Best outdoor turkey fryer and electric turkey fryer products

Deep-frying a whole turkey is a great way to get a moist, delicious bird that is full of flavor. In addition, you can inject the bird with spices to make it even more tasty. A lot of people love to deep-fry turkeys because it is so much easier than traditional means of preparation. In this review, we’ll survey the top turkey fryers.

Among traditional oil-based outdoor turkey fryers, the Bayou Classic turkey fryer has received plenty of high marks. One reviewer had a Thanksgiving taste-test: She prepared a 13 lb. turkey in the Bayou Classic fryer, and her in-laws prepared a traditional oven-based turkey. They had the most honest judges you can find: children. The result? The fried turkey was picked to the bone, while the oven-baked turkey was hardly touched.

Another reviewer commented that setup was simple, and complimented the burner, which was sturdy beyond his expectations. Whether you choose this or one of the other products mentioned here, it’s a great idea to read all the reviews on Amazon to get tips for getting the most out of your turkey frying pot.

By the way, turkey fryers can cook a lot more than just turkey. The book 103 Uses for Your Turkey Fryer lists many more uses for your fryer. Lobster and crawfish boils were mentioned by many turkey fryer reviewers, but the book also shows you how to use the equipment to prepare maple syrup, prime rib, and many other foods you’d never think of putting in the fryer.

A review of another top-rated model, the King Kooker Turkey Fryer, used it for homebrewing. This cooker comes with recipes for blackened, boiled, and fried seafood, as well as for Dutch Oven Jambalaya and for traditional fried foods such as onion rings, fried chicken, and chicken wings. Calling the purchase “as much a cooking school as it is a cooking product,” the manufacturer includes injecting tips to help you make your deep-fried turkey even more full of flavor. If you’ve never had a fried turkey that has been injected with Cajun seasoning, you’ve been missing out.

One thing to consider about traditional outdoor turkey fryers is that they use hot oil, usually peanut oil, to cook. (There are alternatives if you’re allergic to peanuts.) You have to be careful not to spill 350-degree oil on yourself as you cook (especially an issue if you tend to drink a lot of beer while you’re frying ). You also have to figure out a way to dispose of the oil once you’re done – you can’t just pour it down the kitchen sink. The combination of hot oil and open flame also makes it unsafe to use these fryers indoors. Below we’ll look at oil-free and indoor options.

The Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer by Char-Broil received higher marks overall than any of the oil-based fryers. This patented infrared turkey fryer allows you to not only flavor the bird by injection, but to use rubs and seasoning flavor on the outside as well. A drip pan catches the turkey’s juices, which you can then use as a base for delicious gravy.

People who bought this fryer loved the fact that they didn’t have to deal with oil. They didn’t have to worry about burning themselves, they didn’t have to go buy oil, and of course clean-up was a breeze. One reader was impressed how well the Big Easy cooked wings, rigging up baskets inside to cook 3 dozen at a time. Another reader cooked pork loins, a standing rib roast, and a pork butt, and said “all were great.” Once again, if you buy this product it’s an excellent idea to read all the Amazon reviews to get great cooking advice – there were a few reviewers who were disappointed with the way the meat turned out, and we suspect (based on the many other good reviews) that they didn’t understand how to properly use the cooker.

Another option to consider is the Masterbuilt Electric Turkey Fryer (model 20010406). A digital countertop turkey fryer that is safe to use indoors, the Masterbuilt uses oil but has no open flame. One reviewer praised this model for clean-up, thanks to a convenient bottom spout. Another reviewer’s holiday crawfish boil got rained out, but he still managed to cook delicious shrimp and crawfish indoors, thanks to the Masterbuilt. Another reviewer uses the fryer exclusively for turkeys, and has had it for 3 years without a problem. “It’s all automated,” he wrote. “Punch in the weight of the turkey, and Masterbuilt does the rest.” However, one reviewer commented that the Masterbuilt is not ideal for wings, so if you’re a big wing fan you’d probably be better off with the Big Easy, reviewed above.

Want to look at more? Check out Amazon’s complete supply of turkey and fish fryers. You’re sure to find something that will cook juicy, delicious turkey, and lots of other foods too.