Our oil less deep fried turkey is wonderful and seriously delicious. Yes, there’s no oil and it’s a perfect whole turkey to cook on Thanksgiving. Our resource below is filled with tips and step by step photos on how to cook deep fried turkey without oil. 

Whole turkey in big easy char broil oil less cooker

No-Oil Deep Fried Turkey Recipe

Char Broil Big Easy Oil Less Deep Fryer

This is a game changer when it comes to cooking deep fried turkey. Is it even possible to cook whole turkey with deep fried texture without oil? The answer is absolutely yes! The Char Broil Big Easy propane oil-less deep fryer is powered by a propane tank and is an infrared fryer. Hot circulating air inside the chamber cooks the turkey super juicy and delicious for your next big dinner or Thanksgiving holiday dinner. We tested this oil less method on a 14-pound turkey several times and each time came out amazing. This large capacity oil less deep fryer hooks up to a propane tank outside and helps free up your oven during big feasts and dinners. The more intense heat is by the legs and lessens by the time it gets to the breasts, helping keep the breast meat from overcooking and becoming dry by the time the leg meat is perfect and juicy.

whole turkey on a cutting board

What is Oil-Less Deep Fried Turkey Fryer with Big Easy Fryer?

There’s many types of oil less turkey fryers. One way to cook whole oil less turkey using air fryers with convection technology that uses circulating hot air from a halogen infrared light. Here’s our full write up for the Big Boss air fryer and other similar air fryers.  Today’s write up talks about another oil less method using the Big Easy Char Broil oil-less deep fryer.  It tastes like it was deep fried with crispy turkey on the outside and super juicy on the inside. These oil less air fryers are great when you don’t have enough oven space for your turkey.

Electric or Propane Deep Fryers

We love how delicious and easy the Big Easy hooks up to a propane tank and cooks the turkey in the outdoors without odors filling up the house. Masterbuilt used to make an electric version which is very similar to the CharBroil propane oil-less deep fryer. It looked awesome, but we can’t find it anymore. However the propane version is amazing so we are happy with the propane deep fryer. Looks like propane is the best for us!

Best Air Fryers for Whole Turkey

This style of air fryer is perfect for turkeys. The expansion ring puts its capacity at 18 qts. (large enough for a 16 lb. turkey. Here’s the recipe (with gravy too!) for air frying a turkey in this style air fryer.

For outdoors only. These propane style air fryers cook the best whole turkeys. Here’s the recipe for air frying a turkey in this style air fryer.

Video: Easy Deep Fried Whole Turkey NO OIL

How to Cook Oil-Less Deep Fried Whole Turkey

Step-by-Step easy photos to guide you through the oil less fried turkey cooking process. For full recipe details, print out the recipe in the recipe box when you scroll down this write up.

how to cook Oil Less Deep Fried Turkey in Air Fryer step by step photos
Oil Less Deep Fried Turkey in Infrared Air Fryer

Pros & Cons of Char-Broil Big Easy Oil Less Deep Fryer & Other Brands of Similar Style:

PROS:

  • Energy Efficient and uses less power than traditional full sized oven.
  • Frees up oven space if you need to cook lots of other oven foods or if you don’t have a lot of oven space.
  • Cooks quicker than traditional oven and the skin is super crispy. Our tests on 14 pound fully thawed turkey took about 2.3 hours-3 hours
  • No hassle with almost no oil and the most you would need is a light spray of oil to help crisp the food better. So it’s a healthier way of cooking crispy foods.
  • Easy Clean up. The glass bowl is super easy to clean.
  • Drip Pan. All the turkey juices drop into a dip pan for you to make delicious homemade gravy.
  • Feeds more people.  The large oil less deep fryer size allows you to cook larger portions of food for more people. It’s great to cook meals for 4 people or more.
  • Crispy Skin. Wow, the skin is awesome.

CONS:

  • Once assembled, it’s big and bulky. But it does pack into the box easily storing in your garage.
  • Outdoor use only. It’s powered by a propane tank so you have to use it outside and weather is a factor.
  • No Stuffing in the turkey. The manufacture suggests cooking the stuffing separately, not inside the turkey.
Easy Gravy recipe with drippings
Oil Less Deep Fried Turkey Recipe in Air Fryer @BestRecipeBox

Oil-Less Fried Whole Turkey

Make sure your turkey is fully thawed on the inside. If not, it won’t cook properly. Cooking times will vary depending on size of turkey. Whole, thawed turkey usually cooks at a rate of 10 min./lb in the Char-Broil Oil Less Deep Fryer.
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Ingredients

  • 14 lb. (6.35 kg) raw Whole Turkey
  • 6 Tablespoons (90 g) butter , cut into slices
  • 4 cloves (4 cloves) garlic , sliced thin
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) kosher salt , or to taste
  • black pepper , to taste

Instructions 

  • Remove and giblets and neck bones from the turkey cavity (many times the giblet pack will be tucked under the skin by the neck). Pat the turkey dry.
    Turkey on a sheet pan
  • Tuck the butter slices and garlic in-between the skin and the turkey breasts. Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
    Butter tucked under skin of turkey
  • Oil the basket to help prevent any sticking. Place the turkey (legs side down) in the basket. Insert the meat thermometer into the breast so that the tip doesn't touch bone and the dial is easily read when the basket is in the cooker. Place the basket in the Oil-Less Deep Fryer.
    Uncooked turkey placed in the oil-less deep fryer
  • Turn on the cooker to medium-high cooking and cook for about 10 minutes per pound (14lbs.= approx. 140 minutes or 2 hrs 20 minutes). (Cover with the wire mesh lid during the last 15 minutes for the crispiest skin, it reflects heat back intowards the turkey. But if used the whole cook time, this heat can burn food before it is fully cooked.)
    Turning the oil-less deep fryer on medium-high
  • Occasionally spray the turkey with oil for a great crispy skin. For the final 20 minutes start checking the turkey and keep an eye on the temperature to determine when the turkey is done. Our recommended internal temperature is 165°-170°F. (This instant-read thermometer is our favorite. So fast!)
    Spraying the turkey with oil
  • Remove the basket from the cooker and let rest for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the turkey from the basket, carve and serve. (You can use the drippings at the base of the deep fryer for gravy)
    Finished turkey being pulled out of the oil-less deep fryer

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 639kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 90g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 315mg, Sodium: 1098mg, Potassium: 938mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 175IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 1mg
Air Fried Whole Turkey Recipe in Air Fryer for Thanksgiving | @BestRecipeBox

Here’s another oil less method using the Big Boss air fryer and other similar air fryers.

Check out all our –> Air Fried Turkey Recipes

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Enjoy Our Healthy Air Fryer Thanksgiving Recipes –> Air Fryer Thanksgiving Recipes

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