How-To Video & Guide: Bacon Up Turkey Fry

Would you like to put a new twist on your Thanksgiving traditions? We can help!! This year, fry your turkey in John Gordon’s Bacon Up Bacon Grease. The whole experience is a delight! Seeing and hearing the golden oil bubbling will start the excitement and the yummy bacon aroma will keep the anticipation building. And when it’s done, you’ll love the crispy texture and juicy meat and, of course, the tasty hint of bacon flavor. It doesn’t overwhelm the turkey, but adds a depth of flavor that will really take your turkey to the next-level. If your family is like ours, you’ll never go back! Watch Chef Zach to see how it’s done and use the handy how-to guide below to plan your own Bacon Up Turkey Fry: First Things First

• Remove the wire, plastic straps, and anything else holding the legs in place, any gizzards (or parts) that may be in the cavity, and the plastic pop-up thermometer that comes with the turkey.
• Be sure your turkey is COMPLETELY THAWED. If a frozen turkey – even partially frozen – hits hot oil, it can be disastrous. Put your bird in the fridge for a day or two and if you still sense icy pockets, give it a bath in luke warm water.
• The night before is the perfect time to add some juicy flavor right into the meat with an injection recipe. Make sure you’re getting it directly into the meat, not just under the skin. Massage it in a little, and then put the turkey back in the refrigerator to soak it up.
• Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes – and up to two hours — before cooking. Make sure the turkey is 100% DRY.  **Again, OIL + WATER = DISASTER.** Stay safe and don’t take the risk.

Getting Set

• You’ll likely need between three to four buckets of Bacon Up Bacon Grease to completely cover an average sized turkey. If your turkey is a bit larger or smaller than normal, you can adjust the amount of bacon grease accordingly.
• The bacon grease will expand as it heats up, so make sure your pot is large enough to account for the rising level of bubbling grease once the turkey is dropped in. Safety first! You don’t want the grease to flow over the top of your pot. A 30 quart pot easily holds a 12 pound turkey.
• Make sure you have a fryer thermometer that hooks onto the side of the pot. Monitoring the temperature throughout the process is really, really important!
• Fry the turkey in an open area outdoors. Do not fry the turkey in your garage, kitchen, or covered patio. Keep the fryer away from pets, children, and any flammable structures.
• Never leave the fryer unattended. Curious children and pets could get burned by the hot grease.

Let’s Get To It

• We recommend frying the turkey at 350 °F. NEVER let the temperature of the grease rise to over 400 °F. If it accidentally rises past 400 °F, turn off the heat immediately and allow the grease to cool off again. NEVER drop ice into the hot grease to cool it down. Let it cool naturally.
• Make sure you’re wearing some type of oven mitt or glove to handle the pot. If the grease pops, you don’t want it to burn your hand. Eye protection, long pants, and old shoes are good ideas, too.
• Before you drop the turkey in, TURN OFF THE BURNER! Be sure the bird is dried off, then slowly lower it into hot grease. Then remember to turn the gas back on! You’d be surprised how many people forget in the excitement of the moment. Introducing the cool turkey will probably drop the temperature of the grease, so give it enough gas to get the temperature back up to the ideal 350 °F.
• Once your Bacon Up turkey fry is underway, keep an eye on the temperature and make sure it stays stable at 350 °F. And to reiterate, never leave the fryer unattended and be sure kids and pets stay clear.
• A good rule of thumb is to cook your turkey for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per pound. So, a 12 pound turkey will take about 35 minutes. The best way to test if the turkey is done is to insert a meat thermometer into several parts of the turkey. The turkey is done when the internal temperature is 165°-180°F.
• We know you’ll be excited to taste your Bacon Up turkey, but remember to turn off the heat before removing the turkey from the pot. And let all the oil drain out over the pot before moving it to your pan or platter.
• Obviously, your turkey will be piping hot, so let it rest several minutes before carving into your masterpiece. And if you’re waiting for some other dishes to finish (and have room in your oven!), you can keep it warm at 180° until everything else catches up.

Enjoy! When all is said and done, we think you’ll agree that a turkey fried in Bacon Up is unsurpassed in terms of moist meat and delicious flavor.