Looking to make deep fried turkey without oil?
Every year, for the past 16 years, we’ve deep-fried a turkey for Thanksgiving. It took a near-accident around year 2 for us to realize that there must be a better way than to dangerously heat up 6 gallons of cooking oil on my front porch!
In this Recipe, You’ll Learn:
- Impossibly juicy, never-overcooked turkey with crisp-crackling skin
- Why we use Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer (by the way, this is NOT a sponsored post)
- PROs and CONs of Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer
- Why we DON’T recommend brining for deep fried turkey without oil.
Years ago, we purchase the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer, and since then, we’ve purchased 2 more. One for my brother’s house and another after we moved to Nevada (we donated our old one to a friend). For $99, it’s the best investment we’ve ever made for a happy, good-eatin’ Thanksgiving with perfect, foolproof turkey.
PROS of the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer
This machine is an infrared fryer, and is powered by a propane tank, the one from your BBQ grill will work just fine.
The 16,000 BTU burner produces heat that circulates in the chamber surrounding the turkey, so that turkey cooks evenly. Okay, so to be fair, this technically, this isn’t “deep frying” a turkey, but the results are nearly identical to deep fried turkey: moist, juicy meat (even the breast!) and a crispy skin that is impossible to replicate in the oven.
Here’s what we like about the Char-Broil Big Easy:
- No oil needed. Previously, when deep-frying a turkey, not only did we have to buy 5 gallons of cooking oil, but we needed to discard of 5 gallons of used cooking oil afterwards. No oil is needed with the Char-Broil.
- Compared to oven-roasting, using the Big Easy saves us so much time. Oven: 4 hours Big Easy: 2 hours (10 minutes per pound).
- Fast heat up and cool down time: 60 seconds to heat up and the machine is already cool by the time dinner is over. In contrast to deep-frying with oil, you’d have to wait several hours for the oil to cool down completely.
- Drippings are collected in a small container. With deep-frying in oil, no drippings.
- Safe to use – No worries about tipping over or oil splattering (which has happened to us!)
- Relatively inexpensive, worth the $99 investment for perfect deep fried turkey without oil, every year.
CONS of Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer
As with all of our reviews, we list the dreaded CONs.
- Only 1 year warranty. Fortunately, we’ve never had any trouble with our unit. But I’m surprised that the warranty is only for 1 year, especially when you only use the machine once a year.
- Single use machine – we’ve never used the Big Easy for anything other than Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a big machine, you’ll need to store it in the garage or attic, somewhere out of the way. Sure, you can cook chicken or kebabs in the machine, but would you really lug out this massive thing just to cook chicken?
- No stuffing – If you love stuffing your turkey for oven roasting, you’ll find another way to make the stuffing/dressing. Personally, we’ve never stuffed our turkey, because it causes uneven cooking anyways. We’ve always made dressing in a 9″x13″ baking dish in the oven.
- Basket and cooking pot are a pain to scrub at clean. The best way to clean the wire basket is to immediately scrub it while it’s still hot. Don’t try to put it in the dishwasher. The inner cooking pot also has to be cleaned…it’s just large and awkward.
- Must use outdoors. Weather is a factor.
Things to Consider
If you’re thinking about using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer, here are things to consider:
- Propane – You’ll need to make sure you have plenty of propane. At least 1/2 a large tank. It would really suck to run out of propane when the turkey is not fully cooked! To be safe, just have a full tank ready.
- Must be used outdoors – find a good spot that’s NOT windy….maybe a shielded area away from wind and draft.
- The colder your outside temperature, the longer it will take to cook the turkey. A 13-pound turkey takes us about 90 minutes to cook in Las Vegas or sunny Florida. The same-sized turkey took us an additional 20 minutes at my brother’s old house in cold, windy Wichita, Kansas. If it’s snowing or raining outside, you’ll have do this under an overhang or covered patio.
- Included with the Big Easy is a mesh lid. That lid is used during the last 15 minutes of cooking, to reflect some of the heat back and further brown the skin. In cold weather, you can use the mesh lid throughout cooking, to help keep more of the heat inside the cooking pot.
- The first time you use the machine, you’ll have to season the cooking pot. That just means rubbing it with cooking oil and turning on the heat to high.
Another Alternative?
If you’re an apartment dweller, or just don’t care about all the CONs I’ve laid out above, and you don’t want to oven-roast the turkey, consider one of these two machines to cook your turkey, both with excellent results (and super-crispy skin) that rival the deep fried turkey without oil taste.
Ronco Rotisserie Oven ($127) I love this machine. We use it to make fool-proof, 1-step, perfect prime rib and to rotisserie chicken at home. The oven is big enough for a 12-pound turkey, though I would recommend going slightly smaller.
Nu Wave Oven ($95) Prior to owning the Ronco Rotisserie, this is what I used to make roast chicken. The chicken always came out perfect. One year, my Mom roasted her Thanksgiving turkey in the Nu Wave Oven. It was good, better than oven-roasted, but not better than the Char-Broil Big Easy or Ronco Rotisserie. This would be my 3rd choice. Plus, you can only roast a 10 pound turkey unless you have an extender ring.
If you’re convinced the Char Broil Big Easy is right for you, click here to find it.
Don’t Brine Turkey!
Brining a turkey is a favorite technique for tender, juicy turkey for oven-roasting. This technique is fine for oven-roasting, but I would not recommended for deep fried turkey without out….or in oil. Brining a turkey involves submerging the whole turkey in a bath of salt and sugar for 24 hours. The ratio is 4 quarts water : 1 cup kosher salt : 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
You’ll need to find a food-safe container big enough to fit the turkey and the brine. AND…you’ll need to find the room in the refrigerator for this massive container. Or you can use a giant plastic bag (that doesn’t leak) and a big clean bucket.
If you can’t make that happen, the next best step is to use a clean cooler and lots of ice to keep the temperature at 40ºF or lower.
Here’s the Problem with Brining Turkey:
- Submerging the turkey in brine water means you won’t get super-crispy skin. The skin is full of water, the meat just under the skin is full of brine water. If you decide to deep fry turkey WITH oil…that combination spells trouble Water + massive vat of boiling oil = danger. Lowering a brined turkey (even if you pat the skin very dry) into the oil will produce skin-burning splatters. The oil will continue to bubble fiercely for at least 20 minutes. It’s dangerous.If you are making deep fried turkey without oil, the infrared heat will spend its time evaporating the water on the skin, instead of crisping the skin. Even if you are oven-roasting a brined turkey, it’s difficult to get crispy skin, even if you turn up the heat in the last stage of cooking.
- Brining a turkey in a cooler requires babysitting. You need to keep an eye on the temperature of the water, to ensure it doesn’t go above 40ºF. Have a bag of ice on hand and refill with ice as needed. Adding ice also means you’ll be diluting the brine, so you’ll have to add more concentrated brine solution. Also, do you have room in the freezer for a big bag of ice?
- Brining a turkey is a mess. The cooler has to be thoroughly cleaned and bleached before and after brining.
- If you are still set on brining, count on starting the brine 2 days prior to Thanksgiving. On day 1, brine. On day 2, discard the brine, pat the turkey very dry inside and outside. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours. This process will allow the turkey skin to dry, to help you produce that desired crispy skin.
A Better Way to Ensure Juicy Turkey Without Brining
If you are making deep fried turkey without oil, a better way to create the most juicy and tender meat (and at same time, crispy skin), is to inject the turkey with the brine/marinade solution. Injecting deep into the meat of the turkey keeps the water AWAY from the skin.
We make a solution of water, salt, maple syrup, and just a splash of liquid smoke.
Whisk together until the salt dissolves:
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Then add in 1/2 cup of ice to cool the mixture down (and make it safe to inject into the turkey)
What is Liquid Smoke?
Liquid smoke is a natural seasoning that makes your food taste like it’s been smoked. Woods, such as hickory or mesquite, are burned. Smoke is collected, condensed, and cooled. Water is added and the liquid smoke is bottled.
Some brands add flavoring and artificial colors, so try to stay away from those. My favorite brand is Wrights Liquid Smoke. There are only 2 ingredients: water and hickory smoke concentrate.
I love this stuff, but only in very small amounts. If you think, “ewww…fake smoke?” Well, it’s made from real smoke, and chances are, if you enjoy bacon, smoked gouda cheese, beef jerky, smoked sausages….you’ve probably had liquid smoke.
Liquid smoke, just a tiny amount, gives the turkey the faintest hint of smokey flavor. This is definitely one of those ingredients that a little goes a long ways.
Injecting the Turkey
There’s a right way and wrong way to inject a turkey. Do not just go injection happy like a mad scientist and puncture the turkey all over the place! Do not puncture the turkey skin. Going through the skin will just cause the marinade to leak out onto the skin, which is what you want to avoid.
Instead, go under the skin, and inject the turkey.
Just find spots where you can inject without going through the skin.
After injecting, place the turkey, breast side up, in a large pot. It’s nice and plump, like turkey botox.
Refrigerate 2 hours (up to 24 hours) without covering. If you must cover, just use a sheet of tin foil and tent. This allows the skin to stay dry, which results in crispy skin.
Why is Injecting Better than Brining?
- Skin stays dry, allowing for the skin to become extra crispy when cooked.
- Takes up less room in refrigerator
- Less messy than brining
- Takes less time than brining- brining takes 24 hours, injecting only takes a couple of hours. NOTE: Some experts say that you can inject and then cook immediately. I would not recommend this for deep frying turkey. The 2-hour resting time allows the marinade to settle into the turkey meat. Excess marinade will leak out, which is what you want it to do, instead of leaking out into your boiling hot oil (for deep frying) or in the cooking pot (for oil-less frying).
When You Should NOT Brine or Inject the Turkey
If you buy a Kosher Turkey, there’s no need to brine or inject the turkey. Kosher turkey has already been pre-brined as part of the kosher process.
Choosing the Perfect Turkey for Deep Frying Without Oil
We don’t skimp on our turkeys. For a family-feast that only comes once a year, we like to get the best-tasting turkey that we can. Another important consideration is humanely raised turkeys. Our favorite brand is Diestel, a family-run, sustainable ranch in California.
Their sustainable practices have earned the company a 5+ welfare rating, the highest possible rating from the nonprofit Global Animal Partnership. You can find their turkeys at Whole Foods or on their website. The bird we used in the photos for deep frying turkey without oil is from Diestel – last year, they sent over a Pasture-Raised turkey and a fully cooked turkey for us to try. Since then, we’ve purchased a Diestel turkey from Whole Foods and plan on another one this Thanksgiving.
Also, if you’re not into cooking a whole turkey, they do sell already cooked whole turkey, that you can just warm up in the oven and serve.
Deep Fried Turkey Without Oil Using Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer
First, calculate the time you need:
When ready to cook, pat turkey dry, inside and outside, once more. Brush skin of turkey with a bit of cooking oil. Season with your favorite salt-less or low-salt herb/dry rub poultry seasoning (remember, you’ve already injected with salt, so go easy on the seasoning if it contains a lot of salt.) Also, choose a seasoning that has little or no sugar…the sugar will cause the skin to burn. Best: make your own seasoning:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground black pepper
Pour some cooking oil on a wad of paper towel, and rub the basket wires with the oil (this will help prevent the turkey from sticking to the basket). Place the turkey into the basket, making sure that the wing tips and drumsticks are nice and tucked in.
Preheat the Char-Broil Big Easy Fryer for a minute. Make sure that the unit lights up and it’s getting hot before adding turkey, breast up.
If this is your first time cooking with the Char-Broil Big Easy, you might panic an hour into cooking. It’s going to look like this for a long time. Will it cook in time? When will the skin crisp?
It’s getting close…
We like to pull the turkey out when the deepest part of the breast registers 150ºF-155ºF. No higher than that. The turkey will continue to cook while it’s resting.
Take that bad boy inside on a large cutting board to remove it from its cage. It’s a heavy beast, and you wouldn’t want to drop the turkey on the ground.
If you followed my instructions to oil the basket, the turkey should plop right out.
Beautiful, crispy skin: Deep Fried Turkey without Oil.
The skin is thin, crackly-crispy.
And the meat is so juicy and flavorful.
How to Calculate Cooking Time
The Char-Broil Big Easy estimates between 9-10 minutes per pound of turkey. Don’t only rely on your watch. Use an instant read thermometer to check temperature. Just use minutes per pound as a guideline.
Also, consider the weather conditions that you are cooking in. If it’s really cold (like when were were cooking in Wichita), calculate 11 minutes per pound.
The basket will hold a 16 pound turkey. We’ve gotten the best results with a 12-14 pound turkey, which feeds plenty of people (with leftovers).
14 pound turkey x 10 minutes = 140 minutes cooking time (approx)
+ 120 minutes injection marinade, or you can do this overnight
+ 10 minutes hooking up Big Easy, testing connection
+ any additional time to accommodate cold weather
+ 15 minutes resting time before carving
What about Gravy!?
Don’t worry! You can still make gravy. Simmer the neck and gizzard (inside the pouch stuffed in cavity of the turkey you bought), with fresh thyme, garlic, onion and bay leaves. We will use that stock as the base for the gravy. After your turkey is finished frying in the Big Easy, carefully slide out the drippings collection pan and add a couple spoonfuls of the drippings into your gravy.
Deep Fried Turkey without Oil - CharBroil Big Easy Turkey Fryer
Ingredients
- 14 pound turkey
For the Injection Marinade
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
For the Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Gravy
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- neck and gizzard from turkey no liver (you can also use wing tips from turkey)
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic keep cloves whole
- 1 quart turkey or chicken stock
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons turkey drippings
Instructions
2 Hours Prior to Cooking Time, Inject the Turkey
- Discard any plastic ties or plastic pop-up timers from turkey. To prepare the injection marinade, whisk together the hot water, salt, maple syrup and liquid smoke, until salt dissolves. Add in ice cubes to cool. Inject the turkey in several places, without puncturing the skin.
- Place turkey, breast side up, in large pan. Refrigerate, uncovered for 2 hours, up to 24 hours. It's best to let the turkey un-chill a bit on kitchen counter prior to cooking - bring turkey to counter for the last 1 hour.
Prepare the Char-Broil Big Easy
- Rub cooking basket with cooking oil. Brush cooking oil all over skin of turkey. Season turkey with dry rub, inside and out. Insert turkey into basket, with breast side up. Turn on Big Easy, make sure the flame is strong, and cooking pot is heating up.
Cook the Turkey
- Lower in the turkey in the basket. Cook, uncovered, about 9-10 minutes per pound. During last 15 minutes of cooking, cover with the wire mesh lid to allow turkey to brown. The breast should register 150F-155F. Remove turkey and let rest for 15 minutes before removing from basket. **While turkey is cooking, make gravy.
Make Gravy
- While the turkey is cooking, make the gravy. In a large sauce pan, heat the cooking oil over high heat. When hot, add in the turkey neck and gizzards. Brown the turkey on one side, then flip. Add in the onion and garlic cloves and continue to cook until onions are softened, and the turkey is nicely browned. Pour in the stock, add in the fresh thyme and bay leaves. When boiling, turn heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes. Strain, discarding solids. You should have about 2 1/2 cups turkey stock.
- In a clean sauce pan, over medium heat, add the butter. When just beginning to bubble, add in the flour. Whisking constantly, for 5-8 minutes, until dark blonde roux is formed. Pour in just 2 cups of the turkey stock (reserve the rest) and whisk to combine.
- Season the gravy for salt and freshly ground black pepper. To thin the gravy, pour in a little more turkey stock. To thicken the gravy, let the gravy continue to cook and reduce. To thicken in a hurry: in a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/4 cup water, stir to make slurry. Pour this into the gravy and continue to whisk until thickened.
- When the turkey is finished frying, remove the drippings pan. Use a large spoon to discard the first top layer of fat/oil. Underneath the oil, you should find very flavorful drippings. Stir a big spoonful of the drippings into your gravy.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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The new big easy which is a smoker, grille and infra red cookers more than a one use item. I made a rig to hang a duck in it and it worked great, I’ve done marinated whole chicken, drumsticks, Eye round roast and will be doing my turkey in it this year. I think its a fun addition to a grille. It cooks pretty fast and it works as a smoker as I have done pork shoulder in it also. The big easy three in 1 is the way to go.
I should have rotated the basket midway through the process as half was perfect the other could have used more time
The only way to do a Turkey,Hole chicken’s,Tri-Tips and Ribs.
One thing you DO NOT want to cook in TBE is a spiral sliced ham! Great when it is still warm but mine dried out and was tough the next day. Regular ham is really good! All my turkeys have been really, really good! Going to inject this year. Thanks for the “How To!”
I’ve had the Big Easy for 5+ years and have only used it twice! I’m now retired and am ready to start using it. I have deep fried a turkey for probably 15 years and am ready to move away from the mess and the cleanup. Here is my question. I usually cook a pretty big turkey (20+) pounds. Will it fit or do I need to get a smaller bird? Your answer may drive me back to the deep fryer!
They say that is too big but I’ve cooked a 21 lb. turkey and it came out great. I figured if I can get it in the basket it will work. And it does. Our family now cooks both ham and turkey for thanksgiving so we are now around 16to18 lb. turkey.
I have cook a 20 lb turkey just last week. I took the cage out and used the turkey stand that i used to deep fry my turkeys in peanut oil. Works like a champ. Good luck
I was told no larger than 14 pounds.
We have been brining our turkey for years before putting in the Big Easy. We pat it dry and then brush a thin layer of oil on the skin. It’s super crispy and the turkey stays juicy for days. Our next adventure is fried fish in the Big Easy!
Hey Reid, I always brine too. How soon after brining did you cook it in the Big Easy? I have yet to use mine and I’m soaking up all the tips here. It’s most likely overkill, but I’ll most likely inject too.
I would not inject the turkey if you have already brined it. I believe it would be too salty.
I’ve used the Big Easy for pork roast, roast beef, and porchetta. Not just for turkey! We have the accessory pack but have not used the skewer or hanger attachments (for ribs?).
Also, I ALWAYS brine my turkeys, whether they’re all natural or not. I load it up with bay leaves, whole peppercorns, halved onion, garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, sage, the works. But yes, always give the bird a good pat-down and AT LEAST one full day to drain and dry. Our family has consistently said my turkey is the only one they will eat.
Hey Lawson, when you say you load it up, do you actually stuff the turkey using the Big Easy? When I roast (in the oven) after brining I have always stuffed my turkey with quartered oranges, carrots, onion, celery, and fresh herbs. I’m hesitant to try it with the Big Easy. Any thoughts on this?
You mentioned you have not used it for anything but Turkey. I highly recommend you try a large beef roast. It’s amazing and you will not regret the juicy lovely flavour that it cooks a roast beef to perfection.
I rarely comment on a website but feel compelled to throw you a big turkey shoutout. I have made 50+ turkeys with oil and oilers fryers as well as a smoker. My wife makes hers in the oven on Thanksgiving and our guests love the contrasts of the two different techniques. This recipe curates so many great techniques and mistakes to avoid that I wished I had read it 50+ turkeys ago. Thanks for the great tips and lessons learned.
My family gave this a 10 out of 10 and want me make it again next week. Very delicious and easy to make
Delicious recipe
Absolutely amazing recipe! I made my second and third turkey in my air fryer using your recipe, exactly, and it was perfect. My first turkey I did in the oven and it was nothing compared to this. It took me over 10 years to even try to prepare one again and now I’ve made two turkeys between thanksgiving and Christmas.
The oil less air fryer is a great tool and this accompanying recipe has sealed my place as “THE” person that will do they turkey!
Thanks a million! I’ll be using this recipe for years to come!
Thank you so much Jacci!
Has anyone cooked a 20 lbs turkey with the char broil big easy (oil less fryer)?
Yes.
It did not go well.
16 lbs max.
Been using the big easy for 13 years.
Thank you for taking the time to do all this- Even though I cook 2 times a year on the Big Easy- it’s nice to get a re-fresher on the do’s and what not to do!!
This was one if the best turkeys we have ever smoked
Thanks so much PJ! I am so happy you loved the recipe! jaden
I’ve owned my Big Easy for at least 2 years. I have cooked turkeys, whole chickens, chicken wings, pork loins, foil packs of marinated veggies, beef roasts… you name it.
I always chuckle when I see all the “do not put the mesh lid on until the last 20 minutes” or not to brine or that it is a single use type cooker.
I never cook without the lid on. I brine just about everything & I cook everything in it. I use it at least once a week. My best advice to anyone who has purchased one is to get you a good remote probe thermometer and experiment. I look at other recipes just to see what others try but the best recipes are the ones you make up on your own or are variations of others recipes tweaked to your tastes.
This recipe looks really good. I’m going with a cajun spicy butter bird this year with a creole rub I made. Yum.
You only cook turkey in your Big Easy?? You have to try a roast, prime rib, chicken, the possibilities are endless!
First time using the fryer at what temperature do you cook the Turkey
I prefer to brine, but I put the turkey in a large roasting bag and put the brine in the bag and seal it – then I submerge in a cooler the day before – that way, the brine stays concentrated inside the bag and the cooler doesn’t get messy. I use a Big Easy and your point of non-crispy skin is accurate – but we don’t eat the skin, so I never really thought about it. However, considering that the crispy skin locks in the moisture, I think I’ll give injecting a try this year – maybe with my brine recipe. 🙂 Thank you for giving me “food” for though! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Had my Big Easy for 6 years. used oil fryer before that ( Use the oil fyer now for low boils.) Always did the wet Brine, an the turkey has always been great.
I’m going to try your way this year. Hope It turns out as good as you say.
You have a really good recipe for The Big Easy. Like your Website.
Had my Big Easy for a year now. Love it. I’ve done turkeys, pork butt, and a prime rib roast (which came out better than any I’ve had in steak houses). This thing is fantastic. I tossed my oil fryer in the trash.
This is a great article. I am unsure how old it is or if anyone will read this but I have one question that I cannot find the answer to. My husband has been doing a deep fried Cajun style turkey for years. The oil is expensive & must be disposed of. So we have been considering buying one of these. But…. Hubby makes his own special injection formula which has a butter base. Is there a problem with using butter under the skin in these “fryers”. Thank you.
Hi Susan – the butter under the skin will promote browning of the skin much faster, so you’ll just have to watch the turkey more carefully and turn down the heat. You can also use tin foil and toothpicks to cover up the areas (like the breast) where the skin might brown too fast.
Thanks, Jaden!
good reading
Been using the Big Easy for a few years. I use mine probably once a month for the 6 colder months in Michigan. Turkeys are obviously great, but I also have cooked Hams, Roast Beef, multiple chickens at one time and multiple cornish hens also. I stack chickens on top of each other using the insert with the pole that runs up the middle of the bird and sits in the wire mesh. (sometimes, I dont use the wire basket) I have had issues with certain areas not cooking as even as the rest, so I turn the meat clockwise every 30 minutes or so. I use a wireless thermometer and usually have to cook it a little longer than the temperature reads. I have never had one too black on the outside but I like my turkey and chicken skin extra crispy. The safety of this process exceeds any cons such as cleaning, which I actually find to not be that difficult. I will never deep fry a bird again. love my Big Easy.
Thanks you Conrad!!! Thanks for the tips on stacking chickens. Jaden
Can I Cook a 19lb turkey I know it says up to 16lb but it did fit in the basket but it was tight
So I didn’t know not to brine when using the oiless fryer. I’m kind of scared to see what happens
go ahead and Brine if you wish. I have used brine, I have done straight dry rub and I have done both. The cooker doesnt care how you do it so its up to personal preference
Hi Bill – great feedback on brining. You’re right – the cooker doesn’t care! LOL. jaden
Used one for the first time today Came out
great.
We use our big easy to cook our hams, pork roasts and Turkey. We usually make a 20 lb Turkey for Thanksgiving and we do stuff it. You put the Turkey in the big easy with the stuffed end up so it works just fine. All meat taste better cooked in there. We have the larger sized one obviously if we cook that large of a Turkey. We live in North Dakota so it gets cold here. If it is too cold or too windy we use it in our garage. Sometimes we open windows in there and sometimes not. We love our big easy and if you try other things in there you will definitely use it more than once a year.
I’m considering doing a turkey with an Indian twist and using tandoori spices in a yogurt marinade. Can you use a wet marinade on the skin in this fryer or do I need to just stick with a dry rub spice mixture? Thanks for all the great info. Just bought the fryer and excited to use it.
I have one of these and it’s the best! However I might not being doing it like this guy. I don’t clean the pot part I wipe it out but what I thought it that it that it is supposed to build up a nice coating like a cast iron pan. You never scrub it. Another thing I put the top on, the mesh steel top thing on at the very start. I don’t want anything to fall or fly into my cooker. I do clean the basket but similar to the pot I wipe off and call it good. Ask any BBQ smoker person they don’t clean the smoker it adds to the flavor. With all that said this thing is great but big. Best holiday wishes!!
Came here just to bone up on the subject matter before the big day. I use my Big Easy for grilling all the time, for birds once a year! This year it’s supposed to be cold in Maryland so your rec on cook time on a cold day is valuable. Thank you for that added detail. I’ve had my Big Easy for years and just love doing the turkey in it. I want to make sure though — a 15 minute wait before cutting is enough? I don’t want dry white meat!
This is my first time using this recipe, the previous times I’ve cooked turkeys in the big easy I usually let it sit up after cooking for 30 minutes to give it enough time to finish cooking. And it’s always so juicy and very good
That is plenty of time. I dont think we even wait that long. Never had a problem with dry white meat. We also use our big easy all year long. We make our hams and pork roasts in there also. We are in North Dakota so it is cold here and we have used ours in our garage.
Thank you, this is the most informative piece I’ve seen out there on cooking turkey in the char broil oiless fryer. I’ve never tried injecting the turkey, but will this year! Thanks!
When you’re letting the turkey rest, do you tent it with aluminum foil?
You can, but I don’t find it necessary. The turkey will stay plenty hot. Any trapped moisture, even under a tin foil tent, will have potential to make the skin soggy.
sheesh that looks mcuh better than any oilfried ones I’v tried, would love to give this a try. Wonder how much they are in Canada…probably more reaasonable than the deep-fryers!
We have been cooking with the big easy for a few years now, we love it. No oily mess to clean up. There are accessories you can buy to cook chicken, ribs and other goodies, it’s a great investment.
Thank you for all the photos, it helped us immensely with our turkey!
too bad your not getting a little something from the Company- I just bought one, what a great way top free up oven space on Thanksgiving. Super excited to try this year! Do you recommend a specific oil for smoke point?
Hi Jackwelyn – I really like grapeseed oil or canola.
Would like to try it
love your tips
Love to try this with coconut oil!
Orville’s Popcorn butter flavored oil brushed on before and once or twice more during cooking. Super..
Ooh, this would be a great way to cook turkey for us, right outside our RV by the grill!
As a concept, this is very similar to an Indian clay oven – a tandoor.
I have a similar sized proper clay lined tandoor which can be coal fired which I use in an apartment balcony.
I would recommend using this not just for turkey, through the year, you might get great results.
Happy Thanksgiving!
VERTICAL GAS GRILL, NEAT IDEA
I have always been a wee bit wiry about deep frying , to many bad stories about it , so with this ( Assuming ) I win it , I can rest at ease, while making a perfect Turkey.
Brings back many wonderful memories “Christmas Turkeys” yum yum