Did you know that your trusted turkey pot can do more than deep-frying birds? You can use it for homebrewing and boiling maple sap! All you need is the best turkey fryer for making maple syrup or brewing beer!
Many home cooks love to perform experiments that satisfy their taste buds. This includes brewing their own beer and making maple syrup. A high-quality turkey fryer designed for outdoor use can be ideal for both these purposes.
Today, we’ll discuss the best turkey fryers for homebrewing and cooking maple sap.
Table of Contents
Best Turkey Fryer for Making Maple Syrup or Brewing Beer
Here’s a list of our favorite turkey fryers for making maple syrup or brewing beer. Take a look:
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
| 1 | Loco Cookers 36 Quart SureSpark Turkey Fryer | Best Value |
| 2 | Creole Feast TFP1030 Turkey Fryer Kit | Best for Multi-Use |
| 3 | Bayou Classic 3025 30-qt Stainless Steel Turkey Fryer | Best Brand |
| 4 | Backyard Pro 30 Qt. Deluxe Turkey Fryer Kit | Best for Outdoor Cooking |
| 5 | Enterprises Oversized 44 Quart Big Bird Kit | Best Overall |
1. Loco Cookers 36 Quart SureSpark Turkey Fryer
Here’s a stock pot that comes with a tripod stand and gas burner. The Loco Cookers 36 Quart SureSpark Turkey Fryer is ideal for cooking turkey, homebrewing beer, and making maple syrup – without costing a fortune!
If you’re looking for a complete set to get your outdoor cooking plans started, this large turkey fryer set can be an excellent choice.
The pot itself is lightweight and easy to handle. It’s also sturdy and long-lasting.
The burner has a power of 54,000 BTUs and can heat your vessel quickly.
The pot is equipped with a special Twist & Drain that allows hands-free drainage. The set comes with various accessories that make cooking easy.
2. Creole Feast TFP1030 Turkey Fryer Kit
A turkey fryer that supports various types of cooking techniques – Creole Feast TFP1030 is a must-have. You can use it for everything – from frying turkeys to steaming seafood, from boiling grains to reducing maple sap!
It comes with two perforated baskets of different sizes for different food items like vegetables, seafood, and whole birds.
That means you can use it for any quantity of cooking – including small batches of beer or maple syrup.
The kit includes a 50,000 BTU burner and a stand, so you don’t have to invest in these separately.
Plus, it has a unique air control panel so that you can adjust and control heat while cooking in outdoor areas.
3. Bayou Classic 3025 30-qt Stainless Steel Turkey Fryer
For newbies looking for a new turkey fryer, Bayou Classic 3025 30-qt Stainless Steel Turkey Fryer is ideal. That’s because it comes with the trust and brand value of Bayou. It’s a complete cooking set.
This vessel can be used for 3-gallon batches of beer or maple syrup if you are into homebrewing or syrup-making as a hobby or for personal usage.
It is also large enough to cook a big batch of turkey.
The vessel is sturdy and versatile yet designed for convenient usage, thanks to its handles and lightness.
The fryer is a part of a full cooking set that includes a thermometer, stand, rack, etc. If you like this product and its features make sure to read its full review.
4. King Kooker Propane Outdoor Fry Boil Package (12RTFBF3)
The King Kooker 12RTFBF3 turkey pot is an outdoor cooker engineered for your convenience and safety. It is one of the best propane pots for cooking with various techniques – be it boiling, steaming, or frying.
Many people start brewing beer indoors but move it outside for speed.
The same goes for making maple syrup. So, if you’re planning to take your brewing or syrup-making setup out, this King Kooker fryer is ideal.
The complete kit comes with two perforated baskets of 10 qt and 29 qt for different quantities and types of food – from chopped vegetables to large crabs.
It comes with a complete set of accessories to make outdoor cooking convenient.
5. Enterprises Oversized 44 Quart Big Bird Kit
For an all-in-one turkey fryer that can do more than frying birds, Enterprises Oversized 44 Quart Big Bird Kit is an excellent choice. This kit includes a large-capacity vessel – along with all other required accessories.
The device is made of stainless steel, which means you don’t have to worry about its quality or sturdiness.
It will last for several years, no matter what you cook in it – or how much you rough-handle it.
It is an enormous vessel of 11 gallons. That means you can conveniently cook large batches of homebrew, syrup, turkeys, soups, and anything else you want. It’s engineered for convenient outdoor use.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Turkey Fryer for Making Maple Syrup or Brewing Beer
Now you know about the best turkey fryers that you can use for brewing beer and making maple syrup. You should also know what features you should consider while buying the cooking pot. Take a look:
- Power Source: Propane turkey fryers are for outdoor cooking. So, they’re ideal for making maple syrup or brewing beer to save time and dissipate moisture.
- Construction: High-quality fryers are made of metals like aluminum and steel. These can last for several years. You can clean them with the help of steel wool.
- Size: Large turkey fryers are not just great for cooking large birds for a small party. They can be ideal for handling 5-gallon batches of maple sap or brew.
Convenience Features: Turkey fryers need sturdy handles measurement marks, a venting lid, etc. If you’re buying a full kit, ensure it includes a thermometer.
How to Use Turkey Fryer for Making Maple Syrup
A turkey fryer can be a great tool for making maple syrup for personal use or as a hobby. You need a simple recipe – as mentioned below. Take a look:
Step 1
Take 6-7 gallons of maple sap into the turkey fryer.
Step 2
Turn on the heat using propane. You can surround the fire to strengthen the heat.
Step 3
Add 2 gallons of water into the fryer and bring it to a boil.
Step 4
Once the liquid inside starts boiling down, keep adding more water from time to time. Put 3 more gallons of water like this.
Step 5
As the liquid boils, you’ll notice foam on the top of it. Use a strainer to remove it.
Step 6
Continue to cook for about 2 hours. The liquid will reduce, and the added water will continue to evaporate.
Step 7
Check the temperature. When it is about 219.5 F (less if you’re at a low altitude), remove it from the heat immediately.
Step 8
Pour the liquid through a strainer lined with mesh filters.
Step 9
Place the strained liquid on the heat in your kitchen for the last phase of cooking the syrup.
Step 10
As the liquid reduces and starts to boil, recheck the temperature. It should reach 219.5 F again before you remove it from heat for storage.
Take a look at the entire process in this helpful video:
How to Use Turkey Fryer for Brewing Beer
Here’s a quick recipe to help you brew beer in a turkey fryer. This recipe uses grains and forms a grain mash – like in a microbrewery. Let’s take a look:
Step 1
Put 5 gallons of water in the turkey fryer and set it on high heat to bring it to a rolling boil.
Step 2
Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and let it reach around 170 degrees. Then, kill the flame.
Step 3
Line the turkey fryer’s strainer with a polypropylene filter bag and put it into the water inside the fryer.
Step 4
Slowly add 8-10 pounds of grains into the water. Keep stirring with a ladle as you do that to prevent lumps.
Step 5
Continue to mash for about an hour. During this time, the starch will convert to sugar, which will be fermented by the yeast.
Step 6
Allow the temperature of the content to drop to around 70 F.
Step 7
Sparge the mash by lifting the grains in the strainer, allowing the liquid to collect in the fryer. Then, spread 2 gallons of hot water into the mash.
Step 8
Now start boiling the wort. After 45 minutes, add the immersion chiller.
Step 9
Throw in the finishing hops – and continue to boil for another 15 minutes.
Step 10
After that, start the cooling process. Place the pot in a large sink or bucket with chilled water. Keep stirring the brew inside to speed up the cooling process.
Step 11
Start siphoning the beer into the fermenter pot.
Step 12
Add around 4.5 tsp of yeast into the wort and cover it with a lid. Put the airlock on it with sanitized water.
Step 13
Shake the container to introduce oxygen into the wort inside. Allow the wort to ferment. You can keep it there for 7-10 days to get the perfect homemade beer.
Here’s a video to give you a clear idea of the process.
Tips for Using Turkey Fryer for Brewing Beer and Making Maple Syrup
If you’re about to buy and use a turkey fryer for homebrewing and boiling maple sap, try the following tips and tricks –
- Retrofit a filter inside the fryer to prevent grains or hops from entering the wort.
- Clean fryers with steel wool, PBW, and dishwashers to remove caramelization.
- Be careful about using fryers with regulators as they turn off on their own.
- Wash the dryer during the process of brewing or maple-making.
- Deep-scrub a used fryer thoroughly to prevent the smell of oil from mixing in your brew or syrup.
Other Fun Ways to Use a Turkey Fryer
If you have a turkey fryer, you should not just keep it aside for frying a big bird. There’s much more you can do with it. Some of the uses of a turkey fryer are nothing short of unique and interesting.
You already know that you can use it for making maple syrup and brewing beer. What else can you do with a turkey fryer? Let’s take a look:
a) Steaming/Boiling Seafood
A turkey fryer is an excellent vessel for boiling and steaming seafood. You can use it to prepare crawfish, lobster, crab, scallop, etc. Cooking 3-5 pounds of crustaceans and mollusks can be achieved in 5-8 minutes. Don’t forget to add aromatics while cooking!
b) Cooking Broths and Soups
You can use a turkey fryer to cook large batches of broth, chili, and more. Just add vegetables, leftover meat, turkey or chicken bones, cereals, etc., to the fryer and simmer everything to form any type of soup or stock. The vessel is a great storage pot, too!
c) Cooking Other Foods
A turkey fryer can be used for cooking a wide range of foods – rice, noodles, mixed veggies, meat, and more! The pot can be used also for various cooking techniques like boiling, slow-cooking, and even roasting. Of course, you can fry everything in it.
d) Canning for Preservation
Canning fruits and veggies in a turkey fryer are super-easy. You’ll need to boil the jars empty and without lids first – and then with the content and the lids on. This process takes a short time. Turkey fryers are, thus, excellent vessels for making pickles, as well!
e) Washing and Soaking Clothes
Another rather strange use of a turkey fryer is for washing clothes. If there’s an outfit made of sensitive materials that need a soft touch, you can clean it in the large turkey fryer instead of throwing it into the washing machine. You can also soak clothes in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should you cook maple syrup in a turkey fryer inside or outside?
If you have a small turkey fryer, you may be tempted to boil maple sap inside the house. But that is not recommended as boiling the sap gives off a lot of moisture.
Cooking outdoors will allow this moisture to dissipate into the open air – unlike cooking it in your kitchen.
Q. Is cooking maple syrup in a turkey fryer better than using the wood-burning method?
To make maple syrup for personal use, you can shift to turkey fryers from wood burning. The vessel lets you regulate temperatures easily, and you won’t need to monitor it constantly. Plus, the syrup doesn’t end up with a burnt taste. Additionally, the process is mess-free.
Q. Should you brew beer in a turkey fryer in hot weather?
If you brew your beer in a turkey fryer outdoors on a hot day, the temperature at which you perform the brewing process may increase and affect the yeast’s ability to ferment and work its magic. As a result, you will end up with a beverage with an average taste.
Q. How can you transition from kitchen-brewing beer to outdoor brewing while using a turkey fryer?
If homebrewing beer is your passion, you can easily move from your kitchen to the outdoors for larger brew batches.
You can get a large turkey fryer at a low cost. Choose one without a regulator – and use it to brew 5-gallon batches of beer outdoors using propane.
Q. How long does it take to brew beer in a turkey fryer?
One of the reasons to move to a turkey fryer for brewing beer is that the process takes a short time. Homebrewing a batch of 5 gallons of wort should take around 2-2.5 hours when you use a turkey fryer. This vessel enhances the brewing process as you get more force.
Final Words
A turkey fryer is a handy vessel for cooking a delicious turkey for friends and family. And the best part is that you can use it for more than just cooking your favorite poultry. It can be used for homebrewing and boiling maple sap.
If you’re adventurous when it comes to cooking and brewing, find yourself the best turkey fryer for making maple syrup or brewing beer. Such a vessel is versatile enough to let you have fun – and can be an excellent investment.
