How to Deep Fry a Turkey

Start the thaw. Roughly 24 hours in the refrigerator for every four to five pounds. A 14-pound bird needs three to four days; a 20-pound bird needs four to five. Leave it in its wrapper on a tray on the bottom shelf.

Buy the oil. Three gallons for a mid-sized bird in a 30-quart pot, four to five for a large one, about three for an indoor electric. Peanut oil disappears from shelves in peak week — see which oil to buy.

Decide about brining. A brine is a good idea and it needs its own 12 to 24 hours. If you are going to, start here — and note that a brined bird must be rinsed and dried exceptionally well before it goes near oil.

Measure the oil with water. Bird in the basket, in the pot, water to one or two inches above it. Lift the bird out, mark the line, tip the water away and dry the pot completely. This is the step that prevents an overflow.

Set up and check the rig. Level ground, clear of the house, nothing overhead. Check the hose and regulator for damage, confirm the tank has gas, and put the extinguisher where you will be standing.

Dry the bird. Pat it thoroughly, inside and out, then leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. Dry skin fries better and splatters less.

1. Fill to the line. Oil to the mark you made, no higher.
2. Heat to 350F. Allow 45 minutes to an hour. Use the clip-on thermometer, not the cooking time, to tell you when.
3. Final check on the bird. Fully thawed, fully dry, giblets removed, no plastic truss, legs tied close to the body.
4. Gloves and glasses on. Elbow-length, every time.
5. Turn the burner OFF. This is the step that gets skipped and it is the one that matters most.
6. Lower slowly. Take 30 seconds over it. The oil will foam and rise; going slowly is what keeps it in the pot.
7. Relight and bring it back to 350F. The temperature will have dropped 25 to 50 degrees.
8. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per pound. A 14-pound bird is roughly 45 to 55 minutes.
9. Check the temperature. Lift the bird clear, probe the thickest part of the breast and the inner thigh. You want 165F.
10. Drain and rest. Hang it over the pot for a minute, then rest it 20 minutes before carving.

The National Turkey Federation gives approximately three minutes per pound; commercial guidance gives three and a half to four. Start checking at the lower figure. The clock is a guide and 165F is the answer.

Lowering the bird with the burner on. Oil that boils over onto a live flame is the fire. Turn it off first, every time.

Going by the clock instead of the thermometer. Cook time varies with oil recovery, wind and starting temperature. 165F is the only finish line.

Not drying the bird. Water is the whole problem. Pat it, then let it air-dry in the fridge.

Carving straight away. Twenty minutes of resting keeps the juice in the meat rather than on the board. Use the time to get the sides warm and out.