10 Important Dos and Don'ts For Cooking the Perfect Turkey Outdoors
Rebecca Gerard
its cooking, the sense of anticipation as you wait to be able to serve
it and the flavors when you tuck in... wonderful, simply wonderful.
So how do you go about cooking turkey outdoors without problems?
Well its really simple if you stick to some very basic guidelines:
To start make sure that you're using the right stockpot; the following
sizes are appropriate for varying sizes of turkey: use a 26-Qt
stockpot for a bird up to 16-lb.; use a 30-Qt stockpot for a bird up
to 20-lb.; use a 34-Qt stockpot for a bird up to 24-lb. and use a 42-
Qt stockpot for a bird up to 27lb.
Make sure that your stove or burner on solid flat land and that the
area where you'll be cooking is away from where the family are
playing; have some sand handy if you have a serious spill as well as a
heavy duty cloth for covering the oil should it catch fire. Remember
never ever throw water on hot oil when there is a fire, smoother it
instead and leave it alone with the gas turned off.
Make sure that your burner is up to the task; too small a burner and
you'll not get the oil up to the right temperature. A minimum standard
should be a burner with a rating of around 55,000 BTUs.
Make sure that you cook your turkey at the right temperature; this
means you require a thermometer. The optimum frying temperature for
cooking turkeys is 350 F. Whole turkeys typically require 3 to 3 ?
minutes per pound; so even a 20 lb turkey only takes 1 hour; that's
quick!. This said, remember that in cold, windy conditions it may
require a few more minutes.
Use the right amount of oil, no more or no less, when deep-frying a
turkey. The proper amount of oil depends on the size of the bird and
the size of the stockpot. To determine the amount of oil needed, place
the thawed turkey upside down on the poultry rack. Fill the pot with
water until the poultry is covered. Remove poultry and rack form the
pot. The amount of water in the pot corresponds to the amount of
cooking oil you need.
Try to use peanut oil, it contains no cholesterol and can be re-used
more frequently than other types of oil; its also safer because it has
a higher flashpoint, reducing the risk of fire. You can also use
blends of peanut and soybean oil but if someone is allergic to
peanuts, then any vegetable oil may be used.
Take care to prepare your turkey ahead of cooking. Typically, a
generous portion of poultry seasoning should be rubbed onto and/or
under the skin and in the interior cavity. Salt and pepper or any dry
rub can be used.
If you have an injector an injection marinade may be used as long as
it is a thin based liquid. The amount of seasoning and marinade is
dependent on your taste. For outdoor meals I recommend a generous
portion; use about 1-2 oz. per pound.
When the time for the cooking is up first switch off the gas. Then
remove the bird and let it drain . Then leave the bird stand for a
short while; the rest will enhance its flavor and the juiciness of the
bird; so don't go sticking in forks or cutting up sections with a
knife.
Finally, don't fret about cleaning the stockpot as all you'll need is
warm soapy water and a rag but do make sure that you clean out all the
salt, pepper and any spices that have been added during the cooking.