Taste difference between peanut and veg oil for turkey frying?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    Taste difference between peanut and veg oil for turkey frying?

    I think I missed the boat to get a group together to fry up Thanksgiving turkeys but am planning for Christmas now. I think I need at least 3, maybe 4 ,people to make it economical.

    I saw that 3 gallons of peanut oil at Lowes was $37. Vegetable oil must be less expensive.

    Anyway, everyone says you're supposed to use peanut oil for the taste and for the higher smoke point. Smoke point aside, have you tried an oil other than peanut and how did it taste?

    While I'm on the topic, how long will a tank of propane last? If I get 3 people together, that's probably 4-5 hours of burn time needed which includes time between turkeys to heat up the oil to fry temperature.
  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #2
    I haven't done it with Vegetable oil, but a friend tried it. I tasted the results. Don't try it. It's not worth the effort, or the wasted turkey...

    As far as how long a 20 lb propane cylinder lasts for with a turkey fryer all depends on your rig. I have done 8 birds, 4 group campouts, and run my Portable Buddy heater in the shop on the really cold days for 4 seasons now on the same 20 lb cylinder. I have a friend with a much larger burner and he sucks down a 20b cylinder each year...
    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

    Comment

    • cabinetman
      Gone but not Forgotten RIP
      • Jun 2006
      • 15218
      • So. Florida
      • Delta

      #3
      I don't know how much help this will be, but we do the turkey in the oven. But, there are a few choices other than peanut oil and vegetable oil for frying, such as... corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.


      .

      Comment

      • jdon
        Established Member
        • Feb 2010
        • 401
        • Snoqualmie, Wash.
        • BT3100

        #4
        Peanut oil (refined) is often used in deep frying because of its high smoke point- 450 degrees (the temp at which oil starts degrading. It has a neutral flavor.

        Depending on the plant source and degree of refinement "vegetable oil" can have varying smoke points, most below that of peanut oil. Assuming that you're deep frying at ~375, it shouldn't make any difference re: the kind of oil. The only consideration is potential peanut allergies among the guests.

        Comment

        • atgcpaul
          Veteran Member
          • Aug 2003
          • 4055
          • Maryland
          • Grizzly 1023SLX

          #5
          I didn't get my act together to fry a turkey last year but am trying to get a group this year.

          What's a reasonable amount of people for a turkey fry? I was thinking 4 people would be optimal to share the cost and that a smaller group would prevent the first guy from eating turkey at 10am and the last guy at 10pm.

          Figure 1 1/2hr per turkey including oil heat up time and setup?

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20913
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #6
            Be careful and safe. Frying a turkey can be very dangerous. Large quantities of hot oil in a tall, high center of gravity pot over an open flame can make for serious burns and fire potential as you wrestle a 20-30 pound turkey in and out of the fryer if you accidentally tip it over or make the oil overflow into the fire below. Beware of splattering esp if any water gets into the oil via the turkey. Approach this more carefully than a wood project with power tools in your shop as the ante is higher and you are unfamiliar with the equipment.

            Consider safety glasses, hot mitts and a fire extinguisher for oil-fires handy. Keep casual bystanders and kids away.

            Enjoy your Thanksgiving safely.



            .
            Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-13-2013, 04:36 PM. Reason: added capncarl's comment about the overflow
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

            Comment

            • dbhost
              Slow and steady
              • Apr 2008
              • 9209
              • League City, Texas
              • Ryobi BT3100

              #7
              A good reminder for this time of year...

              William Shatner Turkey Fryer safety video...
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

              • capncarl
                Veteran Member
                • Jan 2007
                • 3564
                • Leesburg Georgia USA
                • SawStop CTS

                #8
                At one of our holiday fire safety training courses they featured turkey frying. The fryer was set up exactly like you would do it at home, complete with the raw turkey. No one caught on what was going on until they dunked the turkey in the heated oil, and the pot must have had a half gallon too much oil in in. The turkey displaced the oil and the rest overflowed into the fire. What a fire this created! This demonstration was to show us in no certain terms that you must measure the volume of the cook pot and subtract the volume of oil that the bird displaces and not overfill the pot. A simple boo-boo like this would ruin a fun cooking.

                As far as how much cooking will a 20 lb propane cylinder provide? I would not start the job with at least half a tank or have a back up cylinder nearby. I don't think that my cooker will burn more than 6-8 hours on one cylinder.

                happy eating

                capncarl

                Comment

                • LCHIEN
                  Internet Fact Checker
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 20913
                  • Katy, TX, USA.
                  • BT3000 vintage 1999

                  #9
                  good point about the oil overflow being a danger, too. How many gallons does a 20-lb turkey displace?
                  Sorry about the negative tone of my last post above. Just wanted everyone to be safe!
                  Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-13-2013, 04:38 PM.
                  Loring in Katy, TX USA
                  If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                  BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                  Comment

                  • atgcpaul
                    Veteran Member
                    • Aug 2003
                    • 4055
                    • Maryland
                    • Grizzly 1023SLX

                    #10
                    The one downside to frying seems to be bird size. For the rig that I have, I think a 12-14lb turkey is about the max.

                    I've enlisted 2 other guys. Need a fourth. I'm thinking about doing a fried chicken, too.

                    Since I can't guarantee all the birds will be the same weight, I'm thinking the best strategy is to start cooking the heaviest bird first. That way the least amount of oil is used to start. I'm sure oil will be diminish between cooks but I don't know how much. I've got to check my pot and see if there are markings for volume. Between birds I can add oil based on the displacement and keep going.

                    Comment

                    • jdon
                      Established Member
                      • Feb 2010
                      • 401
                      • Snoqualmie, Wash.
                      • BT3100

                      #11
                      You might want to check out Alton Brown's "Good Eats" episode on deep frying turkey, and this derived link: http://www.altonbrown.com/pdfs/AB_turkey_derrick.pdf

                      Most foods have a density close to that of water (1kg/L, or 1 lb/pt.), so a 20 lb. turkey displaces about 2.5 gallons (assuming no retained air in carcass cavities.

                      Comment

                      • capncarl
                        Veteran Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 3564
                        • Leesburg Georgia USA
                        • SawStop CTS

                        #12
                        After purchasing the turkey fryer equipment that will just be in the way most of the time, and enough cooking oil to heat a small house, I have found that cooking a turkey in a new gargbage can does a lot better job and I get a useful garbage can when the cooking is done. Check out cooking a turkey in a new metal garbage can on line. I see that thetrashcanturkey.com has good photos and insturctions.
                        capncarl

                        Comment

                        • vaking
                          Veteran Member
                          • Apr 2005
                          • 1428
                          • Montclair, NJ, USA.
                          • Ryobi BT3100-1

                          #13
                          Since you are thinking about cooking turkey and a chicken - is it worth to think about a turduchen? I never tried it but it sounds entertaining.
                          Alex V

                          Comment

                          • LCHIEN
                            Internet Fact Checker
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 20913
                            • Katy, TX, USA.
                            • BT3000 vintage 1999

                            #14
                            Originally posted by vaking
                            Since you are thinking about cooking turkey and a chicken - is it worth to think about a turduchen? I never tried it but it sounds entertaining.
                            Never try any food that starts with "turd"...
                            Loring in Katy, TX USA
                            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                            Comment

                            • atgcpaul
                              Veteran Member
                              • Aug 2003
                              • 4055
                              • Maryland
                              • Grizzly 1023SLX

                              #15
                              Originally posted by vaking
                              Since you are thinking about cooking turkey and a chicken - is it worth to think about a turduchen? I never tried it but it sounds entertaining.
                              I'm down for ruining one bird, but not three. My wife mentioned doing a smoked turkey, too. I have a Big Green Egg (medium size, go figure) and I'm game.

                              Originally posted by LCHIEN
                              Never try any food that starts with "turd"...
                              ROFL!

                              Comment

                              Working...