Let's fry up that big bird

The Southern custom of deep frying turkey has gained in popularity across the U.S. in the past few years. Those of us who had never heard of this style of cooking couldn't imagine taking a beautiful Thanksgiving turkey out into the backyard and dropping it in a vat of hot oil in a traditional propane-fueled turkey cooker. Then we came across the Turk 'N' Surf Electric Turkey Fryer and Seafood Kettle from Masterbuilt, Columbus, Ga., and we were sold on the idea.

We love that the Turk 'N' Surf is electric and designed to be used indoors. It's simple enough to operate--just fill the oil to the line, wait for it to heat, and carefully lower the turkey in the perforated non-stick basket into the pot. Its clear cover allows you to watch the turkey change to a scrumptious golden brown. A 14-pound turkey cooks in just 47 minutes, though the oil takes about the same amount of time to reach the recommended 400[degrees]F (and there's no need to approximate the temperature o! the oil; there is an adjustable thermostat with safety shut-off). As for the taste, you couldn't beat it--crispy skin and moist, tender meat.

Turkey isn't the only thing you can cook in the Turk 'N' Surf. Instead of oil, you can fill it with water for boiling and steaming foods. Its 28-quart capacity makes it perfect for cooking lobsters, corn on the cob, and many other foods that are difficult to fit on your stove.

The Turk 'N' Surf ($85) is available at mass merchandisers nationwide. For more information, just visit www.masterbuilt.com.

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