Looking for a Deep Fried Turkey Pot

I wanna do a deep fried turkey for the US Thanksgiving. I found a perfect propane burner unit but am still looking for an appropriate pot. It needs to be about 16 inches round and about 30 inches deep (about the size of a 5 gallon pail). Does anyone know where I can find such a beast. Is there a "House of Pots" in the area?

CanuckBob wrote:I wanna do a deep fried turkey for the US Thanksgiving. I found a perfect propane burner unit but am still looking for an appropriate pot. It needs to be about 16 inches round and about 30 inches deep (about the size of a 5 gallon pail). Does anyone know where I can find such a beast. Is there a "House of Pots" in the area?

Dunno, but just be very, very careful. We don't want to come home and find you in the hospital.

Why would you want to deep fry it when roasting it the proper way cab be really delicious. Of course. IMO most people don't know how to cook turkey.

Deep fried turkey is delicious.I know they have pots that size at San juan de Dios,but you should be able to find some Lakeside also,they're pretty common.
John's right about being careful.

CanuckBob wrote:I wanna do a deep fried turkey for the US Thanksgiving. I found a perfect propane burner unit but am still looking for an appropriate pot. It needs to be about 16 inches round and about 30 inches deep (about the size of a 5 gallon pail). Does anyone know where I can find such a beast. Is there a "House of Pots" in the area?

Bob, check with one of our restaurant advertisers. Pots used to dump oil from deep fryers work pretty good. I'm sure they can get you to a restaurant supply store in Guadalajara.

would a 45 gal oil drum work?

hockables wrote:would a 45 gal oil drum work?

NOT...LOL

Might save on the cost of cooking oil?

hockables wrote:would a 45 gal oil drum work?

Depends on the size of the turkey. Sundown for example, now that would be just perfect.

he may be on the tough side even deep fried.

CB, they have those pots ranging from huge to really huge in a store in chapala. I don't know the name of the store but it is just past the plaza (coming from the light). It is a large store and has an extra large opening in the frount . It looks like a toy store at first glance...the pots are high up on a shelf in the frount.

I'd go to the store on the Chapala-Guadalajara Carr. that sell everything in stainless steel. There's always a display of various cooking ware out front. It's on the S. side of the Hwy..

joec wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:I wanna do a deep fried turkey for the US Thanksgiving. I found a perfect propane burner unit but am still looking for an appropriate pot. It needs to be about 16 inches round and about 30 inches deep (about the size of a 5 gallon pail). Does anyone know where I can find such a beast. Is there a "House of Pots" in the area?

Dunno, but just be very, very careful. We don't want to come home and find you in the hospital.

Why would you want to deep fry it when roasting it the proper way cab be really delicious. Of course. IMO most people don't know how to cook turkey.

Well you know what they say about opinions Joe..........

Thanks for the advice everyone else.

Dumb suggestion, maybe.......but how about a 5 gallon metal pail?
Actually, they sell huge copper pots near Michoacan. and since I see people cooking in them, I guess they aren't poisonous. At least not right away.

Gringal:

Actually, copper pots and pans are very safe to cook in. Unlike aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron and other materials used for utensils, copper purity is extremely high in products coming out of Santa Clara del Cobre - accepted standard is 98+% pure.

gringal wrote:Dumb suggestion, maybe.......but how about a 5 gallon metal pail?
Actually, they sell huge copper pots near Michoacan. and since I see people cooking in them, I guess they aren't poisonous. At least not right away.

Some of the metal pails have soldered seams that would start to leak under the high heat. They are not built to withstand the flame and high temperatures.

copper is poisonnous if you let food sit in it but we always made jams in copper potsand rillons ( chicharones). To make sauces , and cook slowly we used copper with the silver (not sure what the alloy is) lining. I always wondered why we were told not to cook in pans where the lining was scratch or damaged but why it was ok to make the jams and chicharones in non lined pans.
Anyone knows?

What a great idea. We had friends in Calif. that use to deep fry their turkey and what a treat, best turkey I ever had. Have no idea what they used as a pot. Hope you find one. yum yum yum.

CanuckBob wrote:I wanna do a deep fried turkey for the US Thanksgiving. I found a perfect propane burner unit but am still looking for an appropriate pot. It needs to be about 16 inches round and about 30 inches deep (about the size of a 5 gallon pail). Does anyone know where I can find such a beast. Is there a "House of Pots" in the area?

CBob,

Really? Is this the Canuck Bob and not someone imitating him? Have you done this before? It just seems so.... Texas.... but they are delightful and melt in your mouth tender, you can't even tell they are fried they are just plain good.

I've deep fried turkeys. Here is the problem: assuming you find the House of Pots, the SECOND turkey you fry comes out perfect. The first one just warms up the grease (and you probably splash the grease all over yourself lowering it in too quickly). Basically it's best to do a slew of them, maybe Big Daddy could try it (hint, hint).

Anyway here are the directions I used several years ago:

HOW TO DEEP FRY A TURKEY
You will need: Deep fryer, oil, marker, thermometer, (optional) marinade and injector.
Before You Fry
1. Check the weight of the bird on the package – you will cook about 3 minutes per pound, so multiply the weight by 3 for the approximate cooking time. You need to start heating the oil about 45 minutes before this time, example 15 lb. turkey is 3*15=45+45= 1.5 hours before meal time start heating oil.
2. Determine the amount of oil you need by placing the turkey in the pot. Add water to two inches above the turkey, then remove the bird.
3. Mark the water level WITHOUT the bird. This is how much oil you will use.
4. Pour out water and thoroughly DRY THE POT AND TURKEY.
5. Now add oil to the mark.
6. If you wish, inject your bird with marinade about a half hour before frying.
7. Place the turkey in the basket or on the turkey hanger (shown).
8. Heat the oil to 325° - 350° 30-45 minutes.

How to Fry

1. About 45 minutes before you want to eat, VERY SLOWLY lower turkey into the pot.
2. Now keep adjusting the heat to keep temperature steady as you let her fry, about three minutes per pound.
3. When she reaches the estimated time, remove turkey and check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
4. Temperature must be at least 170° F. in the breast and 180° F. in the thigh.
TIP: Don’t let thermometer touch bone, it will not be accurate. Push into meatiest portion of breast or thigh.

Merry

Brigiite:
Since you raised the issues, here is what I found on a quick search:

IMPORTANT NOTICE Cooking with bare copper is potentially dangerous it is not the copper itself that is poisonous but the reaction formed between the copper and the acidity of the food any vessel or container used with the intention to store or to prepare food must be coated with a secondary non hazardous metal such as tin or stainless steel this secondary metal is applied in a very thin coating to the interior of the pot NEVER COOK WITH AN UNLINED POT NEVER STORE FOOD IN AN UNLINED CONTAINER for the endless centuries that copper cookware has been used these pots have always been coated with a thin layer of tin. nowadays, both tin and stainless steel are used
If you are serious about your cooking then be serious about who has made your copper cooking pots always buy a reputable and proven cookware brand

THE BENEFITS OF COPPER COOKWARE:

Copper is an excellent conductor of heat. Using copper will allow you to reduce your heat by as much as half and more, thus saving on gas or electricity.
Although the initial investment of your copper cookware is more than what you would pay for ordinary pots, your savings on heat will quickly make up for the difference.
Copper heats up evenly. There are no hot spots when cooking.
Copper cookware can be used on any type of stove, except on induction.
Good quality copper cookware litterally is indestructible, and will last a lifetime.
Copper cookware is a joy to work with, both for it's beauty and it's functionality.

TYPES OF INTERIOR LININGS:

Copper can be lined with nickel, stainless steel, or tin. Stainless finishes will often have circular rings emanating from the center, a spun look. Stainless and nickel are very shiny when new.
Unlined copper should not be used for cooking, especially anything acidic (tomatoes, most fruits, vinegar, or sauces/condiments that use any acidic ingredients). The copper creates a chemical reaction with the acid that is considered poisonous, though the effect may be long-term. The exception is a copper beating or mixing bowl. The chemical reaction of the copper and egg whites allows for quick stiffening of the mixture and is not harmful since eggs contain no acid. And of course, dry mixing is perfectly fine in unlined copper.
Research is currently being done on the properties of Stainless Steel, with the investigation of how food safe it actually is. There appears to be some dubious opinion on the safety of Stainless Steel in general, for cookware.

Stainless Steel interiors

Stainless Steel interiors can be maintained as one would with any stainless steel pot. Avoid letting your pot stand with salt solutions for too long. Salt has the tendency to pit stainless steel over time.

Tinned interiors

Tin lined interiors require a gently wipe or wash. These interior surfaces are soft, and can easily be scratched. Tin is the much preferred metal by professional chefs as it does not stick, (much like your teflon pan), and lends a far better taste to the food. One should never use sharp utensils in a tin lined pot, but rather a wooden or plastic spatula. With proper care, the tin lining should last for many years. Once the tin has worn, the pot can easily be retinned by a qualified retinner.

Retinning of copper cooking pots Copper cookware is usually retinned by hand in accordance to the age old tradition of retinning. Hand retinning allows for a much thicker layer of tin to be applied. This may result in some streak marks, which do not deter nor hinder the functionality of the pot. Electroplating is not a good idea, for with this method a far too thin layer of tin is applied, which will wear down in next to no time. The tinning process:

The surfaces that are going to be tinned are covered with an acid flux. This helps helps the tin adhere to the copper when heated.
The outer surfaces of the pot are then protected with whiting to prevent the hot tin from accidentally sticking to the outside of the pot.
The pot is then heated to approximately 450 degrees Farenheit which is the melting point of tin.
Pure molten tin is then ladled into the pot and swirled around to coat the desired surfaces.
The excess tin is wiped up with a flux coated cotton rag.
The pot is then allowed to cool naturally
The result is a new cooking surface that will provide years of daily service.

Caring for your copper cooking pots:

Often (depending on the manufacturer) copper cookware is shipped with a thin protective seal, a laquer that first needs to be removed before using the cookware. This laquer merely serves the purpose of maintaining a clean surface whilst the cookware is in storage. Lacquer is very easy to remove with a little acetone. It is imperative to remove this lacquer otherwise it will burn and turn the pot black. Once this has happened, it is almost imposible to clean off.
Most copper cookware is manufactured with a shiny finish. These pots only need a little of copper cleaner to keep them sparkling and brand new. Some manufacturers (for instance Falk from Belgium, and Bourgeat from France) prefer to manufacture their cookware with a brushed finish. This brushed finish allows one to use scotchbrite or stainless steel on the surface. It is a matter of preference, I guess as to how shiny one prefers their cookware to be. It is not required for performance to maintain a clean copper surface. Many chefs actually prefer the discoloration and patina acquired through age and heat, and never clean their copper cookware.
Never put copper cookware in a dishwasher. This could result in the irreversible tarnishing of the copper due to the acids contained in many dishwasher soaps.
Cast iron handles can easily be kept in pristine condition by applying a thin coating of food safe mineral oil. (olive, vegetable or other oils will also do the trick). This will prevent eventual oxidation. Over time the handles will become seasoned and no longer require preventative measures.

For other opinions and theories, you can check out:
https://www.google.com/webhp#hl=en&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=cooking+in+copper+danger&oq=cooking+in+copper&gs_l=hp.1.1.0l4.1609.14825.0.18336.27.20.4.2.2.1.1140.5573.5j6j4j2j1j7-2.20.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.0JpEhSvodfc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=90608e72b45b1351&bpcl=38093640&biw=1280&bih=584

Deep frying a turkey is disgustingly messy, you even have to do it outdoors to protect your house and floor and possibly ceiling. I wouldn't consider using a copper pot as grease will spill all over the outside of it when you douse the turkey and who wants to scrub all that grease off a beautiful new copper pot?

Merry

CB:

Didn't you receive the memo about the negative effects of trying something new? Hell, you might end up expanding your horizons!

Something new??? I have deep fried about 6 turkeys NOB in the past. Yes, it can be messy if you overfill the pot. I lay down a tarp to catch any spilling oil. I have done up to a 20lb turkey. It was a tight fit but turned out OK.

BTW, in Canada, WalMart sells a deep fried turkey kit that comes with the burner, the pot, some hanging gear, a thermometer and an injector.

CanuckBob wrote:BTW, in Canada, WalMart sells a deep fried turkey kit that comes with the burner, the pot, some hanging gear, a thermometer and an injector.

What the hell happens to the stuffing? That's the best part, oh yeah and there's no pan drippings for the gravy. So what's the scoop here Bob.

You have to do the stuffing in the oven and the gravy from bullion or a package. It is a small sacrifice for the best, most succulent turkey you will ever taste.