11 Dec 08 Char-Broil’s new infrared oil-less turkey fryer is the safe way to fry your turkey! REALLY?

We got this for Thanksgiving hoping to replicate the fired turkey experience and keep the heat out of the kitchen.

Here is the write up for the product

Turkey Fryer

“Char-Broil’s new infrared oil-less turkey fryer is the safe way to fry your turkey or any large cut of meat. And because it uses NO oil, it’s healthier, too. Prepare your turkey, pork loin or any large piece of meat with the same injectable marinade you already use, or use seasoned rubs on the outside, which is not an option with traditional fryers.

The infrared heat circles the cooker to penetrate the meat evenly and seal in juices. The result is a bird that’s moist inside and crispy outside but without the risk, hassle or added fat and calories of oil.

Safely cook a turkey (up to 25 lbs.) or chicken in about 8 to 10 minutes per pound. Roasts and most other large cuts of meat cook for slightly longer.”

We tried a test run 1 week before Thanksgiving and then tried again on Thanksgiving. The test run was with a 12 pound turkey. After 2 hours of cooking one side was done and the other side was raw. We rotated the bird and put it back for another 25 minutes. This time the breasts were done but the wings and legs were not.

The 24 pound Thanksgiving turkey was cooked for 3 1/2 hours up to 185. The skin was perfect and the breasts were juicy. The leg meat appeared done, but juices around that area still were very red. We also noticed that the skin in-between the leg and bird was also raw.

We ended up eating the breast and putting the remaining bird in the over for another 40 minutes.

Definitely be careful with this item as on two occasions it did not cook evenly.”

Tags: deep fryer, grill, turkey fryer

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Reader's Comments

1. cb | 15 Dec 2008 7:34 am

   Hiya - thanks to the marvels of modern technology your blog popped up on my Google Reader and I read about your experience with The Big Easy. Since I write a weekly newsletter and blog about grilling - called Sizzle on the Grill and sponsored by Char-Broil - I was concerned about your less than best experience. One of the features of the blog I write is a Users Forum where folks exchange ideas and tips on preparing food on the different Char-Broil equipment. The Big Easy conversations and topic threads are some of the most active.

   I’d be interested in learning more about what you did (or didn’t do) that produced the results you had and would be happy to talk with you to determine if there is anything I can do to help you get the best use of your cooker. Any chance you can send me an email so we can discuss? Thanks! CB

2. nick | 16 Dec 2008 2:03 pm

   CB,

   I actually returned the Fryer, but when we tried it on the two seperate occasions we did the following:

   1) Insert Bird with breast up, centered in the basket.
   2) Let cook for 2 hours and check temperature
   a. In our case the second Bird was 23 pounds
   3) Temp was 160 or so. We put the cover on the Fryer and let cook another 1 hour
   4) Temperature reached 168 after 3 hours.
   5) We then put the temp. gauge on low for another 1 and a half hours (waiting for guests to arrive)
   6) Upon taking out the bird the internal temp was 185

   The skin and breast were perfect, but the legs had very red juices around it and the skin inbetween the legs and breast was still RAW!

   Anyway…seems like a lot of people has great results… perhaps I has a defect

3. nick | 16 Dec 2008 2:03 pm

   Nick,, thanks for taking time to send me the note. I’ve forwarded your problems to the folks at Char-Broil and really REALLY appreciate all of the hassles you went thru. Sorry your experience was not 100% perfect.

   CB

4. Tianyi | 15 Jun 2009 3:54 am

   Hey Nick, thanks for the review though. I wan to try your turkey sometime