For the last several years, my family has been coming to my house for Thanksgiving dinner. For a long time, my parents would host, but something changed a couple of years ago, and now everyone prefers my meal over anything else. What changed? I started frying my turkeys, that’s what. For many households, the idea of frying a turkey for the holiday seems a bit tacky, but I assure you that it’s the best way to go. Turkey is usually so dry and bland if you cook it in the oven, but not so with frying. Also, it takes much less time and tastes so much better. Sure, you can try to get better results through brining or soaking your turkey ahead of time, but that requires extra preparation and planning.
Today I’ll be talking to you about the best turkey fryers on the market, as well as show you what to look for to get the best results every time. How to Choose the Best Turkey Fryer Heat Source When talking about fryers, there are two ways to go about it: gas or electric. The old-fashioned way is to heat your oil over an open flame and fry your turkey in a large pot. However, there are dangers to this method, most notably the risk of burning or overheating your oil. Electric fryers can be much more stable, but I find that they don’t cook quite as fast or give you the same results. Ultimately, though, what it comes down to is if you want to cook outside or inside. Propane is obviously for outdoor use only, while electric fryers can work on your kitchen counter. Safety When dealing with hot oil, you always want to be as safe as possible. Some of the best turkey fryers come with extra safety features like an automatic shutoff. This means that if the fryer tips over or gets too hot, the unit will turn off automatically. Also, if you’re going electric, try to find a model that is insulated, so you don’t risk burning yourself on the outside. Size My family is quite large, so we need a big turkey every year. That’s part of the reason I like an outdoor fryer since they can usually accommodate an eighteen or twenty-pound bird. However, if you don’t need that much meat, you can opt for a much smaller fryer that can cook turkey, chicken, or anything else you may like. A good rule is to get one that can hold at least a twelve-pound turkey unless you’re just cooking for yourself. Oil or Oil-Less It may sound crazy, but there are fryers out there that don’t use hot oil to cook your turkey. The benefits of going oil-less are that your meat is healthier, it’s easier to clean, and you don’t have the added cost of buying fryer oil. However, in my experience, these units take longer to cook and don’t have quite the same taste or mouthfeel as a traditional fryer. Other Considerations When making your decision, keep these things in mind as well: Have …show more content…
Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Oil-Less Turkey Fryer
Next on our list is the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Turkey Fryer. Now, technically, this device is not a fryer, since you don’t use any oil to cook your bird. Instead, this model uses infrared technology to heat your turkey to golden brown perfection.
Since there’s no oil, you don’t have to worry about cheating on your diet when you use this machine. However, that doesn’t mean that you miss out on the taste and texture of a fried bird. Infrared heaters not only cook your meat more efficiently, but they leave a nice, crispy skin, so it’s almost like the real thing. Also, you can use dry rubs and seasonings for your meat, which is impossible with an oil fryer.
This unit can hold up to a sixteen-pound turkey and will cook it much faster than traditional frying. Since you don’t have to wait for the oil to heat up, you save a lot of time, money, and cleanup hassle.
This device also comes with a cooking basket, a lifter, a meat thermometer and injector, as well as a meal prep guide.
Masterbuilt 23011114 Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer,
Today I’ll be talking to you about the best turkey fryers on the market, as well as show you what to look for to get the best results every time. How to Choose the Best Turkey Fryer Heat Source When talking about fryers, there are two ways to go about it: gas or electric. The old-fashioned way is to heat your oil over an open flame and fry your turkey in a large pot. However, there are dangers to this method, most notably the risk of burning or overheating your oil. Electric fryers can be much more stable, but I find that they don’t cook quite as fast or give you the same results. Ultimately, though, what it comes down to is if you want to cook outside or inside. Propane is obviously for outdoor use only, while electric fryers can work on your kitchen counter. Safety When dealing with hot oil, you always want to be as safe as possible. Some of the best turkey fryers come with extra safety features like an automatic shutoff. This means that if the fryer tips over or gets too hot, the unit will turn off automatically. Also, if you’re going electric, try to find a model that is insulated, so you don’t risk burning yourself on the outside. Size My family is quite large, so we need a big turkey every year. That’s part of the reason I like an outdoor fryer since they can usually accommodate an eighteen or twenty-pound bird. However, if you don’t need that much meat, you can opt for a much smaller fryer that can cook turkey, chicken, or anything else you may like. A good rule is to get one that can hold at least a twelve-pound turkey unless you’re just cooking for yourself. Oil or Oil-Less It may sound crazy, but there are fryers out there that don’t use hot oil to cook your turkey. The benefits of going oil-less are that your meat is healthier, it’s easier to clean, and you don’t have the added cost of buying fryer oil. However, in my experience, these units take longer to cook and don’t have quite the same taste or mouthfeel as a traditional fryer. Other Considerations When making your decision, keep these things in mind as well: Have …show more content…
Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Oil-Less Turkey Fryer
Next on our list is the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Turkey Fryer. Now, technically, this device is not a fryer, since you don’t use any oil to cook your bird. Instead, this model uses infrared technology to heat your turkey to golden brown perfection.
Since there’s no oil, you don’t have to worry about cheating on your diet when you use this machine. However, that doesn’t mean that you miss out on the taste and texture of a fried bird. Infrared heaters not only cook your meat more efficiently, but they leave a nice, crispy skin, so it’s almost like the real thing. Also, you can use dry rubs and seasonings for your meat, which is impossible with an oil fryer.
This unit can hold up to a sixteen-pound turkey and will cook it much faster than traditional frying. Since you don’t have to wait for the oil to heat up, you save a lot of time, money, and cleanup hassle.
This device also comes with a cooking basket, a lifter, a meat thermometer and injector, as well as a meal prep guide.
Masterbuilt 23011114 Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer,