How Big Of A Turkey Can Fit In A 30 Quart Fryer?

Frying a turkey can make what is usually an all-day cooking affair into two-hour meal prep. This way of cooking a turkey is by far the easiest, most time-efficient way of preparing a turkey. When doing so, using the right amount of oil is essential, as is making sure that your turkey is the right size for your fryer. We've researched to answer this question so you can save time in and out of the kitchen.

A 30-quart fryer can hold turkeys that are up to 20 pounds.

Keep reading below as we answer more questions about fryers, oil, turkeys, and more.

What Is The Biggest Size Turkey You Can Deep Fry?

While there is no specific limit on the size of a turkey you can fry, there are some variables to take into account. When you are deep frying a turkey, one of the essential aspects is using the right amount of oil. As a general rule of thumb, turkeys need to be completely submerged in oil when frying. The oil should cover the turkey by about 1-2 inches. This means that you can fry any size turkey you want, provided you have a big enough fryer where you completely submerge the turkey.

Another factor to consider is how much oil can fit into your fryer. In other words, if you are frying a bigger turkey, make sure that when submerged, your oil isn't too close to the top of the fryer. Otherwise, there can be a fire and safety hazard if the oil splashes or boils out of the fryer.

How Large Can Processed Turkeys Be?

There are probably some record-setting turkeys out there on the market, but for the most part, the largest size generally available is around 25 pounds. Most turkey fryers take this into account, so they are often plenty big enough to fry a turkey this size.

How Much Oil Do I Need For A 30-Quart Deep Fryer?

A basic rule of thumb is one gallon of oil per ten quarts of fryer capacity. So for a 30-quart fryer, you would need about three gallons of oil.

Technically a 30-quart deep fryer could hold 7.5 gallons, but you have to take into consideration the oil level rising when the turkey is placed in, as well as a safe fill line for oil to splash around without splashing outside of the fryer.

Also, keep in mind the size of your turkey. If you own a 30-quart deep fryer but you are frying a very small turkey, you will not need an entire gallon of oil. Remember also to estimate the oil you need based on the size of your turkey.

What Else Can Be Cooked In A Turkey Fryer?

Since you are heating so much oil, why let it go to waste? Once you cook your turkey, there are plenty of other foods you can fry in a turkey fryer. Vegetables such as zucchini, okra, and even pickles are great for frying.

Classic recipes such as onion rings, french fries, hush puppies are also perfect for the fryer. Even dishes you would find at fair or circus-like deep-fried candy bars, and funnel cakes can be cooked in a turkey fryer.

A turkey fryer is no different than a regular fryer. It works the same way as oil is heated up and cooks the food on the inside and out. The main difference is the size of the fryer and how much it holds. Because it is so large, there is no limit to what you can fry in a turkey fryer, granted it is the same size or smaller than a turkey.

Keep in mind if you are frying foods that are dramatically smaller than a turkey, you probably do not need as much oil. It is also not a bad idea to reuse oil. Once you are done frying your turkey, you can use the leftover oil to cook whatever else you may want to deep fry.

Summary

All in all, turkey fryers are fantastic fryers since they come in such large sizes. The amount of oil you use is very important since you don't want to over or under-fill a fryer. Once you get the process of frying a turkey down, you will be able to spend more time with your family on Thanksgiving (or any day), and less time in the kitchen. That's something to be thankful for!

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