Thanksgiving turkey fry
Fry your turkey in
30 lb bucket · enough for a standard turkey fryer
Order by Wed, Nov 18 · Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov 26 · Free UPS Ground from our Kansas farm.
Delivery before Thanksgiving is no longer guaranteed. We still ship free by UPS Ground from our Kansas farm.
Is one bucket enough?
30 lb of tallow melts down to about 4 gallons. A standard 30-qt turkey fryer takes about 3 gallons for a 12 to 14 lb bird. So one bucket fills a standard fryer with some to spare.
Find your own fill line with water: set the turkey in the empty pot, cover it with water, lift the turkey out, and mark the line. That's how much tallow you need. Then dry the pot completely.
How to fry a turkey in beef tallow
Seven steps. Read them all before you light the burner.
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Set up outside, away from everything
Outdoors only, on flat, level ground like dirt or concrete. Keep the fryer well away from the house, garage, deck and trees: at least 10 feet. Never indoors, in a garage, or under a roof or covered patio.
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Thaw and prep the bird
The turkey must be fully thawed. In the fridge that takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb. Pull out the neck and giblets, skip the stuffing, and pat it very dry inside and out. For a 30-qt pot, stick to a bird of about 14 lb or less. USDA suggests 12 lb or less, so smaller is easier and safer.
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Find your fill line first
Put the turkey in the empty pot and cover it with water. Take the turkey out and mark the water line: that's how much tallow you need. Leave at least 3 inches between that line and the top of the pot. Pour out the water and dry the pot and the turkey completely. Water and hot fat don't mix.
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Melt the tallow low and slow
Spoon the tallow into the dry pot and melt it on low heat until it's fully liquid, up to your line. Clip on a frying thermometer and bring it up to 350°F.
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Burner off, then lower the bird
Turn the burner off. With gloves on, lower the turkey slowly on the hook or basket. Once it's in and settled, relight and hold the tallow at 325 to 350°F.
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Fry, check, rest
Plan on about 3 to 4 minutes per pound (a 12 lb bird is roughly 36 to 48 minutes). It's done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and thigh reads 165°F. Turn the burner off, lift it out slowly, and let it rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Never let the tallow go past 400°F.
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Save the tallow for next time
Let the tallow cool completely in the pot. Strain it, then store it covered for the next fry. Once it cools it goes solid, so cleanup is easy. No jug of used liquid oil to deal with.
Fryer safety, every time
- Never leave the fryer unattended, not even for a minute.
- Wear heavy gloves, long sleeves and eye protection.
- Keep kids and pets well back, at least 3 feet from the fryer, the whole time.
- Have a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires (ABC or BC, as fryer makers specify, or Class K) within reach.
- Never use water on a grease fire. If the fat starts to smoke, turn off the burner and let it cool below 350°F before relighting.
- Don't overfill the pot. That's what the water test in step 3 is for.
Steps checked against USDA FSIS, FoodSafety.gov, U.S. Fire Administration and turkey fryer makers’ guides. Always follow the manual that came with your fryer.
Why fry in beef tallow instead of seed oil?
It's about how it cooks. Here's why turkey fryers are going back to tallow.
Holds up to frying heat
Beef tallow is mostly saturated and monounsaturated fat, so it stays stable at frying temperatures better than seed oils high in polyunsaturated fat. It holds up, and you can strain it and use it again.
Plenty of headroom at 350°F
Rendered beef tallow smokes well above the 350°F you fry a turkey at, so it stays calm in the pot.
Crisp, golden skin
Tallow fries up crisp, deep-golden skin with a rich, savory flavor. It's the old-school way fast-food fries used to be made.
One ingredient
100% beef tallow, rendered pure. Nothing added. Made in the USA and sold straight from a Kansas farmer.
Strain it, fry again
After the turkey, strain it and keep it for the fish fry, a batch of fries, or deer camp.
Solid when it cools
At room temperature it sets up solid, so it's easy to store and easy to get rid of when you're done with it.
30 lb of 100% beef tallow
About $4.50 a pound
The same 100% beef tallow we sell in jars, in a big 30 lb bucket. About $4.50 a pound, with free UPS Ground from our Kansas farm.
- Turkey fries
- Fish fries and french fries
- Deer camp
- Seasoning cast iron
- Soap making
Questions
Is one bucket enough?
For a standard turkey fryer, yes. 30 lb of tallow melts down to about 4 gallons. A typical 30-qt fryer takes about 3 gallons for a 12 to 14 lb bird, so you'll have some left over. Do the water test (step 3) to see exactly how much your pot needs.
When will it ship and arrive?
Orders ship in 1-3 business days from our farm in Kansas by UPS Ground, and shipping is free. Order by Wednesday, Nov 18 to have it in time for Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov 26). You'll get a tracking number by email when it ships.
How do I melt it?
Scoop it into your dry fryer pot and melt it on low heat, stirring now and then, until it's completely liquid. Thirty pounds takes a while, so start early. Then bring it up to 350°F with a thermometer clipped to the pot.
Can I reuse it, and how many times?
Yes. Let it cool, strain out the bits, and store it covered. How many fries you get depends on what you cook and how hot you run it. Retire it when it turns dark, smells off, foams, or starts smoking at normal frying temperature.
Does it make the turkey taste like beef?
No. Rendered beef tallow has a mild, savory flavor. What most people notice is crisper, golden skin, not a beef taste.
How do I store it?
Keep the lid on and store it somewhere cool and dry. It's solid at room temperature. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge or freezer.
What if my fryer is bigger?
Do the water test first. Every gallon of melted tallow is about 7.5 lb, so one 30 lb bucket covers about 4 gallons. If your pot needs more, add a second bucket or one of our 7 lb tubs.
Thanksgiving turkey fry
Fry your turkey in
Straight from a Kansas farmer thefarmerbob.com