How Many Minutes Per Pound Should You Fry a Turkey? The Complete Guide

How Big of a Turkey Can I Fry?

Both the indoor and the outdoor fryers I used claimed that they could handle up to an 18-pound bird. I recommend staying well below that maximum size.

First, smaller birds will cook more evenly, and frying a large bird increases the risk of burning the skin before the center cooks through. Second, in my tests, I found that 18-pound birds can create problems in both types of setup. In the case of an outdoor rig, they run the risk of an oil spillover, even if youve properly measured the oil and have it below the maximum-fill line on the pot. In the case of the indoor fryer, an 18-pound turkey can get stuck and jam the rotisserie mechanism.

My advice is to not go over a 15-pound turkey in fryers that claim an 18-pound maximum.

How to Fry a Turkey Outdoors

This is the best-known method, and has spawned a slew of unfortunate deep-fried-turkey disaster videos. Frankly, I think this method is pretty darned dangerous.

Youll need an outdoor turkey-frying rig, which includes a burner and stand, a pot, a thermometer for the oil, and the hanger and lowering mechanism for the bird. I used a Brinkmann model; Kenji has used the Bayou Classic. Neither of us has complaints about them.

Youll also need a propane tank. You should not try to jury-rig your own setup.

The biggest mistakes people make when using this method are: setting up the fryer in or near a home or other combustible thing; overfilling the pot so that the hot oil spills over when the turkey is lowered into it; and dropping the turkey, causing the hot oil to splash.

You should also have a fire extinguisher nearby that is rated to work with grease fires; attempting to extinguish a grease fire with water is incredibly dangerous.

To avoid an overflow of oil, its necessary to first determine exactly how much oil you need. To do that, put the turkey in the pot and fill it with water, measuring as you go, until the turkey is covered by about half an inch or so; remove the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels.

Once the turkey is removed, the water in the pot should be below the maximum-fill line. Pour out the water, dry the pot well, then fill the pot with the equivalent amount of oil.

A good setup should be in an open area, a safe distance from anything combustible. In the photo above, you can see weve set the burner and propane tank on a concrete surface, and theres nothing within about 10 feet of it in any direction. Be sure not to walk between the propane tank and the burner: You can trip on the gas line, causing the pot of oil to tumble.

Once the oil has reached its temperature, about 350°F, insert the hanger through the bird.

Make sure its hooks catch the bird well.

You should be able to hold the turkey securely.

When youre ready to lower the turkey into the oil, youre going to want to wear heavy oven mitts and a solid pair of shoes, and not have any skin showing. Shorts and sandals are a bad idea.

Kenji recommends shutting off the burner for this part, then relighting it once the turkey is in the pot so theres no chance at all of a flare-up during turkey entry. Thats a good idea (youll see why in a second), though it also means monkeying around under a pot of hot oil to relight the burner after the bird is in, which comes with its own risks.

Lower the turkey very, very slowly. Ease it into the oil, and if anything seems to go wrong, abort by carefully lifting the turkey out, not by dropping it in—splashing oil can mess you up real bad.

In the photo above, youll see why its a good idea to turn the burner off when lowering the turkey into the oil, and also why the maximum size bird (in this case, 18 pounds) is not a great idea.

Even though I had measured my oil carefully to account for displacement, even though I made sure the turkey was dry and free of all ice, even though I lowered it slowly, a jet of hot oil still managed to shoot out of the pot once the turkey was fully in. In this particular shot, we see oil spattering out of the pot, some of it igniting down by the burner, and me running to the fire extinguisher while yelling to Vicky to get away.

The good news is that nothing bad happened and things quickly came under control, but this is a good example of how, even if you do everything right, deep-frying a turkey like this can still be risky.

Once the turkey is in, itll fry pretty quickly. Most people say about three minutes per pound of bird, but Id start checking it even sooner than that. My oil level started out above the turkey, but it slowly went down as the bird cooked, leaving part of it exposed toward the end. This didnt have any negative impact on the bird or its skin.

When youre ready to check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer, use the hook to fish the turkey out, and lift it very slowly, allowing oil to drain off as you raise it.

It helps to recruit a friend to check the temperature.

When it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, its ready. Let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting into it.

How Long To DEEP FRY a Turkey (PER POUND)

FAQ

Do you fry a turkey at 325 or 350?

Placement of turkey will bring temperature down and you will want to keep temperature at 325 degrees F. while cooking.

What is the formula for frying a turkey?

Since turkeys should be deep fried for 3 1/2 – 4 minutes per pound, a 20 lb. turkey will take 70 to 80 minutes to cook all the way through.Nov 4, 2024

What temperature should the oil be for deep frying a turkey?

Be sure to measure for oil before breading or marinating the turkey. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Depending on the amount of oil used, this usually takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour. Do not stuff turkeys for deep frying.

How many gallons of oil to deep fry a 20lb turkey?

14 Pound Turkey – Use 5 gallons of oil and cook for 47 minutes. 15 Pound Turkey – Use 5 gallons of oil and cook for 50 minutes. 20 Pound Turkey * – Use 5 to 6 gallons of oil and cook for 3 minutes per pound. 22 Pound Turkey * – Use 5 to 6 gallons of oil and cook for 3 minutes per pound.

How long does it take to deep fry a Turkey?

This is the best part of deep-frying a turkey. Instead of the usual 13 to 15 minutes, fried turkey takes just three and a half minutes per pound. A ten-pound turkey will take 35 minutes; a 12-pound turkey about 42 minutes. Begin checking the turkey for doneness around 30 minutes.

How long do you cook a Turkey per pound?

The standard rule of turkey roasting time says 13 minutes per pound for unstuffed birds and 15 minutes per pound for the stuffed ones. At what temperature should I cook turkey?

How long do you cook a Turkey in a frying pan?

Using a heavy-duty hook, slowly lower the basket into the hot oil until the turkey is completely covered. Maintain the oil temperature at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound. Have a large platter layered with paper towels ready to hold the turkey when you pull it out of the hot oil.

How long do you fry a Turkey in a propane Fryer?

Keep temperature steady at 350-375°F. Fry for 3-4 minutes per pound. For medium turkeys (12-16 lbs): A standard propane fryer works well. Use enough oil to submerge turkey. Maintain oil temp at 350-375°F. Fry for 3-4 minutes per pound. For large turkeys (16-20 lbs): Use a large capacity propane fryer. You may need to fry in batches.

How long do you cook a turkey breast in a fryer?

Remove basket from oil, place turkey in basket. Slowly lower the turkey into the fryer. The turkey may not be totally immersed in the oil. This may cause the top part of the breast to remain white even though it is cooked to the proper end temperature. Set the timer and cook the turkey about 3 to 4 minutes per pound.

What temperature do you deep fry a Turkey?

The first recommendation is to deep-fry your turkey at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use temperatures that are lower than 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you will have a hard time cooking the bird properly. So, how many minutes per pound to fry a turkey?