New Turkey Traditions: Try Grilling or Deep Frying
by Susan Davis on 11/09/09 at 10:12 am
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You'll need one of these baby's to fry your bird
A Thanksgiving dinner without the traditional foods – turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie – would seem sacrilegious.  However, there are many daring and innovative holiday revelers who would like to try something new, but without sacrificing the time-honored tradition that family and friends have come to expect. There are already some parts of the country that prefer ham, standing rib roasts and even salmon to a holiday turkey, but most Americans look forward to a nice juicy bird capturing center stage on Thanksgiving Day.
Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t think outside of the box and be creative with your turkey. The popularity of grilled and deep-fried turkey has grown considerably, offering a different spin on the main Thanksgiving course. Who says you have to oven roast your bird for a traditional feast?  I don’t think there’s a rule book for that tells you how to cook your turkey, so this year, why not try something new and different?
Grilled Turkey
Grilling a turkey can be a challenge, since it is different than cooking a burger. Unlike burgers, hot dogs and steak, whole turkeys cook with indirect heat (i.e. in a pan) and will develop the best flavor if soaked in brine overnight. You can make your own, or purchase pre-made brining brining kits. A grilled turkey ends up with a subtle smoky flavor and a delightfully crispy skin, in addition to being tender and juicy on the inside. Another advantage of grilling the bird is that it frees up the oven for more of the yummy side dishes.
Although cooking a turkey on the grill requires a bit more caution and attention than sticking the bird in the oven, it is not very difficult. This is a perfect method for warmer or moderate climates, where you can sneak outside to check on its progress without bundling up in cold-weather attire.
Because of the heat differences on a grill, you will need to maintain a consistent temperature of between 300 and 350 degrees while you are cooking the turkey and make sure you rotate it frequently, so it cooks evenly. Depending on its size, it should take about three hours for a perfect bird.
Deep Fried Turkey
Deep fried turkey is a Cajun tradition that is becoming more mainstream for American Thanksgiving feasts. Those who have tried them say they will never go back to oven roasting again because of the taste and the time it takes to cook. However, deep-frying a turkey (or any other large bird) has to be done carefully and with the right equipment. It can be messy and is not without some hazards. For that reason, deep-frying should always be done outside, away from the house or other structures. Definitely keep the fryer off the deck and out of the garage!
Although you can use a large stock pot, it is best to buy a custom-made turkey-frying pot. An average turkey can cook up in less than an hour (the rule of thumb is about three or four minutes a pound, instead of the 15 to 20 minutes a pound for an oven-roasted recipe). So in addition to being the quickest cooking method for a turkey, it also frees up the oven for all the other side dishes.
The biggest mistake beginners make when frying their first turkey is cooking it too long. However, even if the outside of the turkey is charred, the inside is usually incredibly moist.
These are two different methods for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey that will yield moist, tender and tasty results. Which one will you try this year?
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