First, The Big Easy (TBE) cooks much faster than a “regular” turkey fryer. From start to finish, a turkey in TBE takes a total time of about 8-10 minutes per pound plus about 10-15 minutes to clean (by leaving it on) and a few minutes to cool down. Traditional oil frying may take much less time per pound but you have to heat the oil for an hour and then you have several hours of cooling, disposal, and cleaning time remaining.

TBE not only gives you the same crispy skin and incredibly moist flesh as traditional frying but you can also -
- use a dry rub without having it wash off in the oil
- put some “savories” in the cavity
- use fine wood chips for a light smoke flavor
- make “beer can chicken” or similar recipes
- baste during cooking

I’ve also used it for chicken (whole & parts), duck. leg of lamb, and various cuts of pork & beef and had great results every time.

The only problems I’ve heard about usually have to do with improper assembly, usually not seating the propane valve properly inside the burner tube to allow for proper gas flow. Other than that, it’s pretty much idiot-proof. I’d also recommend you get a decent thermometer (I have a digital with remote alarm) – the one supplied by Char Broil isn’t all that accurate.

I’ve been eating and cooking fried turkey since I was a kid in Louisiana (some 50 years ago when we used cut-down 55 gallon drums and fried the turkey until it floated). I’m totally sold on The Big Easy; it may well be the best cooking tool since cast iron.