How to Cook Turkey in an Air Fryer?

All of your guests will be appealing for more of a luscious air fryer turkey recipe! It has the right golden color and is oozing with flavor. You’ll never prepare a turkey in the same way once more! Even the drippings from the air fryer can be used to make gravy. Can you air-fried an entire turkey that weighs up to 16 pounds? Without a doubt, the answer is yes! Moreover, the turkey cooks succulent and deliciously for your upcoming large supper or Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey is a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but if you want to reduce the fat and calories from oven baking, consider air frying a whole turkey. Without oil, cooking from the fridge to a deep fryer only takes roughly half the time! The size of the turkey you purchase, the weather outside where you reside, and if it is windy will all affect how long it takes to cook. It should be cooked for 8 to 10 minutes per pound, as Char-Boil Big Easy recommends, but you should adequately judge when the internal temperature hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turkey Nutrition Facts

What is Turkey?

The turkey is a sizable North American native bird. Both on farms and in the wild, it is hunted. Its meat is incredibly healthy, and a well-liked protein source consumed all over the world. Turkey is poultry meat that is both lean and high in protein. You can get turkey meat fresh or frozen, as a complete bird or slaughtered into parts like the breasts and legs.

Although it may be eaten all year round, turkey has a rich flavor and is frequently consumed over the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. Turkey is a lump of popular sandwich meat and an alternative to ground beef all year long, but the holidays are when it’s most popular. Most of the world’s turkey meat is produced in the United States.

Fast Facts on Turkey

How to Cook Turkey in an Air Fryer?

Here is the best air-fried turkey recipe:

Ingredients

• Whole Turkey up to 16 lbs, thawed with neck and giblets removed
• Dry Rub (see ingredients below)
• Vegetable oil

Dry Rub Ingredients

• One tablespoon paprika
• One tablespoon of chili powder
• One teaspoon of garlic powder
• One teaspoon of onion powder
• One teaspoon of dried thyme
• One teaspoon of seasoning salt
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Thaw your turkey completely according to package instructions.
2. Pat dry with paper towels inside and outside of the turkey.
3. Mix the dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Brush the skin with oil and rub the dry ingredients all over the top of the whole turkey.
4. Rub the basket wires with oil to prevent the turkey from sticking to the basket.
5. Tuck in the wings and drumsticks and place in the basket breast side up. Place mesh cover over the top, turn on the pro, turn turn on the turkey dryer, and cook,
6. Cook times will vary depending on the size of the turkey you get, the temperature outside where you live and if it’s windy. Char-Boil Big Easy says to cook it for about 8 to 10 minutes per pound, but you should go by when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Ours took about 2 1/2 – 3 hours as it was a cold, windy day, and we had about a 16 lb turkey.
7. When a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F, your turkey is done.
8. Once cooked at an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the turkey, lift the basket and bring the whole turkey inside. (caution: it will be cumbersome)
9. If you want to use the drippings to make gravy, remove the tray with collected drippings from the fryer.
10. Carefully remove from the basket and place on a platter. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, carve and serve warm with Thanksgiving side dishes.

Tips to Follow

Here are some tips to follow:

• Always use a propane turkey fryer outside with adult supervision and away from children and pets.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to operate the appliance.
• If you cook the turkey in a deep fryer, ensure it is safe and clean, following all safety precautions.
• Cook in a safe place outdoors and away from your house and other buildings.
• Let the air fryer completely cool down before moving it.

Which Side Dishes are Best for Turkey?

Here are some of the best side dishes for air-fried turkey:

Green Bean Casserole

Is Thanksgiving even Thanksgiving if there isn’t a green bean casserole on the table? A must-try side dish for the holidays is green bean casserole. Even if you’re not a big fan of green beans, you can’t get enough of this creamy side dish. This dish elevates the flavor of the green bean casserole by using fresh mushrooms seasoned and cooked with onions and garlic. The crunchy and flavorful onions on this casserole are one of my favorites!
It nearly makes you believe that this dish is the star of the show rather than the turkey because it has the best flavor and texture combinations! You can’t go wrong with serving this traditional green bean casserole at your upcoming holiday feast.

1- Hour Rolls

The ideal way to quickly make fresh bread is using 1-hour rolls! This simple and delectable roll recipe will become your new favorite just in time for the holidays. A lot is going on at this time of year. It takes a lot of work to prepare for Thanksgiving. Making delicious buns to accompany your dinner shouldn’t be difficult. The answer to getting that delightful handmade flavor without all the preparation work is these 1-hour rolls! Sincerely, this recipe has had a significant impact on my life.

This is a fantastic place to start for those who want to ease into bread baking. Working with yeast and getting the ideal dough can occasionally be challenging. With the help of rapid-rise yeast and only a few straightforward directions, this one-hour roll recipe eliminates the guesswork and lengthy proving periods. You’re going to adore the final product! One-hour rolls have the ideal chew and are soft and buttery.

Smashed sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes that have been mashed are crunchy on the outside and smooth and soft on the interior. They both have a divine delectable flavor and can be prepared to taste sweet OR savory. You’ll savor every bite! These sweet potatoes are being SMASHED, which should not be confused with mashed potatoes. And they are the greatest, to be honest!

So say goodbye to mashed sweet potatoes and make room for this new dish! They make the tastiest appetizer or side dish and are pretty easy to prepare. There are two alternative ways to prepare them in this recipe: sweet or salty. A few different ingredients and some sweet potatoes are all you need to prepare this! They are swift to prepare and can be added to nearly any meal.

Using an Air Fryer can Reduce the Amount of Fat

• Foods prepared using alternative cooking methods typically contain less fat than deep-fried foods. For instance, a fried chicken breast has more fat than a roasted chicken breast of the same size.
• Some manufacturers assert that frying meals in an air fryer instead of a deep fryer can reduce the amount of fat in the dish by up to 75%.
• This is because compared to conventional deep fryers, air fryers require substantially less fat to cook food. Unlike air-fried foods, which only need roughly one tablespoon of oil, many recipes for deep-fried items call for up to 3 cups (750 mL) of fat (15 mL).
• As a result, deep fryers can require up to 50 times as much oil as air fryers. Even though not all of the oil is absorbed by the food, employing an air fryer can drastically reduce the amount of fat in the final product.
• According to studies comparing the properties of air-fried and deep-fried french fries, air-frying produced a final product with significantly less fat and crispy texture but a similar color and moisture content.
• This may significantly impact your health. According to several research, consuming more fat from vegetable oils is linked to a higher risk of diseases like heart disease and inflammation.
• Results are contradictory; some data evaluations imply that dietary lipids from vegetable oil may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Benefits of Eating Turkey

Here are the benefits of eating turkey:

1. Protein-rich meals, such as turkey, help to promote satiety by making a person feel fuller for a more extended perperiodonsuming. Adequate protein supports the maintenance of lean muscle mass and stabilizes insulin levels after meals. But the one nutrient that most meat eaters currently obtain in enough amounts is protein.
2. Remember that each meal’s protein content is essential. You can only take in so much information at once. Include a lean protein source at every meal, and distribute your daily intake. Fish, eggs, dairy products, soy products, nuts, and legumes are additional healthy protein options.
3. Since the skin of the turkey contains the majority of the fat, it is simple to remove the skin and enjoy a leaner, less fatty meal as a result.
4. Turkey’s tryptophan content may boost the body’s optimal serotonin levels, encouraging alertness and happiness. This is a potential benefit, despite the small numbers. A reliable source for turkey consumption.

Conclusion

A simple, meaty main dish like air-fried turkey is perfect for a beautiful family meal and a holiday celebration. Whether you use bone-in turkey breast or boneless turkey, creating a perfectly delicate and delightfully moist turkey is straightforward! Look no further than your air fryer for a crispy, juicy, quick-cooking turkey. This recipe is ideal if you need to feed a small group of people on Thanksgiving or if you want to prepare all your favorite dishes in the middle of July. An air fryer is excellent for frying meat; it cooks food more quickly and seals in all the liquids, leaving it moist, delicate inside, and crispy on the exterior.