Any Chefs/Rednecks/Backyard Warriors have experience with "Oil less" Turkey Fryers?

[Jed M]

As I come home from Halloween with my neices, my mind now turns to Turkey Day. I've smoked, fried, roasted, and convectioned and all have their plus and minuses. I saw a product called the "The Big Easy" by Charbroil that claims to be an oil less turkey fryer, whatever the hell that means. Regardless, its supposed to make a pretty succulent turkey with a crispy outside, ala a fried turkey without the mess and fat, while being able to stuff your bird and catch the dripping for gravy compared to real deep frying. I have read a whole lot of reviews but I can't help but get the feeling a lot of them read like product placements. I trust the people on this forum more than anywhere else online so I would love to hear anyone's thoughts or, even better, their experiences with it. If it is for real it would have impressive tailgating applications too. To me, its those few, "don't believe the hype" reviews that keep me wondering... Here's hoping somebody here can give me the real scoop. :bowing:

http://www.amazon.com/Char-Broil-08101480-Oil-Less-Infrared-Turkey/dp/B001HBI7D8/ref=pd_sim_ol_3

And I am in no way affiliated with Amazon or Char-broil.

[jschlesi]

Forget all that crap and gimmicks. Want the best turkey?
A. Brine it over night before cooking
B. Butterfly turkey ( cut along back bone lengthwise) Lay turkey breast side up on a broiler pan and and break keel bone. Cock wings under breast and lay legs flat. Coat skin with Oil, SP, or any other seasoning.
C. Make stuffing and put in bottom of broiler pan ( I like left overs and use a cheap alum deep pan for the stuffing). So the turkey cooks and the fat drips into pan flavoring stuffing.
D. Cook HIGH temps -- 400 ( 375-425)-- turkey this way takes only a few hours. Use a meat thermometer to measure doneness. When you pull out turkey to rest, leave the stuffing and crank up the oven even more so the top of the stuffing gets that nice crisp texture.

EAT!! Flat turkey cooks evenly and fast. Breast is moist. skin is cracking. Stuffing has all the good flavor from the bird drippings.
Works great on chickens.

[m-fine]

That thing is really just a convection oven, and it is very limited in size.

If you want the best tasting turkey, the real secret is to not cook it whole (and do not over cook). Cooking a large breast off the bone allows it to cook faster and stay much juicier. It loses the presentation factor though. Frying in oil also cuts to cook time which is a big part of why it gives good results.

[SoCalWJS]

Forget all that crap and gimmicks. Want the best turkey?
A. Brine it over night before cooking
B. Butterfly turkey ( cut along back bone lengthwise) Lay turkey breast side up on a broiler pan and and break keel bone. Cock wings under breast and lay legs flat. Coat skin with Oil, SP, or any other seasoning.
C. Make stuffing and put in bottom of broiler pan ( I like left overs and use a cheap alum deep pan for the stuffing). So the turkey cooks and the fat drips into pan flavoring stuffing.
D. Cook HIGH temps -- 400 ( 375-425)-- turkey this way takes only a few hours. Use a meat thermometer to measure doneness. When you pull out turkey to rest, leave the stuffing and crank up the oven even more so the top of the stuffing gets that nice crisp texture.

EAT!! Flat turkey cooks evenly and fast. Breast is moist. skin is cracking. Stuffing has all the good flavor from the bird drippings.
Works great on chickens.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm

Opinions vary, but I've used this several years in a row now (even going so far as to take my BGE to the relatives when Thanksgiving was there). I've kept notes from each year for slight refinements, and it is flat out the best turkey I've ever had (BBQ, Smoked, Oven, or fried)

[jschlesi]

I am not going to get into a "mine is better".
I dont have an egg but have grilled turkeys and I love the smokey flavor a grill gives off. Max I looked through your recipe and it looks tasty. I see some things I would do differently but that is why we all have our own favorites.

Anyone that cares to make a really good turkey will have their own "master recipe" and in practice all will work as long as the recipe follows sound cooking principles.

[Jed M]

Thanks for the feedback guys and all the preferred recipes. Personally, the best turkeys I have ever made have been deep fried, but that is such a pain. I will probably go convection again this year. I love smoking turkeys in general, but for Thanksgiving the smokiness can be odd with the other traditional flavors.

If I were to dispense just one piece of wisdom from everything I have learned over time it would be to put a gallon zip-lock filled with ice over the breasts 20 minutes before cooking. Take them off right before you but the turkey in and you should get your brown and white meat finishing at the same time. It really does make a difference. That is my fail safe advice.

I would still love to hear from somebody who has actually used one of those oil-less things.