In the traditional method of baking or roasting a turkey, it is necessary to continually check the temperature of not only the bird itself, but also any stuffing within the bird. This is a continuous process over several hours to ensure a well cooked turkey.
With a turkey fryer, this task is greatly reduced as it is only necessary to maintain and control the temperature of the oil for frying. Also, cook time is measured in minutes instead of hours. To properly check the temperature of the oil, you need a good frying thermometer. You should never try to fry a turkey without the help of a good one, and because this is so important, it would be a good idea to have an extra one available.
It is necessary to bring the oil to temperature and then hold it, making sure not to overheat the oil, which will be indicated when smoking it. Overheating spoils oil and a thermometer is cheap insurance when considering the cost of frying oil.
Thermometers are available in styles from the very basic dial type to advanced digital remote units and even battery operated that allow you to monitor oil temperature from up to 150 feet from the fryer. Of course, the fancy models are not necessary, but they do provide convenience, especially if you have placed your fryer in a remote location to keep it away from guests and children while you fry it.
Some of the basic models have dials marked with red and green symbols to indicate the proper temperature for frying. Most have clips that allow you to attach them to the side of the pot. Some owners have complained about models that protrude towards the center of the pot when fastened to the side and opt for models that stay close to the side of the pot.
The best models have the ability to be recalibrated and it is a good idea to check their accuracy from time to time. Since most fry thermometers are marked in increments in the range of 100 to 500 degrees F, the cold calibration method will not work with them. These units are calibrated by placing them in a pot of boiling water which should read 212 degrees. Because water boils at slightly different temperatures the higher you live above sea level, you may need to perform additional calibration to be completely accurate.
This additional step is accomplished by checking your local barometric pressure with your local meteorological office and then going to a website that will quickly calibrate it to your local conditions. There are several websites that offer this free service and it should be easy to locate them with any search engine query.
Thermometers in their simplest form are fairly basic instruments. However, because they are such an important part of the turkey frying technique, you would do well to do a little research on the internet for owner reviews to make sure you get the features you prefer at the best price.