Written by adam on Oct 14, 2007

Pros and Cons of Frying Your Turkey

Filed Under: Editorial
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With the release of Char-Broil's The Big Easy Infrared Oil-less Turkey Fryer, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the act of frying a turkey and why it is done. Is it a great method to cooking the bird? Or is it just a way to get the male family members on the patio standing around scalding hot oil while guzzling cans of Busch?

The Big Easy is a turkey "fryer" that uses propane fueled infrared burners to assault the turkey on all sides with radiant energy. Char-Broil is marketing this as the safer, cost-effective and more delicious alternative to immersion frying.

After seeing the Big Easy in action up close, I found myself wondering why do people fry turkeys? What's the advantage or disadvantage for immersing a whole turkey into rocket-hot peanut oil?

  

Frying Turkey Pros:

• Speed. Frying a turkey is faster than smoking or baking. The hot oil assaults the bird on every conceivable surface cutting the cooking time of traditional oven baking.
  
• Flavor. No one can deny that the flavor of fried foods is a powerful force. The flavor of that crispy fried skin is delightful
  
• Juice. The act of frying does leave the turkey very juicy. This is especially preferable for the breast which has a tendency to be dry.

Frying Turkey Cons:

• Danger. Most of the danger of deep-frying a turkey comes from ignorance. Novice fryers sometimes fill the pot too full of oil and when the bird goes in, the oil spills out onto the burner, causing a fire. Other dangers include splattering which can cause serious second degree burns if you get too close.
  
• Cost. Every time you want to fry a turkey, you have to buy gallons of oil for frying. That kind of money can add up if you do a lot of frying over the holiday seasons.
  
• Damage. Inevitably, frying a turkey can cause damage to property. Oil splatters around the fryer can stain decks and driveway.

While the Big Easy is a really great device, it does cost a little bit more than a propane tank, a burner rig, a large pot, and 5 gallons of oil. But you must weigh the pros and cons of frying before you embark on the venture. Do the benefits outweigh the risks and cost?

As a PSA, Men in Aprons urges you to be very careful when deep frying a turkey. Know what you are doing. Do some research and have fire-suppression measures available. Remember, for an oil fire you need sand or dirt to put it out. Water will only spread the fire.