Multi-Tasking Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer

I love the fall/winter holiday season. Food is the centerpiece for bringing family and friends together in celebration of the season and major holidays.

I am preparing dinner again this year. I planned my Thanksgiving menu around turkey and who isn't?. The decision then was how to prepare it- roast, fried or smoked. Actually I'm going to do two turkeys- one smoked and one fried. Why not, there are so many good sales on turkeys this week. In addition, I have a new gadget which boosts my confidence that I can safely fry a turkey and indoors.

With only one week before Thanksgiving, I am going to give this gadget a practice run this weekend by frying a whole chicken using the same technique for frying a turkey.

This is my new Masterbuilt Indoor Turkey Fryer. Though promoted as a turkey fryer, it actually is an extra large fryer, steamer, or even a boiler. The first thing I told my hubby is that I can now cook him whole large red snappers- Huachinango! Notice how this unit comfortably sits on my kitchen counter.
The cooking element accomodates oil or water. Turkey cooks for 4 minutes per pound at 375 degrees. Allow 35 minutes for oil to reach 375degrees though it will probably take less time.
The fryer basket is promoted as holding up to a 14 pound turkey or maybe the ingredients for a low country boil to feed maybe eight or just simply a whole fried chicken.
Only requires two gallons of oil to fry a turkey. Minimum of one gallon of oil for smaller cooks.
Convenient spout to drain oil from unit.


Look for my follow up on my chicken practice run.

Thanksgiving 2007

What a fantastic day spent with family and friends. Everything turned out great. Please see my Flickr set- Thanksgiving 2007, for a complete photo accounting of the prep and final presentation.

The holidays are here. Let's enjoy in peace, love, harmony and always with a great meal.


Cauliflower Faux Potatoes and Spiral Ham

Carved Smoked Turkey

Southern Greens

Dressing

Mac and Cheese, Corn Pudding
Candied Yams (top left)

Monkey Bread


Monkey Bread Unmolded

Thanksgiving 2007 Dinner Prep Progress

Boy, what a day! I did take the day off from work to get ahead of the game. I was busy all day with last minute purchases, prepping, and putting the finishing touches on my Buckboard Bacon cure. Oh yea, I don't think I mentioned this here before but here's the link to pictures of the 10 day cure process and smoking to 140 degrees on the WSM at 200 degrees. Using a pork loin, I got Canadian Bacon and yes, it taste great.

















I completed the turkey brine, rinse, injection and placed the turkey in the refrigerator overnight uncovered for skin to dry. Supposedly leaving the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator will allow the skin to dry, thus when I cover it with a cheese cloth soaked in butter and mojo criollo marinade just prior to the smoke, the turkey skin will be less rubbery, flavorful and nicely browned. Can't wait.

Results to follow.

















I made the Macaroni and Cheese, Corn Pudding, Dressing and Candied Sweet Potatoes today. See attached link for some picts of the processes. Tomorrow (Thanksgiving)'ll complete the rest of my menu.

No Turducken This Year

I received a few inquiries regarding preparing a turducken for Thanksgiving. I decided two years in a roll is enough so I'm just going to smoke a plain bird this year. However, I included the link below to my previous years prep for those interested.

Turducken

Thanksgiving Dinner Prep 4 Days to Go

I completed all my shopping Saturday except for some produce I'll buy later this week. I have a 20 pound turkey thawing in the refrigerator. It should be ready to brine Tuesday night.

What did I do today? I prepared a cooked cranberry relish and I mixed the dry ingredients for my turkey brine.



Basic brine is 1 cup of table salt or 2 cups kosher salt per 1 gallon of water. You can add other ingredients based on the the taste you want to convey to the turkey. I am adding 1 cup brown sugar, 2 T dry Maple syrup powder,plus an array of dry herbs, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The dry herbs include thyme, rosemary and coriander seeds. I measured the brine ingredients today so that I can just add to a gallon of water, simmer to dissolve the salt and sugar, then cool in the refrigerator Monday night, then add the Turkey Tuesday night for a 24 hour brine chilled to less than 40 degrees in a large igloo cooler.




















My cooked cranberry relish includes 12 oz fresh cranberries, 2 oranges which I zest for 2 T peel, 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, 2 T Grand Marnier, orange supremes from the two oranges, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4tsp salt.



I added the salt,sugar and water plus orange zest in a sauce pan. This is cooked over moderate heat to dissolve the sugar. The cranberries are washed and then added to the sugar mixture. This is cooked til the cranberries pop- about 10 minutes. I add the orange supremes and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and simmer for an additional 5 mninutes. The Grand Marnier is added after the sauce cools.



The cranberry relish is allowed to cool and then refigerated. This will keep for about a week refrigerated.