deep frying a turkey: tell me what not to do

[teef]

for the first time this year i'll be deep frying a turkey.  i'm not going to get too elaborate...just a rub on it and into the fryer it goes.  i'm just looking for what not to do.  i definitely know to make sure the turkey isn't frozen, and to dry it off as much as possible, but anything else i should look out for?   i'm also looking for any suggestions concerning the wind.  apparently it could be windy, and someone said it will throw off the cooking temp.  i won't fry it in the garage, so has anyone had success blocking the wind somehow? the youtube vids got be bored so i figured i'd ask the experts.  

[Gugny]

If it gets too windy, just dump some water in it.  You'll forget about that wind in no time.

[Seasons1992]

1 minute ago, Gugny said:

If it gets too windy, just dump some water in it.  You'll forget about that wind in no time.

 

 

 

The key is 3 minutes a pound. Monitor that ***t. 

Don't have kids running around the kettle/gas hose. 

You can put foil around the fire ring to help knock down wind. I wouldn't overly worry about it, provided it's a good BTU producer. 

 

[eball]

Check your propane supply before you start (there's nothing worse than running out of gas 1/2-way into a cook).

[teef]

4 minutes ago, Gugny said:

If it gets too windy, just dump some water in it.  You'll forget about that wind in no time.

i plan on doing this without my shirt on.

1 minute ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

 

 

The key is 3 minutes a pound. Monitor that ***t. 

Don't have kids running around the kettle/gas hose. 

You can put foil around the fire ring to help knock down wind. I wouldn't overly worry about it, provided it's a good BTU producer. 

 

someone did suggest this.  it pumps out heat, but someone made it sound like the wind will stop the oil from getting to 350.  good to know it shouldn't be much of an issue.

 

as of now 1 have 6 gallons of peanut oil.  from what i've read that should be enough, but i haven't had time to check displacement with the turkey.

2 minutes ago, eball said:

Check your propane supply before you start (there's nothing worse than running out of gas 1/2-way into a cook).

already filled up a second propane tank to have on standby.  

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Quote

deep frying a turkey: tell me what not to do

Blow yourself up!!! 

 

[Steve O]

Saw some folks a couple years ago deep frying a turkey in a parking lot near some folks playing beer-pong. Think they were all part of the same tailgaite group. What could possible go wrong? Fortunately nothing did.

[Jauronimo]

I saw some guys deep fry a turkey in lot 4 a couple of years ago.  Their steps.

 

1. Fill a pot with oil to the brim

2. Turn heat on as high as it goes

3. Slowly lower turkey into pot.  

Note: Excess oil will overflow, drip down into the flame, and run all over the parking lot.  This is perfectly normal. Do NOT be alarmed.

4. Cheer wildly

 

I didn't see the rest as I got the hell out of there, but I didn't see any burned out cars when I got back so I assume it worked out.

[Doc]

Hopefully it’s an electric one. As long as you make sure the area is free from traffic, don’t fill the oil past the fill line and don’t put anything frozen in there, you should be good.

[KD in CA]

14 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

I saw some guys deep fry a turkey in lot 4 a couple of years ago.  Their steps.

 

1. Fill a pot with oil to the brim

2. Turn heat on as high as it goes

3. Slowly lower turkey into pot.  

Note: Excess oil will overflow, drip down into the flame, and run all over the parking lot.  This is perfectly normal. Do NOT be alarmed.

4. Cheer wildly

 

I didn't see the rest as I got the hell out of there, but I didn't see any burned out cars when I got back so I assume it worked out.

 

I thought you were supposed to drop the turkey in quickly so it can start cooking evenly.

[Jauronimo]

1 minute ago, KD in CA said:

 

I thought you were supposed to drop the turkey in quickly so it can start cooking evenly.

When the hot oil is overflowing the pot it is best to go slow. Safety first!

 

I am still amazed that they didn't start a parking lot wide grease fire which consumed 50 cars.

[Gordio]

1 hour ago, teef said:

for the first time this year i'll be deep frying a turkey.  i'm not going to get too elaborate...just a rub on it and into the fryer it goes.  i'm just looking for what not to do.  i definitely know to make sure the turkey isn't frozen, and to dry it off as much as possible, but anything else i should look out for?   i'm also looking for any suggestions concerning the wind.  apparently it could be windy, and someone said it will throw off the cooking temp.  i won't fry it in the garage, so has anyone had success blocking the wind somehow? the youtube vids got be bored so i figured i'd ask the experts.  

 

 

We go over my sisters every year & my sister cooks a regular turkey in the oven & her husband deep fries a turkey.  The deep fried turkey is 10xs better.  He puts a Cajun rub on it.  Doesn't seem to complicated, I would just keep an eye on the temperature gage.  

[Gugny]

33 minutes ago, Doc said:

Hopefully it’s an electric one. As long as you make sure the area is free from traffic, don’t fill the oil past the fill line and don’t put anything frozen in there, you should be good.

 

My God, you're boring.  Live a little, would ya?!?!?!?

[Gordio]

36 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

I saw some guys deep fry a turkey in lot 4 a couple of years ago.  Their steps.

 

1. Fill a pot with oil to the brim

2. Turn heat on as high as it goes

3. Slowly lower turkey into pot.  

Note: Excess oil will overflow, drip down into the flame, and run all over the parking lot.  This is perfectly normal. Do NOT be alarmed.

4. Cheer wildly

 

I didn't see the rest as I got the hell out of there, but I didn't see any burned out cars when I got back so I assume it worked out.

 

 

About 10 years go or so we were tailgating for a Monday night football against the Browns.  We decided to deep fry a turkey.  Seemed like a good idea.  The tailgate & the deep frying went pretty well.  I had my FIL's pickup truck.  When we were done, before we were going into the game I was going to dump the oil out by this trash bin but one of the girls we were with started yelling at me, saying that is disgusting so I loaded the deep fryer with the oil back in the truck.  I remember Cleveland beat us on like a 55 yard FG & I was really ticked off.  Edwards threw a few picks that game.  I remember pulling out of the lot & thinking to myself, your upset right now, just leave the deep fryer in the truck & worry about it in the morning when you get home.  Well I didn't follow my own advice, tried to take the deep fryer out of the truck(I had a few drinks in me that night) & of course I spilled the deep fryer & all the oil went all over my driveway.  Of course my friends were laughing their asses off & drove off.  So I took the hose out from the garage & was spraying like crazy hoping this comes off.  My wife comes out(it was 12:30 at night) & says what are you doing?  & of course I told her to mind her own business & get the f*ck back in the house.  So of course she ended up locking me out of the house.  I had to sleep in my FIL truck.  It was like 20 degrees that night too.  Since then I have never brought a deep fryer to the Bills game.  

[teef]

1 hour ago, SlimShady'sGhost said:

Blow yourself up!!! 

 

my wife has the most to gain if this happens.  if you don't see me on here again, look in her direction.  

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

I saw some guys deep fry a turkey in lot 4 a couple of years ago.  Their steps.

 

1. Fill a pot with oil to the brim

2. Turn heat on as high as it goes

3. Slowly lower turkey into pot.  

Note: Excess oil will overflow, drip down into the flame, and run all over the parking lot.  This is perfectly normal. Do NOT be alarmed.

4. Cheer wildly

 

I didn't see the rest as I got the hell out of there, but I didn't see any burned out cars when I got back so I assume it worked out.

deep down inside, this is really what i'd like to do.  the fear of bodily harm and damage to my property is hold me back...a bit.

[DrDawkinstein]

I've been involved in many a turkey frying. There are 2 or 3 memorable times where I'm still surprised we didnt burn down a house/garage/building, and all got out unscathed.

 

Biggest mistake is over-filling the fryer. If you do and are lucky, the oil runs down the sides and may only catch on fire. If you are unlucky, the oil treats the hollow bird like a cannon and you get a jet of hot oil shooting straight out the turkey's ass at everyone standing around. That's fun game. Dodge the hot oil jet.

 

Bonus for getting to clean up the congealed oil from your driveway after it cools down the next day. So find a place where you dont have to worry about mess.

[frostbitmic]

Don't cook it for so long you break a tooth ... finding a Dentist on Thanksgiving is a B word.

[Seasons1992]

44 minutes ago, teef said:

my wife has the most to gain if this happens.  if you don't see me on here again, look in her direction.  

 

Pic?

[teef]

18 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

Pic?

of my crispy corpse?

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, teef said:

my wife has the most to gain if this happens.  if you don't see me on here again, look in her direction.  

deep down inside, this is really what i'd like to do.  the fear of bodily harm and damage to my property is hold me back...a bit.

 

do you have a yard?  a fire pit?  

 

move the fire pit and place it there.    And don't over fill it.