Compact, electric, and convenient. What the Butterball Electric Turkey fryer lacks in testosterone, it makes up for in an easy-to-use, easy-to-clean design and layout. Unfortunately, there is almost no risk that you could create a massive fireball in your backyard with one of these things, which sort of takes all the fun out of deep frying a turkey.
Peanut oil. Nectar of the deep-frying Gods. You'll wanna have a couple gallons of it.
A vessel of 375 degree oil doesn't really look all that exciting. It's placid... It's innocuous... It's deceptive. Go ahead, stick your finger in it... (No. Don't. Seriously. Just... don't.)
The condemned. Completely defrosted, eviscerated, unstuffed, and drained/dried very well. Never, ever put a turkey in any state of frozenness in a vat of 375 degree oil. Just a few ice crystals in the abdomen have the potential to blow up your bird.
Moments after the immersion. By now, you'll have an appreciation for what 375 degree oil can do. Do not just "drop" a bird into the bath, lower it in an inch or so at a time, wait for the sharp crackling to abate before you lower it again. Wear heavy duty cooking gloves and long sleeve apparel. Beware of oil splatter around your feet, the heat will penetrate most shoes. I speak from experience.
Approximately 20 minutes after the complete immersion.
Right around the one-hour mark.
Total cooking time: Approximately 65 minutes.
The appropriate attire for cooking, and eating, deep-fried turkey.
And as Kurn, Worf's brother, once said: "I shall try some of your burned replicated bird meat."
