Deep Fried Turkey

During the past five or so years, I've been using Shake's Honey Brine for deep fried turkey and don't think I'll ever cook a turkey in the oven again. If you don't have a spare refrigerator or room in your current refrigerator to brine the whole bird, you can also inject the honey brine the night before and obtain similar results.

Advantages of Deep Frying

• cook your turkey in less than an hour (3 1/2 minutes per pound)
• nice crisp bark on the outside and juicy meat on the inside
• you don't have to spend all day in the kitchen
• more time to visit with friends and family

Once you've had a deep fried turkey, you'll never want to eat an old fashioned roasted turkey again, especially if you're doing the cooking. However, there are some pre-cautions you should take when using this cooking method.

Safety Pre-Cautions

• keep small children and pets away from the fryer
• set up on a firm surface to prevent tipping
• don't leave the fryer unattended
• don't allow the grease to boil over, it will ignite
• keep a fire extinguisher close by
• wear gloves and long sleeves to prevent grease burns
• pre-measure the fill point with water before putting in the oil
• follow the manufacturer's instsructions for use

This article from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) outlines some additional safety considerations.
If you're thinking of purchasing a turkey fryer, Bayou Classic makes a nice 30-quart unit.

You can use your turkey fryer all-year round for fried fish, low country boils, making gumbo, cooking corn on the cob, chili, etc. The possibilities are only limited by by your own imagination. When cooking for large groups of guests, you can take the cooking outside and leave more room in the house to entertain.