QUESTION: Char-Broil "The Big Easy" Oil-less Turkey Fryer

IamMadMan

IamMadMan

somebody shut me the fark up.
Joined
Jul 30, 2011
Location
Pemberto...
I have seen questions here but never paid attention to them. I searched for threads but could not find my answers... So here goes,

The question is geared for those who have had deep fried turkeys as well as a turkey cooked in the oil-less cooker here.

I really like deep fried turkey and the flavors it imparts.

My question is how are the flavors of the turkey done in the oil-less cooker compared to the conventional method?

I don't want to jump into buying a sale item and wind up with a white elephant. here.
 
I used mine yesterday on my first turkey.

I have deep fried my Tday for the past five years and will continue to do so.

The big easy is a good little cooker but no deep frier.

A deep fried turkey is crispy thru and thru.

The big easy gets the outside crispy but not in all the nooks and crannies.
 
frankie482 said:
I used mine yesterday on my first turkey.

I have deep fried my Tday for the past five years and will continue to do so.

The big easy is a good little cooker but no deep frier.

A deep fried turkey is crispy thru and thru.

The big easy gets the outside crispy but not in all the nooks and crannies.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.....

That's what I thought. When doing research I thought it is more of a large quick infrared roaster than a fryer as they label it, but I wanted to be sure.

Do you still inject like when you deep fry? or did you try brining?

.
 
I like mine, cleaner and easier, still has a great taste. Your right, it's not a fryer, but it makes a good bird.
 
IamMadMan said:
Thanks for the reply.....

That's what I thought. When doing research I thought it is more of a large quick infrared roaster than a fryer as they label it, but I wanted to be sure.

Do you still inject like when you deep fry? or did you try brining?

.
Click to expand...

I just rubbed it with a garlic rosemary rub.

No injecting or brining.

It was moist and tasted good.

I have come to the conclusion that I like my poultry overlooked.

It's just a texture thing.
 
It's good, but I agree it's not a fried turkey. I had good results injecting and rubbing the outside and under the skin. If you are doing one turkey, I think it's great. If you are doing several turkeys, I think it's worth the setup and the money for the oil.
 
Personally I wish they'd just label it for what it is- a turkey roaster. Calling something an "oil-less fryer" is an oxymoron and sounds kinda gimmicky.

Sorry I know that didn't answer your question I just had to vent.

I've never used one so I can't comment on what comes out of em- they may cook a decent bird. I'm dubious as it being as good as deep fried though.
 
I just picked one up recenty and have used it a couple times. As others have said, it's not the same as a deep fried turkey but the trade off is ease of use / cleanup. Dealing with a deep fryer is a pain, not to mention the cost of the oil.
 
I beg to differ. I've fried hundreds of birds over the years and would put a "Properly" done Big Easy bird with any of them. Not to mention the fortune you save in peanut oil.

2zspdnm.jpg
 
I've done both. Both are good but you can absolutely tell the difference between the two. Don't get it if you think it will replace frying. But if you need yet another vessel to cook a turkey in to free up something else it will produce a good bird.
 
Toast said:
I beg to differ. I've fried hundreds of birds over the years and would put a "Properly" done Big Easy bird with any of them. Not to mention the fortune you save in peanut oil.

2zspdnm.jpg
Click to expand...

I agree with Toast. I've done several "real" fried turkeys and used the Big Easy for the first time last year. My immediate impression was I will never spend the Money and time (clean up is a mess) messing with a normal fried turkey again. It's also much less dangerous. My first Turkey on the Big Easy I noticed it wasn't the exact same taste as fried, but very close. I know the mistakes I made and corrected them. I'm positive when I've cooked as many as Toast in the Big Easy they will be just as good! As a matter of fact i will be consulting with Toast before i do this years bird....:thumb: But again what I made on the first attempt was good enough for me to decide right then that I was done with a normally fried turkey. Oh and I grew up in Louisiana (left when i was 20 but still go back to visit family) so I know what a fried turkey is supposed to taste like. :becky:
 
IamMadMan said:
Thanks for the reply.....

That's what I thought. When doing research I thought it is more of a large quick infrared roaster than a fryer as they label it, but I wanted to be sure.

Do you still inject like when you deep fry? or did you try brining?

.
Click to expand...

I deep fried a turkey last weekend and brined overnight in a pretty standard brine. Turned out VERY juicy. The Big Easy sure would save the peanut oil cost, but frying the turkey outside gave me a chance to BS and drink beer with my brother in law outside, which was fun. I do hate the cleanup though.
 
J-Rod said:
Personally I wish they'd just label it for what it is- a turkey roaster. Calling something an "oil-less fryer" is an oxymoron and sounds kinda gimmicky.

Sorry I know that didn't answer your question I just had to vent.
Click to expand...

No apology necessary, this is why we ask question...

Thanks
 
AClarke44 said:
I agree with Toast. I've done several "real" fried turkeys and used the Big Easy for the first time last year. My immediate impression was I will never spend the Money and time (clean up is a mess) messing with a normal fried turkey again. It's also much less dangerous. My first Turkey on the Big Easy I noticed it wasn't the exact same taste as fried, but very close. I know the mistakes I made and corrected them. I'm positive when I've cooked as many as Toast in the Big Easy they will be just as good! As a matter of fact i will be consulting with Toast before i do this years bird....:thumb: But again what I made on the first attempt was good enough for me to decide right then that I was done with a normally fried turkey. Oh and I grew up in Louisiana (left when i was 20 but still go back to visit family) so I know what a fried turkey is supposed to taste like. :becky:
Click to expand...

The main reason for looking at the device was the issue of safety and hopefully the ease of clean-up.

Maybe Toast can elaborate on his process so we can all share in his great experiences here..:grin:

.
 
Smoke Dawg said:
I find it hard to do it any other way after this

View attachment 104216
Click to expand...

Smoke Dawg,

I didn't overlook the smoked bird, but at a large family gathering there are many different tastes, I cook one in the oven, I smoke one, and in the past a friend deep fried one. He has moved away, so I am looking for an easy fryer being I am tied to the other two birds as well.

Looks like I am going to give it a shot and see what happens...

And yes a Vac-Sealer is great for leftovers, sealing whole meals..



.
 
We also do 3 turkeys but split up the work. My Nephew smokes one on his BGE and brings it to my sister's house. She has one in the oven and all the guys hang out around the one frying. Clean up isn't too much trouble. We pump the used oil back into the jug. We put down a plastic tarp, covered with a layer of newspaper and set the frying rig on top of that. For clean up we just roll the whole thing up and put it in the trash can. Put some dish soap in the fryer and fill with the garden hose.
 
IamMadMan said:
The main reason for looking at the device was the issue of safety and hopefully the ease of clean-up.

Maybe Toast can elaborate on his process so we can all share in his great experiences here..:grin:

.
Click to expand...

I'm sure he will! But I think the main thing is getting the bird to stay centered while it cooks. If it leans to one side (which is what it'll want to do) it'll cook a little uneven and you will have some parts not as crispy. That's the biggest advantage a fryer has, very even cooking. Other than that Toast (and I) inject and rub the bird the same way you would if you were gonna fry it. I coat mine with peanut oil prior to applying rub and Toast does not.
We'll ask Toast what he uses for injection (although I suspect a creole butter) and what he rubs with.

But if you are looking for something less dangerous and way easier to clean up then the Big Easy will definitely please you. So maybe it'll be slightly different than a truly fried turkey but not enough to make you wanna go back to traditional frying. And like I said I bet once you get the technique down there won't be any difference in flavor.

Edit: for cleanup you pull the turkey out and eat it. Scrape any big pieces of turkey skin that may have stuck to the basket and throw the drip pan away.
Ohhhhhh! That reminds me. You can actually make turkey gravy with the Big Easy too because you catch the drippings. You just gotta pour those in a pot and bring to a boil to make sure it's all good and cooked then make the gravy the way you usually do. That's a bonus I forgot about over traditional frying. Good luck!
 
AClarke44 said:
I'm sure he will! But I think the main thing is getting the bird to stay centered while it cooks. If it leans to one side (which is what it'll want to do) it'll cook a little uneven and you will have some parts not as crispy. That's the biggest advantage a fryer has, very even cooking. Other than that Toast (and I) inject and rub the bird the same way you would if you were gonna fry it. I coat mine with peanut oil prior to applying rub and Toast does not.
We'll ask Toast what he uses for injection (although I suspect a creole butter) and what he rubs with.

But if you are looking for something less dangerous and way easier to clean up then the Big Easy will definitely please you. So maybe it'll be slightly different than a truly fried turkey but not enough to make you wanna go back to traditional frying. And like I said I bet once you get the technique down there won't be any difference in flavor.

Edit: for cleanup you pull the turkey out and eat it. Scrape any big pieces of turkey skin that may have stuck to the basket and throw the drip pan away.
Ohhhhhh! That reminds me. You can actually make turkey gravy with the Big Easy too because you catch the drippings. You just gotta pour those in a pot and bring to a boil to make sure it's all good and cooked then make the gravy the way you usually do. That's a bonus I forgot about over traditional frying. Good luck!
Click to expand...

The dripping collection pan for gravy has me sold....

Thanks for all the help "AClarke44", on the input here I am taking a step forward will purchase "The Big Easy" tomorrow on the way home from work.

Thanks again for the input. I look forward to seeing if Toast's technique differs from yours. With you and Toast giving a "Thumbs Up", I figure I can't go wrong with a dual Cajun recommendation.


Thank You all for the input....


.
 
Now, it is possible that I have never had a great fried turkey, but, I preferred the product I got out of the Big Easy. I brined the bird, butter and herbs under the skin and into the Big Easy, best turkey in a very long time and the easiest turkey I can remember. And clean-up, setup and cost is all great.
 
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