 PM
Bizzybee

I can't say that it has a flavor all that different from roasting. But if done right it retains the moister very well. Which I guess in the end makes for a better bird.

I'm just picturing Ben out back with a fire under a trash can and his coat hanger, hanging over the side.......... :)
11-21-2008, 05:43 PM
cow pollinater

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnet-man

So tell us about deep fried turkey.

Are you wishing you hadn't had your lap band surgery?:doh::D
Sounds pretty good doesn't it? We were going to have a pork shoulder roast for Thanksgiving but this thread has me looking at some of my pretty turkeys in the yard in a new way. We ussually pit them and it isn't really worth the effort but deep fried sounds goooood.:)
11-21-2008, 06:26 PM
magnet-man

Quote:

Originally Posted by cow pollinater

Are you wishing you hadn't had your lap band surgery?:doh::D
Sounds pretty good doesn't it?

Sounds good but not as good as what we are having. Thanksgiving dinner this year will be artichoke soup, crawfish etoufee, french bread and wine. Dessert will be bread pudding, port wine and finally coffee. :D Oh forgot to say that breakfast will be eggs benedict. I can't eat much but I will enjoy what I eat Thanksgiving day. :D

It is good to be from New Orleans!
11-21-2008, 06:35 PM
Bizzybee

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnet-man

crawfish etoufee

:doh: Man I wanted to go get some this week!! Guy from New Orleans has a restaurant near the office that has the best crawfish etoufee on earth!!!! Bet I make it next week!!

Thanks for reminding me!!
11-21-2008, 06:37 PM
Sundance

My only suggestion is to make sure the turkey
is dead......
11-21-2008, 06:47 PM
Hambone

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnet-man

Sounds good but not as good as what we are having. Thanksgiving dinner this year will be artichoke soup, crawfish etoufee, french bread and wine. Dessert will be bread pudding, port wine and finally coffee. :D Oh forgot to say that breakfast will be eggs benedict. I can't eat much but I will enjoy what I eat Thanksgiving day. :D

It is good to be from New Orleans!

I would do anything to trade the same ole to that.
11-22-2008, 08:02 AM
MapMan

22 pounds is a BIG bird. I have one of those large turkey fryers, and I haven't attempted a bird larger than 18. I'd recommend injecting a solution of your choice into the breast in 4-6 locations, also the drumsticks and the thighs. Rub the areas after each injection so the solution doesn't just stay in pockets and flows evenly into the meat.

One year we had about a dozen pheasants and quails which we prepared using different flavored injection solutions and deep fried. These "appetizer" birds were great to snack on prior to the turkey which we later fried - neat to see the flavor differences, from buttery to Cajun-spicy.

This year, I have a 22 pound tom which I am roasting in the oven. This a free-range raised bird, which we buy fresh locally from an Amish farmer friend. This year Sherman is raising about 1200 birds. I've eaten a lot of turkeys in my lifetime, but these are by far the best flavored, moist turkeys we've ever eaten. No more Butterball or store-bought birds for us - we're hooked on locally raised.

MM
11-22-2008, 10:30 AM
Ben Brewcat

Deep frying does leave out some of the flavors that the longer roasting develops, and you can't do cavity stuffing either. But it does make for a very moist bird, and with injection the flavor can be whatever you're hankering for. The skin is crispy and flavorful depending on the oil and the rub. For me the great bit is a lot more moisture and tenderness (and more room for error) than with roasting, plus it's FAST. Lately we've just been doing the rubs and going au naturale rather than injecting.

We're starting with some laying hens for spring 2010; I'm hoping a year or two into it I'll get SWMBO to consider some meat birds too. Unfortunately she just quit her highly lucrative job ($72K) to work here in town for $8 an hour, so the "maybe we need a place with some land" discussion is effectively over. As is the means to being able to fix the truck that lets me do removals :(. Though she will be home an additional 27 hours EVERY week, so that'll be a great thing.
11-22-2008, 12:02 PM
J-Bees

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Brewcat

. As is the means to being able to fix the truck that lets me do removals :(. Though she will be home an additional 27 hours EVERY week, so that'll be a great thing.

Ben;

There is a whole lot of things you can now start doing with that extra 27 hours yano:}:}

Bee's arn't everything:}:}

JB:}
11-26-2008, 05:57 PM
Ruben

The only time I will recommend deep frying turkey is if they are as big as you have. Personally a 14 lb turkey brined on a smokeror in the oven is my recommendation.
11-26-2008, 07:02 PM
Scrapfe

Hoppin John

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzybee

Guy from New Orleans has a restaurant near the office that has the best crawfish etoufee on earth!!!!

How's his Hoppin John??? :thumbsup:
11-26-2008, 07:20 PM
Bizzybee

Went over there day before yesterday. First time I have been there in a while and they had a buffet set up. I passed on the etoufee for that. WOOOOOWWWWWW Was it GOOD! Made a dang pig out of myself for sure!! Won't have to eat agin til tomorrow! :)

No hoppers but I love those too. :)
11-26-2008, 07:22 PM
BEES4U

Be safe if you are going to do it!

FYI: Be sure that the bird is not frozen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA71ZEmOQko

I helped with a deep fried turkey once. The flovor was not as good as the oven baked ones!
Ernie
11-26-2008, 08:41 PM
Zane

Regarding your frying-I was lookin for a brine recipe and found an interesting set of video's from "Alton Brown" he's the food channel science nerdy guy. He makes some excellent suggestions on frying turkeys. They where my tube videos. Just do a search for brining turkey or Alton Brown.
The brine I did was Honey, salt, apple cider, rosemary, lavender and a few apples cut up. I brined 2 birds. The wild bird I smoked- mmm gooood the other I roasted. It was good too. The brine sure seemed to keep it more moist than my past bird(they wherent dry in the past, just juicier now!)
Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving.
I had mine Sunday since I GET to work tomorrow!!!!
11-26-2008, 08:52 PM
Hambone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zane

Regarding your frying-I was lookin for a brine recipe and found an interesting set of video's from "Alton Brown" he's the food channel science nerdy guy. He makes some excellent suggestions on frying turkeys. They where my tube videos. Just do a search for brining turkey or Alton Brown.
The brine I did was Honey, salt, apple cider, rosemary, lavender and a few apples cut up. I brined 2 birds. The wild bird I smoked- mmm gooood the other I roasted. It was good too. The brine sure seemed to keep it more moist than my past bird(they wherent dry in the past, just juicier now!)
Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving.
I had mine Sunday since I GET to work tomorrow!!!!

I love Alton Brown. I like the science part of the cooking. I use his method on frying. On the brine I change it up. There is good reading on brines from smokinokies 101 guides. On cookshack.com If ya'll have never used a brine. Read up on it and try it. You will love it.
11-26-2008, 10:21 PM
Hambone

Quote:

Originally Posted by BEES4U

FYI: Be sure that the bird is not frozen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA71ZEmOQko
Ernie

That's how I sear the outside quickly. :D They did have it fired up to 500 deg though. But you really do need to be careful frying. I do what the Boy Scouts taught me. Be Prepared.