Thanksgiving - Frying a Turkey
Turkey Frying Calculator
Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays here in Montana. Starting last year we added a new tradition to our Thanksgiving festivities - frying a turkey. There are many ways to fry a turkey, but one of the safest and easiest ways to fry a turkey is with an electric fryer. We specifically use the Butterball XL Electric Fryer which is a great electric fryer. It is capable of frying up to a 20 pound turkey and you can use any type of oil you want to fry with. We chose to use canola oil to fry our turkey. This is because canola oil has a high smoke point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit and it is a healthier oil than peanut oil. If we were strictly going for taste, peanut oil would have probably been the better option.
The Butterball XL Electric Fryer is incredibly easy to use. You simply pour 11 Quarts of oil into the fryer and plug the fryer in. Then turn the heat up to max and wait for the green ready light to turn on. Once the green ready light is on, this means the oil is heated up to the correct temperature and you are ready to fry your turkey. Make sure to wipe down the turkey completely and eliminate any moisture left on the bird. Also be sure to fully thaw the turkey before frying. Once your turkey is ready, insert it in the basket and start to lower the turkey into the oil. Once fully lowered into the oil, leave in the oil for 4 minutes per pound of turkey. Our turkey was 16.5 lbs so we fried it for 66 minutes.
Once the turkey is done cooking check the turkey’s temperature and make sure it is fully cooked. You want the internal temperature to be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the turkey stand for 5 to 10 minutes and then start carving it up. If you do everything right, you should have the best turkey you have ever had.
Below are some pictures of me frying the turkey and the finished product.
