Deep-Frying Turkey

How do you deep fry a turkey?

Ted: We are Americans. If we could a find a way to fry it, we will.

Female: I heard Ted is a turkey deep frying expert but I also heard he’s a little bit scared of the oil. He’s like made some contraption that Alton taught him how to use and he’s going to be like far away from the turkey when he drops it in the fryer but it was.

Ted: Deep frying a turkey can make for a delicious bird but it’s kind of tricky and a little dangerous and that’s why I'm standing in front of this ladder which is a contraption invented Alton Brown. He calls is the Turkey Derrick and this allows us to safely lower the bird very safely into the hot oil because hot oil is dangerous and you don’t want to splatter anybody or burn down the house. Now, to make a turkey, we need a turkey. Alex Guarnaschelli I understand you brined a beautiful bird.

Alex: I did. Here it is.

Ted: Wow, nice!

Alex: All ready for it s hot oil bath.

Ted: Now, how many pounds is this turkey?

Alex: So, we have here a 14-pound turkey that has been completely patted dry once removed from the brine. That’s really important. You want to get any excess water out of the way so we can go right into the hot oil bath.

Ted: Okay. Well, this is exciting.

Alex: You look like you're getting ready for a surgery.

Ted: Are you ready for this procedure? Okay, so here’s what we do.

Alex: Okay.

Ted: This is the device that will allow our turkey to be safely handled.

Alex: By the way, the gloves are a nice touch.

Ted: Well, food safety is a very serious issue. And the kit comes with this handle for lowering the turkey down in but it just for some people to come in difficulty to get it down in there without splattering.

Alex: Nice biceps.

Ted: Really? You my dear, been looking wonderful yourself. We’ve got our turkey mounted on this lovely device but ready to put it in. What we have here are two pulleys attached to an ordinary ladder and a piece of sash cord which is a cut in rope and this is going to allow us to lower our turkey into the oil very slowly because we don’t want any splattering.

Now, when you deep fry a turkey, you want to do it for about three minutes per pound plus an additional five minutes. This being a 14-pound turkey, that’s 42 minutes plus five is 47. We put the turkey in at 250 then you bring the temperature up to 350 but you can't walk away. You have to stay there and monitor that temperature minute by minute so that it never goes higher or lower than 350. Besides you really shouldn’t leave your turkey sitting there and someone could come along and steal it.

Okay, time is up so we’re going to hoist this guy out and take its temperature.

Alex: Wow!

Ted: Look at that.

Alex: Right away when this comes up out of the oil, look at it.

Ted: That’s going to be some crispy skin.

Alex: Now, once you pull it out of the oil, take its temperature by poking a thermometer, a little one into the thigh meat, the thickest part until we get up to 151.

Ted: That’s right. Then, you're going to leave the turkey hanging here for 30 minutes protecting it carefully from dogs or your neighbors and the temperature will come up during that time to 161 which is perfect.

Alex: Once this comes up out of the oil, it’s like you want to just tear in to it right away. It’s got that incredible pay off in that crunch.

Ted: I can't wait.