1. Only cook outside – it’s very messy and a fire hazard.
2. Laying out a cover of newspapers under and around the cooker soaks up all the spilled and splashed oil.
3. Heat the oil to 350. When ready to put the turkey in, turn up the heat. The oil cools quickly when the turkey goes in and you want it to get back to 350 quickly. Once it’s back up to 350 lower the heat to hold it at that temperature.
4. Dry the turkey as well as possible.
5. Lower the turkey into the oil slowly. It will splash a lot.
6. A 12-14 pound turkey takes about 45-55 minutes. It can be difficult to tell doneness without a meat thermometer.
7. It can take a few minutes to drain the turkey. It’s easier to set it on a pile of newspapers then trying to hold it over the pot.