A Healthy Alternative this Thanksgiving!
In 1941, FD Roosevelt signed a bill proclaiming the fourth Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving Day, and if the oil less turkey fryer had been invented, it may very well have been celebrated! Quite how turkey became the centerpiece of a Thanksgiving meal is somewhat open to debate! There are stories that, when celebrating, Queen Elizabeth ordered goose, so fowl was regarded like a celebratory food. Turkey was far more available to the pilgrims than goose, in the New England territory, so that may be part of the reason. It is highly unlikely, however, that the pilgrims deep fried their turkey.
The Thanksgiving holiday is very much a time of celebration and has come to signify a family get together and sumptuous meals. A traditional way to cook turkey in much of the American south is using a turkey fryer. However, this is a utensil that uses a lot of oil to fry the turkey and is a rather unhealthy cooking method. It would seem that at least one manufacturer has tried to deliver an alternative healthy turkey fryer with the Masterbuilt Butterball Oil Less Turkey Fryer. I had a quick look at another oil-less infra red turkey fryer, but some reports had it falling apart after two uses, so the Masterbuilt product was the one I investigated.This type of alternative to a traditional cooking appliance deserves a review!
Product Details of Masterbuilt Oil Less Turkey Fryer
Masterbuilt Butterball Oil Less Turkey Fryer
Firstly, let’s be clear, this is not, technically a fryer — no oil, no frying! It is an outdoor turkey roaster, but unlike many, does not use propane gas, but is powered by electricity. It must not be used indoors, and it must not have oil put in it! Once you understand those key points, you can get ready to produce a moist, oil free, and tasty turkey for any celebration meal. It obviously can be used for a number of different meals, not just turkey, and the reviewers have used it for several different meats.
This oil less turkey fryer and roaster has a double-wall construction with an adjustable temperature thermostat dial. It is powered by a 1650 watt electric heating element, so the turkey is cooked with radiant heat. It is 18 by 23 1/5 by 26 1/5 inches in size, and the manufacturers recommend that it is best for a 12lb turkey. Some reviewers have cooked larger birds than this in the Masterbuilt Butterball Oil Less Turkey Fryer , but there is criticism that an 18lb turkey will get burnt as it is a tight squeeze in the oven.
On balance, this oil less turkey fryer can handle up to a 15lb turkey without aggravation. The turkey is placed in a cone-shaped basket, at the bottom of which is a hole for the drippings to drain into the pan below. Be careful as you remove the basket, as obviously, it may continue to drip! However, the removable drip pan that catches all the turkey drippings as it cooks is a great feature. It means that you can use the drippings for turkey gravy but that the bird itself will not be greasy and soggy.
In addition, there is a wood chip tray which you can use for smoking your meat. The owners’ manual that comes with the fryer has a very helpful guide to the types of wood chip flavors best for different meats. The manual also includes some suggested recipes, and a guide to temperatures for cooking safely; to ensure meats are cooked thoroughly. In fact, the manual shows you how to prepare your turkey and gives you hints on using the wood tray most effectively. The assembly of the oil less turkey fryer is very logical and simple, but the manual also gives you illustrated and labeled instructions.
Masterbuilt Oil Less Turkey Fryer – Customer reviews and criticisms
Customers using the Masterbuilt Butterball Oil-Free Electric Turkey Fryer and Roaster are divided squarely into two camps; those who think it is brilliant, a healthy way to cook, and love it, and those who love fried turkey taste, and object to a roaster being called a fryer!
Criticisms are this oil less turkey fryer does not give the turkey a fried flavor, although there is an acknowledgement that it is a much healthier way to cook the turkey. The other negative is the time it takes to cook the larger birds, but a reviewer points out that the instructions clearly state the oven needs to be preheated before cooking. If you want to cook at the high setting, you will need to put the turkey roaster on well in advance, at least 45 minutes if cooking a large bird on high. Once the butterball oil less turkey fryer has reached that heat, then it will only take 10 minutes per pound to cook the turkey. It has an average customer review of 4.1 out of five.
The fryer must be used outside, a covered car port or garage with the door open, seem to be the best options, to avoid the wind cooling the fryer, and to allow for dissipation of smoke if wood chips are used. The reviewers all agree that a turkey cooked in this oil less turkey fryer will come out very juicy, either with or without using an injected marinade or bringing the day before. The outside of the turkey will be crisp, but not the color of a fried turkey. The consensus from the majority is that a great feature of this oil less turkey fryer is the ease of clearing up afterwards! It is easy to clean, and obviously there is no oil mess to deal with, or for that matter, the cost of the oil in the first place.
Availability and price
This is available from Masterbuilt retailers and Amazon; manufacturers recommended price of $149.99 but can be found for between $100 and $130. It retails at Amazon for $99.99 including free delivery and a 90 day warranty – Click HERE for more information. This oil less turkey fryer also has an extremely comprehensive owners’ manual and a handy cooking thermometer supplied.