Frying Turkey With Big Easy Fryer: How Long Does It Take?

The Big Easy® Oil-Less Turkey Fryer is a popular choice for cooking a whole turkey, especially for Thanksgiving. It uses TRU-Infrared™ technology and requires no oil, resulting in a crispy crust and tender, juicy meat. The cooking time for a turkey in the Big Easy Fryer depends on various factors, including the size of the turkey and weather conditions. On average, it takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to fry a turkey in the Big Easy Fryer, but it's important to cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Injecting the turkey with marinade

Choose Your Marinade

The first step is to select a marinade that will complement the turkey. A good option is to combine melted butter, chicken stock and a splash of bourbon. You can also add spices such as paprika, ancho chilli powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper and ground bay leaves. If you want to add some heat, include red pepper flakes. Alternatively, you could opt for a store-bought marinade, such as Tony Chachere's Creole-style butter marinade.

Prepare Your Injector

Before filling your marinade injector, it's important to prepare your injector by grinding your spice ingredients to ensure they can easily pass through the injector. A spice grinder or mortar and pestle can be used for this purpose. Combine your ground spices with the liquid ingredients and mix well. Fill your injector with this mixture, ensuring it is ready to go before you start injecting the turkey.

Injecting Technique

When injecting the marinade into the turkey, it's important to be consistent and take your time. You want the flavour to be evenly distributed throughout the meat. Inject the marinade just under the skin and deep into the breast meat, as well as into the legs. Go slowly and try to avoid creating large pockets of marinade in one area. It's better to have a consistent distribution so that each bite of the cooked turkey is flavourful.

Amount of Marinade

The amount of marinade you will need depends on the size of your turkey. For a 9-pound turkey breast, you will need approximately 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and half of your seasoning mixture for injection. Larger turkeys may require double the amount of marinade. It's important to inject the marinade evenly, aiming for a consistent distribution.

Resting Time

After injecting the marinade, it's a good idea to let the turkey rest before cooking. This allows the flavours to permeate the meat and ensures that the injection sites have time to seal. Aim for at least 30 minutes of resting time before placing the turkey in the Big Easy fryer.

By following these steps and taking your time, you'll be well on your way to creating a mouth-watering, juicy fried turkey with the Big Easy fryer. Remember to adjust the cooking time based on the size of your turkey and the weather conditions. Enjoy your delicious fried turkey!

Oil and seasoning

The Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer is powered by TRU-Infrared™ technology and does not require any oil to operate. This means you get all the benefits of fried turkey without the hassle of heating and disposing of oil.

Before using the fryer for the first time, you must season the cooking pot. To do this, rub the inside of the fryer with cooking oil and turn the heat up to high.

When preparing the turkey, you should first rinse it thoroughly with cool water and pat it dry with paper towels. Then, brush the skin of the turkey with cooking oil or canola oil using a basting brush. You can also inject the turkey with a marinade solution of your choice.

After injecting the turkey, place it breast-side up in a large pot and refrigerate it, uncovered, for 2 hours up to 24 hours. This allows the skin to dry, resulting in crispy skin.

Next, apply a dry rub to the outside of the turkey and between the skin and the meat on the breasts, legs, and thighs. You can use a store-bought rub or make your own with a combination of spices such as paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and black pepper. Remember to go easy on the salt if your marinade already contains salt.

Finally, lightly spray or brush oil all over the outside of the turkey to prevent it from sticking to the basket.

Cooking time

The cooking time for a turkey on a Big Easy Fryer varies based on the size of the turkey and weather conditions. The general rule is that it takes approximately 20 minutes per pound for the turkey to cook. For example, a 7-pound turkey breast will take around 75 minutes, while a 9-pound bone-in turkey breast will take about 180 minutes.

The Big Easy Fryer is designed to be powered ON (all the way to the left) and OFF (all the way to the right). All recipes for the fryer are based on operating it at full power. The internal temperature of the turkey should reach 165°F for white meat and 175°F for dark meat.

During the last 15 minutes of cooking, it is recommended to cover the fryer with the wire mesh lid to achieve crispy skin. However, if used throughout the cooking process, this level of heat can burn the food before it is fully cooked.

After removing the turkey from the fryer, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Resting the turkey

During the resting period, the turkey's internal temperature will continue to rise. This is known as carryover cooking. It is important to factor this into your cooking time, as you don't want to overcook your turkey. The amount of carryover cooking will depend on the size of your turkey and the initial temperature you cooked it at. For a smaller turkey, cooked at a lower temperature, you can expect a rise of around 5-10°F. For a larger turkey, cooked at a higher temperature, the rise could be as much as 20°F.

While the turkey is resting, you can prepare your side dishes. The Big Easy Oil-less Turkey Fryer frees up your oven, giving you the space to cook all your favourite holiday dishes. Some side dish suggestions include grilled hasselback potatoes, grilled Brussels sprouts, or traditional holiday trimmings.

Once the resting period is over, it's time to remove the turkey from the basket and carve it. Be careful, as the basket will still be hot. Use oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands. Lift the turkey out of the basket and place it on a carving board. Carve the turkey, ensuring that you slice against the grain to get the most tender meat.

Finally, serve your delicious, juicy turkey with your choice of sides. Enjoy the fruits of your labour and impress your family and friends with your perfectly cooked bird!

Carving and serving

Once your turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (or 175°F for dark meat), remove the roaster basket from the cooking chamber and place it on a shallow sheet pan. Allow the turkey to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

After this, you can remove the turkey from the basket and begin carving. There are many ways to carve a turkey, but a basic method is as follows:

First, place the turkey on a cutting board, breast-side up. Using a sharp knife, cut through the skin between the leg and the breast. Then, pull the leg away from the body and cut through the joint to remove the entire leg. Repeat on the other side.

Next, slice through the skin between the wing and the breast, and remove the wings. You can then slice the breast meat by starting at the top of the breast and cutting downwards in even slices. You can also remove the breast in one piece by cutting along the breastbone and lifting it away from the ribs.

Finally, you can remove the thigh meat by cutting through the joint where the thigh meets the leg. Carve the meat into slices, or pull it apart with a fork if it is very tender.

Serve the carved turkey with your choice of sides and enjoy! The Big Easy® Oil-Less Turkey Fryer frees up your oven, so you can prepare all those tasty sides and special pies without worrying about oven space.

Frequently asked questions