Deep fryers or oil fryers have made our life much simpler. You don’t need to waste all your time preparing a dish in the oven when you can easily deep fry it.
Turkey is a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Majority of the people in the world roast Turkey for dinner during Thanksgiving. However, the preparation needed to make a turkey in an oven can turn your happy festive vibes into stressful vibes.
Cooking a turkey is not an easy task. You need to start preparing the meal a day before the actual cooking takes place. It needs hours of preparation and patience.
A small mistake is enough to spoil the entire meal. Most of the time, the turkey becomes overcooked or undercooked, which spoils the entire meal.
However, if you don’t want to give up the idea of cooking a turkey for the festival but want to adopt an easy approach, you can use a deep fryer.
You can easily deep fry turkey in a deep fryer to save time and effort. This appliance is very simple and easy to use. It takes less than 2 hours to cook a turkey in a deep fryer.
However, the most important thing when using a deep fryer is the type and amount of oil. You need to use the correct type of oil and an appropriate quantity of oil to thoroughly cook a turkey in a fryer.
How Much Oil Do You Need to Deep Dry Turkey?
There is no specific amount of oil you need to use. The quantity of oil depends on two factors, i.e. the size of the turkey and the size of the oil fryer.
Size of Oil Fryer:
Oil fryers are available in different sizes. You need to fill the fryer up to the max fill line. Every fryer comes with line markings. You need to check the line markings to know how much oil to put. Most the people simply fill it up to the max.
It will give enough room for the turkey to fry. Don’t overfill the fryer with oil because when you put the turkey in the fryer, the level increases due to the space taken by the turkey. If you fill it above the line, the oil will spill from the fryer.
- 30 qt. Pot: If you have a 30 qt. fryer, you will need nearly 3 gallons of oil. Make sure you don’t overfill or underfill the fryer. The right amount of oil will give you a perfectly cooked turkey.
- 32 qt. Pot: If the size of the fryer is 32, you will need 3 1/3 gallons of oil. Follow the guidelines to fill the fryer with the appropriate amount of oil.
Size of Turkey:
The amount of oil you will need also depends on the size of the turkey. If it is a large-size turkey, you will need more oil. If the turkey is small, you can easily fry it in medium-level oil. So before you fill the fryer with oil, make sure you check the size of the turkey. Different types of turkeys need a different amount of oil.
- 9 Pounds: If the size of the turkey is 9 pounds, you will need nearly 3 to 4 gallons of oil. You have to deep fry the turkey for about 32 minutes in the fryer.
- 13 Pounds: If the size of the turkey is 13 pounds, you will need nearly 4 to 5 gallons of oil. You have to deep fry the turkey for about 44 minutes in the fryer.
- 14 Pounds: For this size of turkey, you need 5 gallons of oil in a deep fryer. It will take 47 minutes for the fryer to thoroughly fry the turkey.
- 15 Pounds: As there is only a slight difference between 14 and 15 pounds of turkey, you can use 5 gallons of oil. As for this size of a turkey, you need to fry 3 minutes for each pound.
- 20 Pounds: You will need 5 to 6 gallons of oil to deep fry this size of a turkey. Apart from that, you need to cook each pound for around 3 minutes.
- 22 Pounds: It will take 5 to 6 gallons of oil in a fryer to deep fry this size of a turkey. You have to for 3 minutes for each pound.
Type of Oil You Will Need to Deep Fry Turkey:
If you are planning to deep fry turkey, make sure you use peanut oil. Although there are different types of oil available in the market for deep frying, peanut oil is best for turkey.
This oil has a low amount of saturated fat which makes it perfect for deep frying meat. It is cholesterol-free oil and helps you to fry a turkey in the same oil again and again.
So if you have to fry multiple batches of turkey, it is safe to use peanut oil. This oil enhances the taste of the turkey and makes it extra crispy and tender.
What Size of Turkey Can You Fry in a Deep Fryer?
The biggest size of turkey you can cook in a deep fryer is 22 pounds. However, you can fry the whole thing at once. You need to cut the turkey into pieces before you deep fry it.
It is best to use 9 or 14 pounds of turkey to fry in a deep fryer. This way, you can deep fry the whole turkey in one turn. There is no need to cut the turkey into pieces.
You will get a perfectly fried turkey with tender meat and a crispy outer layer. It will make your Thanksgiving more special as you can enjoy it just like a roasted one.
Large size turkey becomes dry while medium and small size cooks perfectly in a fryer. So make sure you choose the right size of turkey with the right amount of oil to cook the perfect thanksgiving dinner.
This is all you need to know about the amount of oil required in a deep fryer for frying a turkey. Make sure you use the right quantity of oil.
