My quest for the prefect turkey (turkey fryer)

[timmae]

Ok fellas... I have had a huge spread for thanksgiving day for the last 15 years for family. It's a small group but we have enough food to last for a few meals afterwards and includes an 18 pound bird. I have typically roasted the turkey in a Nesco roaster but this year I have invested in a CharBroil The Big Easy Oil-less Turkey Fryer.

To make sure all goes according to plan on Thursday I am frying up a test turkey today. Per instructions from CharBroil they state that the housing needs to be tempered with vegatable oil and fried off to get the fryer ready for frying foods. I'll be doing that this morning and then put the turkey in mid afternoon.

Wish me luck. If anyone has any experience with using an oil-less fryer for turkey please share tips.

[cartman]

Haven't had any experience with an oil-less fryer. I've only done them the old-fashioned way. When Antmeister and Lorena came down a few Thanksgivings back, they saw the set up I used for doing the frying.

[timmae]

Well, the housing is now seasoned... one coat of vegatable oil that was fried off in about 15 minutes. The metal is now a dark shade of bronze. Turkey will be placed in in about 2 hours.

[cartman]

I'm interested in how it turns out. I've wondered how one prepared this way compares with one that is submersion fried. If it is similar, I'll look into one of these, as buying all that peanut oil for a big fryer gets expensive.

[timmae]

I also picked up some tools for doing ribs. People have said you can use the fryer to smoke them but I am uncertain how the open mesh top would work for smoking. I'll be trying out a bunch of different meats for sure.

[tarcone]

Did you infuse it wil the injectiable flavors? The garlic one is outstanding and really makes the bird tasty.

[Desnudo]

I had no idea that product even existed. Sounds great if it works.

[timmae]

The fryer worked great! We put the thawed turkey in at 2pm with no brine, rub, oil or anything. 3 hours later the things was fully cooked (180 degrees) and the skin was nice and crispy. Let it sit for 20 minutes, sliced it up, and had some great sliced turkey and turkey sandwiches. Cleanup consisted of tossing out the bottom aluminum container with all the drippings (I know, it could have been awesome gravy) and wiping down the fryer. Couldn't have been easier. I am liking the oil-less fryer. Can't wait to use it with our brined turkey on Thursday.

[Kodos]

Here's your prefect.

[flere-imsaho]

Glad it worked out!

This year we're doing two turkeys in the smoker for the second year in a row. Probably in the snow, as well.

Prior to that I used to do the turkey on the grill, but the smoker makes it even easier (mainly because it holds its temp pretty much as easily as an oven).

[timmae]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Here's your prefect.

lol, so awesome... damn fat fingers.

[Desnudo]

Bought one of these Tuesday. I have an 18 pounder loaded up covered in thsi marinade:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Deep-Fr...r_results_p1i1

[nilodor]

How different is this from microwaving food? Is it the same wavelengths?

[Desnudo]

It's hooked up to a propane tank. According to the website it gets up to around 500 degrees. I think you're essentially cooking it through indirect heat.

http://www.charbroil.com/the-big-eas...-14101480.html

[timmae]

I cooked the 2nd turkey yesterday. This one I did a 36 hour brine. Great taste and was able to get a nice crispy skin. I will be using this for Thanksgiving turkey from now on. Cooked a 17 lb turkey in just over 3 hours in 20 degree temps. Easy cleanup. Great product!