
Cooking a turkey in an air fryer is a great alternative to using an oven. Air fryers can cook a whole turkey of up to 14-16 pounds, although some larger models can cook a turkey of up to 20 pounds. The circulating hot air cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin. The air fryer method doesn't make the turkey any drier than an oven method, as long as you follow the correct technique.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Can an air fryer cook a turkey? | Yes |
How does it compare to an oven? | The air fryer cooks a turkey to be juicy, but it will be dry if overcooked. |
How big a turkey can it cook? | This depends on the model of air fryer. Halogen style air fryers can cook up to a 16-pound turkey. The Char-Broil air fryer can cook up to a 20-pound turkey. |
What You'll Learn
Air fryer turkey recipes
Yes, you can cook a turkey in an air fryer. It's a good way to free up your oven for other uses. The circulating hot air cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin.
The first thing you need to do is make sure your turkey is thawed. You can then cook it in an air fryer with a capacity large enough to fit it. Some indoor table-top air fryers can only cook a turkey breast, so check the capacity of your air fryer before you start. If you have a halogen air fryer, you can cook a turkey of up to 16 pounds. If your turkey is larger than this, you'll need to use a conventional oven.
One source says that an outdoor air fryer can cook a turkey of up to 20 pounds. If you're cooking a turkey of this size, you might want to use the Char-Broil gas turkey air fryer, which uses propane instead of electricity.
The air fryer method doesn't make the turkey any drier than an oven method, as long as you follow the correct technique.
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How to prep a turkey for an air fryer
Yes, you can cook a turkey in an air fryer. Here is how to prep a turkey for an air fryer:
Firstly, make sure the turkey is thawed. Then, set up the air fryer on another table or outside to free up the oven for other uses. Check the capacity of your air fryer, as some indoor tabletop ones can only cook a turkey breast. If you have a halogen style air fryer, you can cook a turkey of up to 16 pounds. If you want to cook a larger turkey, it's best to use a conventional oven.
The circulating hot air in the air fryer cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin. The air fryer method doesn't make the turkey any drier than an oven method, as long as you follow the correct technique.
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The best air fryers for cooking a turkey
Yes, you can cook a turkey in an air fryer. The circulating hot air cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin turkey.
If you want to cook a whole turkey in the air fryer, you can set up the air fryer on another table or even outside. This helps free up the oven for other uses.
The best air fryer for cooking a turkey depends on the size of the turkey. Countertop air fryers aren't big enough to fit an entire turkey, and you'll need at least a 5-quart air fryer to fit a large turkey breast. For a turkey larger than 16 pounds, it’s best to use a conventional oven.
The Char-Broil "The Big Easy" Oil-Less Turkey Fryer is a gas-powered air fryer that can cook a whole turkey. It works with propane and has a capacity of 10.6 quarts. It's an outside-only fryer. Another option is the Masterbuilt 10 Liter XL Electric Fryer, which can cook a turkey of up to 20 lbs.
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How to cook a juicy turkey
Yes, you can cook a juicy turkey in an air fryer. The circulating hot air cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin.
To cook a juicy turkey in an air fryer, you will first need to make sure that your turkey is thawed. You can then set up your air fryer on another table or outside, which will free up your oven for other uses. Check the capacity of your air fryer, as some indoor tabletop ones can only cook a turkey breast. If you are using a halogen-style air fryer, you can cook a turkey of up to 16 pounds. Anything larger than this is too big for the glass bowl, so it's best to use a conventional oven method. If you have a large-capacity outdoor air fryer, you can cook a turkey of up to 20 pounds.
The air fryer method does not make the turkey any drier than an oven method, as long as you follow the correct technique. The only way your turkey will turn out dry is if you overcook it or wait too long to eat it.
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Cooking a turkey in an air fryer vs an oven
Yes, you can cook a turkey in an air fryer. The circulating hot air cooks the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin turkey. It is also easier than cooking it in the oven, as there is no basting or checking on the turkey. You can cook up to a 20-pound turkey in an air fryer, but if you want to cook a turkey larger than 16 pounds, it's best to use the conventional oven method.
To cook a turkey in an air fryer, the first thing you need to do is make sure that it is thawed. You can easily set up the air fryer on another table or even outside. This helps free up the oven for other uses.
There is lots of curiosity about the juiciness of air-frying a whole turkey. The air fryer definitely cooks a turkey to be juicy. The only way it would turn out dry is if you cooked it too long or waited too long to eat it. It doesn't matter what technique you use; if you overcook anything, it will be dry. But the air fryer method doesn't make the turkey any drier than an oven method, as long as you follow the correct technique.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, an air fryer can cook a whole turkey.
The size of the turkey you can cook depends on the size of your air fryer. Some can cook up to a 20lb turkey, but others can only manage a 14-16lb turkey.
Air fryers free up your oven for other uses. They also cook the turkey evenly, with very little oil, and faster for a crispy skin. However, one source says that the juiciness of the turkey depends on how long you cook it for and how long you wait to eat it, rather than the method of cooking.
The first thing you need to do is make sure the turkey is thawed.