Is Rice Bran Oil a good alternative to deep fry turkey?

I have been hearing of the benefits of rice bran oil and wondered how it would compare to peanut oil. Typically recommended for stir frying and pan frying, I set out to see how it would fare when it comes to deep frying my Thanksgiving turkey.

Touted as being globally recognized as the true “Health Oil”, I got in contact with Ellen Davenport from California Rice Oil Company and asked her why I should use her company’s rice bran oil to deep fry my turkey this year.

Some questions I asked Ellen:

Q: When it comes to value, how does the price of rice bran oil compare?
A: Comparable to peanut oil maybe even less

Q: What are the Health Benefits of rice bran oil?
A: Trans-Fat free. More antioxidants and vitamin E than most all oils

Q: What about Sustainability? Is there an environmental benefit?
A: The rice bran that is milled off for white rice was previously thrown away-now it is made in to rice oil.

Q: Are there any allergen concerns with rice bran oil?
A: Hypoallergenic-Rice Oil is very harmless

Q: Any taste Benefit over other oils?
A: Nutty and or buttery but really neutral

Q: What is the typical application for rice bran oil?
A: Most of our business is geared towards deep fryers in restaurants. Some notable users are Yahoo, Google, Apple, Pixar and Lucas Films, colleges, hospitals etc.

Using rice bran oil as an alternative seems like a no-brainer, with it’s surprisingly good benefit claims. Ellen was generous enough to supply us with 3 gallons of rice bran oil to review.

Produced in Thailand and imported by California Rice Oil Company, what intrigued me most with the rice oil is the high levels of antioxidants, exceptionally high smoke point (490F) and claims of lighter flavor.

After doing a little more research, I discovered rice bran oil does in fact have a very high antioxidant level. It is rich in both types of Vitamin E (Tocopherol and Tocotrienol), and cholesterol reducing Oryzanol. There are also 27 different types of Phytosterols, another powerful anti-oxidant, making rice oil more abundant than any other oil. In addition to its cholesterol reducing effects, Phytosterols are credited with many health benefits including anti-inflammatory effects, improving immune system and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. In fact, many margarines, butters, breakfast cereals and spreads are now enriched with phytosterols and marketed towards people wishing to lower their cholesterol levels. (Source: Wikipedia)

Deep Fry Turkey In California Rice Bran Oil

Ingredients used: Rice Bran Oil, Injectable Marinade, Creole Seasoning. Some people prefer to make their own cajun marinade, but when I deep fry turkey, I like to use Tony Chachere’s. His injectable marinade and creole seasoning saves the hassle and is as good as anything I’ve made. The creole is a bit spicy, but much of it washes away during the deepfry process, leaving only the essence.

Prepare the turkey by allowing to completely thaw. A frozen turkey and hot oil is a recipe for disaster. Remove all the stuff from inside the bird and rinse. I left the plastic hook to keep the legs together while it marinates. Using a marinade injector, Inject the marinade into the turkey by following the directions on the package.

Sprinkle Creole Seasoning inside cavity and over the outside of turkey. Place turkey in a large tray or dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours. To prepare the turkey for refrigeration, fasten neck skin to back of turkey with toothpicks. Tuck the leg under the piece of skin at the tail. Fold the wings across the turkey, so the tips are touching

Set up the fryer and fill with oil. Heat to 350 degrees F. This will take about 20 minutes. Even though the smoke point is 490, never exceed 400 degrees F with a turkey fryer. I would not recommend attempting to deep fry turkey without a deep fry thermometer. While the oil is heating, set the turkey up on the stand.

A 30 qt fryer will take about 3 gallons of oil, depending on the size of the turkey. Save the jugs and pour the strained oil back into them for future use. This oil can be used up to 3 times.

SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil. It’s a good idea to wear protective gloves while doing this since the oil does tend to splash up some. Even a single drop on a bare hand will let you know how hot that oil really is. This is not a good time to drop the turkey.

When you first put the turkey in, the oil temp will drop 25-50 degrees, increase the flame to bring the oil temp back to 350 degrees F. Monitor the temp often and adjust flame as needed to maintain that temp. Turkey will take 3.5 minutes per lb to cook in hot oil. This was an 11 lb bird. 11 x 3.5 = 38.5 minutes. See: How long does it take to deep fry turkey?

At 38.5 mins, its time to pull the bird and check the temp. The first thing I noticed with the Rice Oil is the beautiful golden color of the skin. Typically, the skin is a little darker.

The time formula is pretty accurate, as you can see the temp is perfect. However, using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to determine that a turkey is done. Insert the stem deep into the breast or thigh during frying to be sure internal temperature reaches 170F.

This turkey is a beautiful color. Allow the turkey to sit at least 15 minutes before carving. The temperature will continue to rise slightly as the juices to flow back into the fibers of the meat. Cutting the turkey now will only allow the juices to drain out.

Here it is: Delicious Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Deep Fried in California Rice Bran Oil. After letting the turkey sit, I carved into it. Juicy as can be! I couldn’t help picking off pieces of the skin to munch on while carving away.

Verdict

The “tasters” agreed the turkey was absolutely perfect. The skin was crispy, tasty and light. The meat was juicy and full of flavor. Compared to peanut oil, the taste was “lighter” and “less oily” with a nice buttery flavor. The nutty flavor of peanut oil may have an edge on taste of the skin, however the taste is still superior than that of canola or other vegetable cooking oils . That being said, I couldn’t stop eating the skin pieces.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a healthy, trans-fat free and allergen free alternative to peanut oil, Hands down, rice bran oil is your answer.

Bonus

This perhaps could be coincidence. When frying turkey, there is always residue at the bottom of the pot and around the sides which tends to get burned in and needs to be scraped out. While cleaning up from the rice bran oil, the residue that is normally burned in literally rinsed out with hot water. In addition, while cleaning the cooking oil pump, I was able to just run some hot soapy water through it and wipe it down. Typically, it is a job to get the oil residue off.

Rice Bran Oil Price

Bulk rice bran cooking oil is roughly 12 cents per ounce, meaning 3 gallons would run about $46.00 which puts it slightly less than bulk peanut oil. www.amazon.com is a good source to compare California Rice Oil Company best price.

Website: www.californiariceoil.com
California Rice Oil Company Oil Rice Bran, 25.4-Ounce – California Rice Oil Company

See Turkey Fryer Equipment and Accessories for products mentioned in this post.

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All Manufacturers claim their oil is the best. Know the facts when choosing the right one

Turkey Frying Oil Options

Peanut oil is typically used for frying turkey because of its higher smoke point and a more desirable flavor. However, what if you are allergic to peanuts and don’t care to use hydrogenated oils? Is there a tastier oil to use?What if you are simply looking for the healthiest alternative? The good news is there are alternatives to peanut oil that address these needs

The ideal frying oil would contain a higher amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with minimal or no saturated fats and trans fats.The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the average intake of fat should be 30% of your total caloric intake. This fat intake should consist of balanced fat, which provides nutrients that are essential to sustain life. A Balanced fat intake should contain approximately 30% saturated fat, 33% poly-unsaturated fat, (containing Essential Fatty Acids) and 37% mono-unsaturated fat.

Comparison of Different Fats

Comparison of smoke point and balance of fats in some commonly used oils:

Rice Bran Oil

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Best Choice

The most balanced and versatile oil on the market and closest to the AHA recommendations. Rice bran oil is a superior salad, cooking, and frying oil which leaves no lingering after taste. The high smoke point prevents fatty acid breakdown at high temperatures. Its light viscosity, allows less oil to be absorbed in cooking, reducing overall calories. It mixes better in salad dressings and improves the taste of baked goods, providing cholesterol reduction, nutritional and anti-oxidant value.

Olive Oil

$$$$$
Poor Choice

High mono fat, able to lower cholesterol but deficient in poly fat, which contains Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). EFAs are truly essential to life as every metabolic process in your body depends on them. A low smoke point makes it a poor choice for frying, and its heavy taste makes it undesirable in many baked goods. Traditionally a good salad oil.

Canola Oil

$$$
Best Value

High mono fat with cholesterol lowering ability but there are concerns about the origin. Canola oil is a term coined by Canada to change the name of rapeseedoil. The rapeseed plant contains erucic acid making it toxic and is used as an industrial lubricant. It has been genetically modified and hybrid to produce a low erucic acid version. Commonly hydrogenated, it is extensively used in the food industry because of its low price. The hybrid plant would be the best choice.

Peanut Oil

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Excellent Choice

A good balanced oil. This oil has good cholesterol lowering ability and a high smoke point, making it a good frying oil. It imparts a slightly earthy, nutty flavor. It lacks the anti-oxidants and micronutrients of Rice Bran Oil. A small percentage of people are allergic to nut oils.

Soybean Oil

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Poor Choice

This oil is a high poly fat. As recommended by the AHA your poly fat intake should be around 33% of your total fat intake. A high poly percentage is, an aid to tumors and cancer and should be carefully watched. Up to 80% of the oil consumed in the U.S.A. today comes from soybeans. Soybean oil is commonly hydrogenated and used in many processed foods.

Grapeseed Oil

$$$$$
Poor Choice

A good frying and salad oil, but again high in poly fat. It does lower cholesterol because of the high unsaturated fat content but is way over the recommended 33% poly-unsaturated fat. Most likely will not find in the bulk quantities needed to fry turkey

Cottonseed Oil

$$$$
Good Value

Known for its buttery, nutty flavor, cottonseed oil does not require hydrogenation, therefore is trans fat free, allowing heavy use by food manufacturers for industrial frying applications such as potato chip production. It is also what Crisco is made from (Crisco meaning crystallized cottonseed oil. Although it offers a 2:1 ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids, it is the highest in saturated fats. Pure Cottonseed oil is not typically available at the retail level. Although, it is available to consumers in niche markets, e.g. in sporting good stores where turkey fryers are sold, likely under the generic name “frying oil”. Stick with Canola.

Comparison of natural antioxidants in edible oils

* ppm. stands for parts per million

Sources:

http://www.cottonseedoiltour.com/

http://www.californiariceoil.com/

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I know this website is about grilling, but I just can’t ignore the outdoor deep fryer. I enjoy deep frying whole turkey as much as I do grilling. Especially during the holidays, when the family is in. Nothing beats a cool day, a cold beverage and the smell of frying turkey in peanut oil. Deep Fried Turkey has long replaced oven roasted variety at my house. There is just no comparison when it come to the juicy flavor of the meat and the crispness of the skin. I have heard many stories of turkey fryer accidents. Dealing with 350 degree oil and an open flame should not be taken lightly. Overflows have been known to catch fire. So help keep yourself from being deep fried, I compiled this section of turkey frying tips and instructions as a guideline for enjoying your deep fried turkey safely. Feel free to drop a line or leave a comment if you have any questions.

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