The USDA notes that turkey needs to be fried at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so you need to use an oil that has a smoke point higher than 350 F. The USDA lists the smoke points of oils that can be used for deep-frying: Olive, sesame seed, corn and sunflower oil: 410 F.
How much oil do you use to cook a turkey?
Fill the pot with peanut or canola oil up to the mark you made earlier—you’ll need 4 to 5 gallons to fry a 12- to 14-pound turkey in a 30-quart pot. Turn the burner on, adjust the heat to moderately high, and heat the oil until the thermometer registers 375°F.
What is the best oil to cook a turkey?
Peanut oil is the best oil for deep frying turkey because its high flash point makes it less likely to catch on fire. The best oil for fried turkey should also be low in saturated fat because the turkey will absorb a small amount of oil as it cooks.
Should turkey be completely submerged in oil?
When working with large amounts of hot oil, select a cooking vessel large enough to completely submerge the turkey without it spilling over. The oil should cover the turkey by 1 to 2 inches. Select a safe location outdoors for deep fat frying a turkey. Heat the cooking oil to 350°F.
Can you put vegetable oil on turkey?
Deep-frying makes the turkey crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside (even the white meat). It also leaves the heat outside! You can deep-fry the turkey in either peanut or vegetable oil, your choice.
How much oil do I need for an 18 pound turkey?
Luckily, we’ve got the answer! For small turkeys around 9 pounds, use 3-4 gallons of oil. For medium size turkeys around 12-14 pounds, use 4-5 gallons of oil. For larger turkeys up to 22 pounds, use 5-6 gallons of oil.
How long do you bake a turkey?
Calculate turkey cooking time and temperature. The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.
Can you fry a turkey in olive oil?
During the holidays, turkeys are often a challenge for the occasional cook. But olive oil offers numerous ways to help turn this dry bird into a moist marvel of the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Can I use canola oil to fry a turkey?
Canola oil is recommended because of its high smoke point and low allergy concerns. The ideal frying temperature is 375°F. Once you submerge the turkey, the oil temperature will drop.
What other oil can I use to fry a turkey?
Good oils for frying turkeys include peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.
What if turkey is not fully submerged?
If your turkey isn’t fully submerged, add more brine solution (1/4 cup salt to 1 quart water) until the turkey is covered. Let sit in the fridge for 12-18 hours. Pat the inside and outside dry with a paper towel, and let dry, uncovered, for 1-2 hours before roasting.
Do you fry a turkey at 325 or 350?
Heat oil in pot (allow enough room in pot for turkey to be placed, too much oil will cause overflow), bring oil to at least 375 degrees F. Placement of turkey will bring temperature down and you will want to keep temperature at 325 degrees F. while cooking.
Why did my turkey turn black in the deep fryer?
The general consensus around the fryer was that the blackness was caused by the sugar in the rub.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one.
- Brine the turkey.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely, or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down at first.
- Don’t overcook it.
- Let the turkey rest before carving.
Should I cover my turkey with foil while cooking?
To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.
Should I put butter on my turkey?
Don’t butter your bird
Placing butter under the skin won’t make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt.
How long do you cook a Butterball turkey?
Place pan in oven; reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Roast 3 to 3½ hours or until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into deepest part of thigh not touching bone. Cover breast and top of drumsticks loosely with foil about two-thirds of the way through roasting to prevent overbrowning, if needed.
How long do you cook a Butterball turkey per pound?
Set the timer and cook the turkey about 3 to 4 minutes per pound. Cook all dark meat to an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F, and all white meat to an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F. Here’s some help on how to check your turkey’s temperature for doneness.
What temperature should the oil be to deep fry a turkey?
Deep-Fried Turkey Temperature
Make sure your oil is heated to 350 degrees F throughout the cooking process. At this temperature, your 10-pound turkey should be done in about 35 minutes.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?
Place on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast-side up on top of the vegetables. Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy.
Do you cover a turkey when cooking?
Always cook your turkey until the skin is a light golden color. Cover your roasting pan with a lid or foil and cook covered for 2 hours (depending on size of your bird) and uncovered for the remaining time. Baste your turkey every half hour or so.
How long should a turkey rest for?
Thanksgiving Help Line
Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.
Should I put olive oil on my turkey?
Some people swear by basting, but every time you open the oven door to baste, you let the heat out. Basting also gives you a less crisp skin. Instead of basting, rub fat (butter, olive oil or coconut oil, for example) all over the bird just before you tuck it into the oven.
Should you baste a turkey in the oven?
Do Not Baste. Basting the skin is not necessary to flavor the meat. You’ll flavor the skin, but you’ll also let heat out of the oven each time you open it to baste. “That means the bird is going to be in there for a longer time cooking, which means it’s going to dry out more,” Brown says.
What kind of oil is best for frying?
So what is the best oil for frying? The answer is simple: If you’re frying at home, you’ll probably want to use vegetable oil. While vegetable oil is a term that can be applied to any plant-based oil, what we’re talking about are the bottles that spell out “vegetable oil” on the label.
How long do you deep fry a 14 pound turkey?
It’s going to take about 45 minutes for an average-size bird of 14 to 15 pounds. And unlike cooking one in the oven, when you deep fry a turkey, you don’t have to baste it. So you’re not going to pull it up.
How long do you fry a turkey?
When the oil reaches the target temperature, slowly lower the turkey and basket into the fryer. Set the timer for 3 to 4 minutes per pound. For example, if you’re trying to decide how long to deep fry a 20 pound turkey, 3 x 20 = 60 minutes minimum. Turkey fry time for a 10 pound bird should be 30 to 40 minutes.
Can you use vegetable oil to deep-fry?
There’s no one oil that’s best for deep-frying, although vegetable, canola, sunflower and rice bran oil are all good, as they can be heated to high temperatures without burning.
How many times can you use peanut oil to fry a turkey?
Peanut oil can usually be used three or four times to fry turkeys before it shows signs of going bad, according to the Texas Peanut Producers Board via The National Turkey Federation. Watch for foaming, darkening or smoking excessively — these are all signs that your oil has gone rancid and needs to be discarded.
Can you leave a frozen turkey out overnight?
Can you leave a turkey out to thaw overnight, perhaps? The short answer is no. Here are the wrong ways to thaw your bird and the safest way to thaw a turkey.
When should I take turkey out of fridge?
First, Bring Your Bird to Room Temp
Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you’re ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.
Can you cook a turkey if it is still partially frozen?
It’s perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey — you just need to allow some extra cooking time. Estimate 50 percent longer cooking time for a completely frozen turkey and around 25 percent longer for a partially frozen turkey.
How long does it take to fry a 15lb turkey?
Once the temperature of the oil has reached 350°F (180°C), slowly and gently lower the turkey into the oil. SLOWLY AND GENTLY. Fry the turkey for 3 minutes per pound (455 grams). For a 15 lb (6.8 kg) turkey, this will take 45 minutes.
How long does it take to fry a 16 pound turkey?
How long does it take to deep fry a turkey? Remember this rule of thumb when learning how to deep fry a turkey: each pound of turkey needs about 3 to 4 minutes to cook. That means a 12 pound turkey can take about 45 minutes, and a 16 pound turkey can take almost an hour!
How long do you deep fry a 13 lb turkey?
Once the turkey has been submerged in the hot oil, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per pound. Fry turkeys that are 10 to 13 pounds for 3 minutes per pound, and for turkeys from 14 to 20 pounds, cook for 3 1/2 minutes per pound. A 10-pound turkey will take about 30 minutes.
How unhealthy is a deep fried turkey?
Consider the nutrition facts. Deep-fried turkey: 3.5 ounces has about 190 calories and 11 grams of fat, Roasted turkey breast: 3.5 ounces has about 165 calories and 7 grams of fat. Skinless roasted turkey breast: 3.5 ounces has about 140 calories and 3.5 grams of fat.
How do you tell if fried turkey is done?
The turkey must be checked for proper doneness using a meat thermometer. The breast should reach 170°F and the thigh should reach 180°F. If the turkey is not done, return it to the hot oil and cook it for an additional 5 minutes.
How do I make my fried turkey skin crispy?
Top 5 Biggest Tips For Deep Fried Turkey
- Do not heat the oil over 325 degrees F.
- Fully thaw and dry off the turkey before frying.
- SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil.
- Fry the turkey for 3 minutes per pound and check the internal temperature after about 20 minutes.
How do you keep a turkey from drying out in the oven?
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry.
Why is my turkey always dry?
If they drool before they eat, the meat will be juicier. The second reason turkey is dry is because it is almost never salty enough. Unless you brined your turkey in a bucket for days in advance, then there is no way to permeate the inner meat with salt.
Is it better to cook a turkey breast up or down?
The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it’s very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.
How often should I baste my turkey?
Most recipes will tell you to baste your turkey every thirty minutes. But our rule of thumb is actually every forty minutes, and here’s why. You don’t want to open the oven too many times, or else the whole bird will take much long to cook, and that’s a huge inconvenience.
How do you prepare a turkey the night before?
Place the turkey in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one or two days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.
How long do you leave the foil on the turkey?
For stuffed turkey, add 30 minutes to roasting time. To brown turkey, remove foil tent after 1 hour of roasting. For easy slicing, cover turkey with foil and let stand 15 minutes.
Does turkey need butter or oil?
Once you’ve carefully dried off the skin, the next step you can take to guarantee perfectly crispy turkey skin is to rub it with a fat, like butter or oil. Oil will yield a crispier skin than butter because butter is at least 20 percent water, while oil contains no water.
Is butter or olive oil better for turkey?
How to Get Extra Crispy Turkey Skin. If crispy turkey skin is your goal then use olive oil on turkey instead of butter. Using olive oil on turkey skin will yield a much crispier skin than butter. It’s simply the best oil for roasting turkey.
How do you add flavor to turkey?
Season the outside with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and other seasonings that you enjoy. Baste the turkey with fresh beer, wine or juice every hour. The natural sugars will help caramelize the outside of your turkey, giving it a nice crispy and flavorful skin.
What is special about a Butterball turkey?
With more than half of holiday cooks stuffing their turkey, Butterball turkeys have a natural leg tuck using the skin to hold the legs in place and make it easier to stuff. There are no plastic or metal locks in a Butterball turkey ensuring you won’t have to worry about a hot metal clip when you remove your stuffing.
Do you have to wash a Butterball turkey?
Should I wash my turkey? “No, you really shouldn’t. The thing that’s great about Butterball turkeys is that they’re all cleaned out and everything like that. And if you wash your turkey, you’re getting raw juices splashing all over your kitchen.
Does a Butterball turkey need to be seasoned?
“If you want to you can, but you don’t have to,” says Miller. “Most turkeys are already brined. Butterball turkeys have a solution in them that really helps to keep them moist and juicy and tender. If you’re going to brine it, we do suggest that you cut down on the salt.”
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I Cook a Turkey at 325 or 350 Degrees? Though “low and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. All of our temperature guides assume you’re cooking at 325, but you can cook it a little warmer for roughly the same, or just a little less time.
Does Butterball Turkey have butter in it?
In fact, there is no actual butter in or on a Butterball turkey. The fresh turkeys are injected with a basting solution made of salt water and “common household spices,” one brand representative told me. Butterball will not share the ingredients of its secret basting formula.
How do you know when a Butterball turkey is done?
You’ll need a meat thermometer to make sure you cook your turkey to the right temperature. Insert it close to, but not touching, the thigh bone. If it reads 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast, it’s done and ready to serve.
What kind of oil do you fry a turkey in?
Good oils for frying turkeys include peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.
How much oil is needed to fry a turkey?
Fill the pot with peanut or canola oil up to the mark you made earlier—you’ll need 4 to 5 gallons to fry a 12- to 14-pound turkey in a 30-quart pot. Turn the burner on, adjust the heat to moderately high, and heat the oil until the thermometer registers 375°F.
Do you cover turkey when frying?
Keep an eye on the bird for the duration of the frying time, and make sure the temperature is at 350 during cooking. Leave it uncovered. You should fry your turkey for 3-4 minutes per pound.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one.
- Brine the turkey.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely, or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down at first.
- Don’t overcook it.
- Let the turkey rest before carving.
Should I cover my turkey with foil while cooking?
To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.
What do I put in the bottom of the pan when cooking a turkey?
Place chopped onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stalks and add to the vegetables.
Should I rub butter on my turkey?
Don’t butter your bird
Placing butter under the skin won’t make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before you roast.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?
Place on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast-side up on top of the vegetables. Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy.
Does turkey continue to cook while resting?
Cook your turkey until your thermometer reads 155 -160 degrees. (Yes, we know that new safe cooking guidelines say to cook your bird to 165 degrees (they used to say 180!), but remember that your turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven and it’s temperature will increase by 10 degrees while resting.
Should turkey be room temp before cooking?
Before it goes in the oven, the turkey should be at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge (1 hr for a whole turkey, or 30 mins for a cut) before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool place.