How To Fry a Thanksgiving Turkey Without Having to Call the Fire Department

My neighbor is the king of the turkeys, and I mean that in a good way.

Every year around this time the smell of crisp fried turkey wafts through the air, and I know it is almost Thanksgiving. He started frying his own turkey a few years back, then he would fry them for his siblings, kids and other family members.

Eventually the smell got to be too much for me, and I asked what he would charge to fry me a bird. My cost was an apple pie, a sweet potato pie, and a casserole dish full of baked macaroni and cheese. I gladly got that together and paid in full. He was just as pleased with what he got as I was pleased with what I received.

Every year since, we have swapped perfection.

Frying a turkey is something I will probably never do. I don’t have the nerve or the desire to hang out around a pot of boiling oil. I have also watched the viral videos and news stories and seen how it can go terribly wrong. You start out preparing a family meal and end up calling the fire department.

Fortunately, my neighbor has never had to do that. He is meticulous in his preparation, handling and frying. For him, it is soothing, relaxing, and something he can do and share that shows others how much he cares.

He knows I write, and for my turkey this year, in addition to the pies and mac and cheese, he asked me to put together a guide that he can share with his kids to keep the frying tradition alive. I asked if I could take the advice he shared and put it together as an easy-to-understand guide and he was fine with that.

Though he did not want to share the seasoning blends, spices or rubs he uses, he did share every other part of the process. He said seasonings are a personal and sometimes cultural choice, so they are subjective to the person that will be eating the turkey. He did state that any flavorings should be rubbed or injected into the bird, and never put outside on the skin of the turkey. Everything on the skin will burn off the moment it hits the hot oil.

Every other tip and trick is in the guide, from the perfect frying temperature to the best type of oil to use to how to determine how much oil. There is also the number one safety rule for frying a turkey, as well as a plan B if you are not prepared to fry it the conventional way.

How To Safely Deep Fry A Turkey

Enough talking on my part — you need to give this a go now so you will have it down pat before the holiday. ***Grab Your Turkey Frying Guide here***. It is perfect for first-time turkey fryers, seasoned cooks, and everyone in between.

Tell your roaster goodbye — this year it’s time to fry!