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The Big Easy® Oil-less Turkey Fryer is the stress-free way to fry your turkey without having to purchase or dispose of cooking oil. That means you don't have to worry about splattering, spilling and burns. It’s a delicious, safe and simple alternative to oil-fried turkey for a bird that's moist on the inside and crispy on the outside without the risk, hassle or added fat and calories of oil.
Did you know thatThe Big Easycooks so much more than turkeys and chickens? You can cook large cuts of meat like roasts and ribs as well as smaller items like wings, kabobs, potatoes and vegetables too.
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Even though The Big Easy is well, easy, there are a couple things you need to know. In this article, we’ll coverthe basicsandaccessories, answer your mostfrequently asked questionsand wrap it up with some links toThe Big Easy recipes.
Unlike deep fryers that use large vats of oil, The Big Easy uses patented infrared cooking technology to crisp up your bird and seal in juices. A propane burner heats the air between a double-wall cylindrical cooking chamber and the outer wall of The Big Easy®. The cooking chamber absorbs the heat and radiates it to the center of the chamber as TRU‐Infrared™ heat. Meat is cooked evenly, for juicy, crisp and flavorful results every time. Here’s avideoyou can watch to get a better idea of exactly how it works.
Season the cooking chamber before you use it for the first time.
1
Coat all interior surfaces of the cooking chamber with vegetable oil. If you use a cooking spray, wipe down the chamber after spraying to ensure an even coat.
2
Power Up Your Big Easy® Oil-less Fryer. Press and turn the burner control knob to the flame symbol. Then quickly turn the rotary ignitor knob. If ignition does not occur within 5 seconds, turn the burner control knob OFF. Wait 5 minutes and repeat lighting procedure.
Keep it at full power until the vegetable oil burns off and stops smoking. The shiny finish of the stainless-steel cooking chamber should have a brown or bronze color finish after seasoning it.
To avoid cold port lifting, preheat your Big Easy for 5 to 10 minutes while you prep your food. Cold port lifting occurs when the burner is cold and meat is loaded before the flame has had sufficient time to travel around the entire burner, resulting in longer cook time.
1
Set the roaster basket on a platter or in a pan large enough to fit the basket securely for transport to and from the fryer.
2
Prepare the meat you plan to cook by covering it with a light coating of high-temp cooking oil and/or a dry rub or marinade. Your rub and/or marinade should contain NO sugar. Sugar will cause your food to burn. High-temp cooking oil, such as peanut, canola and avocado oil, is oil that smokes at a higher temperature or smoke point, producing less smoke at lower temps.
3
Place the meat inside the roaster basket and lower the basket into the cooking chamber. When cooking turkey or chicken, position the bird with the breast up and the legs down.
4
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat so that the tip does not touch bone and the dial is easy to read when the basket is in the cooker.
Accessories custom-made for The Big Easy (sold separately) give you lots of options. Our22-piece accessory kitincludes a kabob holder, rib hooks, leg racks and meat hooks.
1
KABOBS
When you’re cooking kabobs, you don’t need the roaster basket. Simply skewer your meat and/or vegetables. Pop the skewers into the slots on the inner ring of the standing rack. Lower thekabob holderinto the bottom of the cooking chamber. If you prefer, you can use ourhanging kabob holder. Place the rack on top of the cooking chamber and hang your kabobs from the rack.
2
RACK OF RIBS
If you’re looking for an easier way to cook ribs, go vertical. Punch ourrib hooksthrough the meat under the first rib bone. Hang the hooks over the top rung of the roaster basket to cook rib racks up to 11-inches long.
3
CHICKEN LEGS AND WINGS
Designed for cooking chicken legs & wings,leg rackshook onto the rungs of the roaster basket and can be placed at different levels. With the leg racks in place, slide the bone end of the drumstick between the wires to hang them to cook vertically and set your wings on top of the racks.
4
PARTS, PIECES AND SMALL CUTS
When you’re cooking wings, breasts and small cuts of meat or an assortment of different parts and pieces, hook a couple ofhalf racksto the roaster basket at different levels for increased cooking capacity.
5
BIG BIRDS, HAMS AND ROASTS
Double your cooking space with abunk bed basket. Two handles hook over the top rung of the roaster basket to cook two birds or roasts at the same time.
1
CAN I COOK TURKEY WITH STUFFING INSIDE?
We don’t recommend stuffing the turkey with anything other than fruit and herbs. Stuffing blocks airflow inside the bird’s cavity and prevents it from cooking evenly. The USDA recommends that you cook stuffing separately for food safety and uniform doneness. Visitwww.isitdoneyet.govfor more information on cooking turkey safely.
2
CAN I USE INJECTABLE MARINADES?
Absolutely. Feel free to brine your meats and/or inject with marinade. The TRU‐Infrared heat will keep your food moist and juicy on the inside with or without brines and marinades. But brines and marinades are a great way to add flavor.
3
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COOK MY TURKEY?
Cook times vary depending on outdoor weather conditions and what size bird or cut of meat you’re cooking. Additionally, if the turkey isn’t thawed completely it will have a huge effect on cook time. It’s best for the meat to be at room temperature when placed in the cooker.
Generally, you can expect it to take approximately 10 minutes per pound. Cook times are included as a general guideline. Meat doneness is ALWAYS determined by the meat’s internal temperature, not time elapsed.
For larger birds and cuts of meat, use ameat thermometer. Insert at least 3/4 of the stem into the thickest part of the meat so that the tip does not touch bone, fat or gristle and the dial is easy to read when the basket is in the cooker. For smaller foods, use aninstant-read thermometerthat measures temperatures quickly with just the tip of the stem.
Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the food after lowering the roaster basket into the cook chamber.
When the safe internal temperature is reached, check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer in several places to ensure the food is evenly cooked.
Always clean your food thermometers with hot, soapy water before and after each use.
4
WHEN DO I USE THE WIRE MESH LID?
The wire mesh lid is usually only used for the first or last 15 minutes of your cook. The lid reflects infrared heat back into the cooking chamber for extra browning. If used for the entire time, it can burn your food on the outside before it is fully cooked on the inside. The only time you would use the wire mesh lid for the entire cook time is on extremely windy days and when you’re cooking in colder outdoor temperatures.
5
CAN I USE THE DRIPPINGS FOR GRAVY?
Yes, you can. To use the drippings for gravy, insert a food‐safe aluminumgrease tray liner into the removable grease tray. After cooking, remove the liner and pour the drippings into a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat to the proper temperature for doneness (180°F) before stirring in gravy ingredients. NEVER serve the grease drippings directly from the removable grease tray.
6
HOW DO I REMOVE A COOKED TURKEY OR OTHER MEAT FROM THE ROASTER BASKET?
Lift the roaster basket out of the cooking chamber. Set the basket in a pan or on a platter and allow it to cool. Once the basket has cooled, gently separate any places where the meat is stuck to the basket. Turn the basket on its side to slide the meat out rather than lifting it. Here’s avideo demonstrationfor you.
7
HOW DO I CLEAN THE BIG EASY®OIL-LESS TURKEY FRYER?
Keep the unit on full power with the wire mesh lid on for approximately 15 minutes after removing food to burn off any excess grease and debris remaining on the roaster basket and cooking chamber.
When the unit has cooled, lift the basket and the cooking chamber out of the unit. Loosen any remaining material with agrill brush.
The wire basket can be washed in the sink or dishwasher. The cooking chamber, grease tray and exterior surfaces of The Big Easy® can be cleaned with soap and water but are NOT dishwasher safe.
Keep your Big Easy clean and dust-free with acustom‐fit cover.
THE BIG EASY RECIPES
When you’re ready to cook that bird or you want to change it up a little, check out these recipes or visitThe Big Easy recipe collectionfor a variety of options.
The Big Easy®Beer Can Chicken Recipe
The Big Easy®Fried Thanksgiving Turkey
The Big Easy®Fried Turkey
The Big Easy®Prime Rib Recipe
The Big Easy®Roast Beef
The Big Easy®Southern Thanksgiving Turkey
The Big Easy®Thai-Inspired Rotisserie Chicken
The Big Easy®Yard Bird Wings
Call The Big Easy Hotline at 1-800-526-1065 with any questions you may have about cooking with The Big Easy. It’s available year-round, including Thanksgiving Day (8 am-4 pm EST).
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