Looking to save space in your oven and try out a new, tasty recipe for your turkey this Thanksgiving? Check out 3 ways to cook your turkey using propane!
Deep Fried
Deep-frying food is said to be traced back to ancient Egyptian times as a way of preserving food. More recently, the deep-fried turkey craze has swept the nation and continues to thrive in popularity. As early as the 1930s, there is record of turkeys losing the battle to the deep fryer, but the real traction was caught in the 1970s with the creation of the portable propane cooker.
Year after year, many American families choose to join the craze and attempt deep frying their Thanksgiving entree. While many focus on the risks of using a potentially harmful cooking source, with the proper instructions and safety precautions, deep frying can lead to a delicious meal.
Important things to remember:
- Since many of us do not have an industrial deep fryer, a stock pot and propane setup is the best option. When using a stock pot, be sure not to exceed the maximum fill line when adding oil to your fryer setup.
- Due to working with hot oil, it is important to wear the proper safety gear. This can include, but is not limited to, heavy-duty gloves, an apron, and safety goggles.
- Many choose to use a lifting mechanism when placing the turkey into the stock pot to avoid the potential for injury. Make sure to test this system prior to placing the final run as there will more than likely be hiccups involved that will need solutions.
Our favorite recipe:
Prep time: 1 day
Cook time: About 1 hour
Resting time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 day 1 hour & 20 minutes
Servings: 22 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large turkey
- 3 gallons of peanut oil
Turkey Rub:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Turkey Injection Marinade:
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (canola oil is okay too!)
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice (I prefer to use freshly squeezed lemons – about ½ of a lemon typically works)
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
- Completely thaw your turkey, or use a fresh turkey. (A thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four (4) days prior to cooking).
- Remove the wrapper of the turkey. You will need to remove and discard the neck and giblets of the turkey if they have not been previously removed. Rinse and pat dry.
- Combine your injection marinade ingredients together and fill the syringe. Insert in various places across the turkey, making as little holes as possible while spreading the marinade through as much of the turkey as possible.
- Mix the turkey rub ingredients together. You will use this rub all over the outside, cavity, and under the skin of the turkey.
- Once you have fully marinated the turkey, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. The longer you can leave the turkey to marinate, the better!
- Add peanut oil to the pot to fully submerge the turkey. (A great way to do this without trying to estimate it is by placing the turkey in a plastic bag or covering and placing it in the pot. You can then fill the pot with water until it is fully submerging the turkey. Mark this amount and remove the water from the pot. Then you can fill your oil to this mark!)
- Preheat the oil to 275 ℉. When oil reaches temperature, add the turkey to the pot and lower using a hanger/hook/lifting mechanism.
- Insert thermometer and close lid. Allow oil to heat to 325 ℉. Cook until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 ℉. (The typical rule for this is about 3-4 minutes per pound).
- Remove the turkey from the oil and let rest for about 20-30 minutes prior to carving.
- Enjoy!
Grilled
Grilling doesn’t stop at just hot dogs and burgers. We’re preparing our turkey dinner with our propane-powered grill this year!
Grilling is a fantastic way to free up your oven space, ensure you’re getting juicy, flavorful meat, and get some use out of that grill you bought this summer and only used twice when you swore that you’d use it every week!
Important things to remember:
- You want to ensure that your grill is nice and hot otherwise you are going to find an unevenly cooked bird looking to fly away when it’s time to sit down to dinner.
- Positioning is everything! You will want to go in the same direction as your burners. If you have vertical burners, place the turkey vertically. If you have horizontal burners, the turkey should be horizontal. This is also a good time to remember that you will want to use indirect heat to avoid burning the bottom of your turkey!
- Using a grill can lead to a dry turkey. Ensure that you are using various methods such as catching the drippings and using oil to keep your turkey nice and juicy.
Our favorite recipe:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12-15 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large turkey
- ½ cup butter or ghee, softened
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
Stuffing:
- 1 small orange – quartered
- 1 yellow onion – quartered
- 2 full heads of garlic – the top will be cut off
Instructions:
- Completely thaw your turkey, or use a fresh turkey. (A thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four (4) days prior to cooking).
- Preheat your grill to 450 ºF.
- Add chicken broth, fresh herbs, and onion to the bottom of the aluminum tray.
- Remove the wrapper of the turkey. You will need to remove and discard the neck and giblets of the turkey if they have not been previously removed. Rinse and pat dry.
- Combine butter, salt, and pepper in a mixture, stirring until smooth. Use this mixture to rub all over the outside, cavity, and under the skin of the turkey.
- Place the stuffing ingredients inside of the turkey. You can also add about ¾ cup of chicken broth to the pan at this point to ensure we keep the moisture going.
- Place the turkey inside the pan and then place the pan on top of the grill grates. You will want to try to be as centered as possible. Close the grill lid and allow the turkey to cook for a total of 11-13 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 ºF.
- Halfway through cook time, rotate the roasting pan and add ¾ cup of chicken broth, if needed.
- Once the turkey is finished, let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes before carving.
- Enjoy!
Smoked
One of my personal favorite ways to employ propane during Thanksgiving is by using a propane smoker. Not only is this one of the lowest maintenance ways to cook a turkey, but you will also get all that amazing smokey flavor mixed with whatever wood chip flavor you choose to add.
Smoking meat has been a popular method of preparation for as long as humans have been preparing meat. While we haven’t always used the same materials, the concept has remained the same. Now, wood chips and a variety of liquids can be added to offer a multidimensional flavor!
Important things to remember:
- Smoking meat can be a bit temperamental; it is important to ensure that you have a full tank of propane when beginning the process. Running out of propane will lead to loss of heat and can deter your progress.
- You can go about cooking the turkey in a variety of different ways, we find the easiest way is to use a disposable pan to keep your turkey juicy and ensure that the clean-up is minimized.
- A smoker allows you to use your meat’s ‘environment’ to control the flavor. We like to pick wood that is apple flavor to add a sweet mild flavor to the meat. Some other popular options are cherry wood or hickory.
Our favorite recipe:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours
Total time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large turkey
- 1 yellow onion – quartered
- 1 lemon – quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley
Turkey Brine:
- 2 cups apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 2 gallons of cold water
- 1 & ½ cups kosher salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 5 cloves garlic – smashed
- 2 tablespoons peppercorns
- 2 oranges – thinly sliced
- 2 lemons – thinly sliced
- 5 rosemary sprigs
- 3 bay leaves
Barbeque Rub:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1.3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions:
- Completely thaw your turkey, or use a fresh turkey. (A thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four (4) days prior to cooking). Remove the wrapper of the turkey. You will need to remove and discard the neck and giblets of the turkey if they have not been previously removed. Rinse and pat dry.
- Place all turkey brine ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until all is dissolved.
- Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Place the turkey into the solution to fully submerge. Refrigerate for 24+ hours.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 ℉. Load the smoker with apple wood chips.
- Coat a large disposable aluminum pan with cooking spray. Rinse the turkey with cold water, pat dry, and place in the pan with the wings tucked under the body.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon, and herbs then use kitchen twine to tie the legs together.
- Combine all barbeque rub ingredients together. Use this mixture to rub all over the outside, cavity, and under the skin of the turkey.
- Place the tray into the smoker. Cook for 5-6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 ℉. Refill the wood chips as needed. If the turkey begins to get too dark, cover it with foil.
- Once your turkey is completed, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Enjoy!
Now that you are prepped with 3 different ways to cook your turkey using propane, ensure that your propane tanks are filled and ready and get cooking!
