Finding the Best Peanut Oil for Deep Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey

As deep-fried turkey continues growing in popularity across America, more people are searching for that perfect peanut oil to achieve maximum crispiness. With so many options on the market, it can get overwhelming trying to determine the ideal one for your needs. In this article, we’ll explore where to buy quality peanut oil for deep frying turkey and what to look for when selecting a product.

Why Choose Peanut Oil?

Out of all the oils used for deep frying turkeys, peanut tends to be the top choice of professional chefs and home cooks alike. Here are some of its advantages:

• High smoke point – Peanut oil can reach temperatures between 450°F and 500°F before starting to smoke, making it suitable for frying. Oils with lower smoke points will burn at high heat.

• Neutral flavor – While adding some nuttiness, peanut oil doesn’t overwhelm the natural turkey flavor.

• Healthier fat composition – Peanut oil is low in saturated fat and high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

• Prevents sticking – The oil helps create a crispy skin and prevents the turkey from sticking to the fryer.

So peanut oil checks all the boxes required for deep frying success. Now let’s look at the best places to buy it.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores like Kroger, Safeway, and Albertsons will carry gallon jugs of peanut oil in the baking aisle. Popular name brand options include:

• Planters
• LouAna
• Hollywood
• Crisco

One gallon is usually plenty for frying a 12-15 lb turkey. Make sure to price compare between store brands and name brands to find the best deal.

The benefit of grocery stores is you can buy the peanut oil along with all your other Thanksgiving ingredients in one trip. The drawback is they likely won’t carry large bulk sizes.

Big Box Stores

For bigger quantities of peanut oil, check the cooking oil section at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s. You’ll typically find options like:

• Member’s Mark Fry and Fry Oil (Sam’s Club) – Comes in 35oz, 128oz, and 2-gallon jugs. All-natural and Kosher certified.

• Kirkland Signature Peanut Oil (Costco) – Sold in 2-pack of 128oz plastic jugs. Organic and expeller pressed.

• Berkley Jensen Peanut Oil (BJ’s) – 35oz jugs available. Non-GMO and ideal for frying.

Purchasing the larger containers makes sense if cooking for big groups or prepping multiple turkeys. Warehouse stores provide major savings over grocery prices.

Online Retailers

You’ll find a huge selection of peanut oils shopping online:

• Amazon – Multiple sizes from quality brands like LouAna and Chef Ernesto. Filter by Prime shipping to get it quickly with no delivery fee.

• WebstaurantStore – Specializes in bulk restaurant supplies. Buy 35lb jugs to gallons drums of fryer oil.

• Walmart – Affordable Great Value and LouAna peanut oils available for delivery or in-store pickup.

Buying online gives access to hard-to-find industrial sizes. Make sure to account for shipping costs in your budget.

Specialty Stores

Turkish and Middle Eastern markets are great spots to buy peanut oil for frying. Offerings include:

• Yemeni’s Peanut Oil – 100% pure boiled oil perfect for frying. Comes in plastic gallon jugs.

• Al Wadi Peanut Oil – Cold pressed and imported from Lebanon. Sold in 128 oz and 35 lb plastic containers.

These traditional peanut oils add unique flavor. If substituting for regular peanut oil in a recipe, you may need to adjust the quantity.

Tips for Selecting Peanut Oil

Once you’ve determined the ideal place to buy, keep these tips in mind when comparing peanut oil products:

• Check the smoke point – Verify it can reach the 400°F+ range needed for deep frying turkey.

• Consider cold pressed oils – They retain more peanut flavor compared to refined oils.

• Check the harvest date – Fresher oil leads to better performance and taste.

• Review oil filtering – More filtration means fewer particulates and impurities.

• Compare prices per ounce – Buying in bulk usually saves money in the long run.

With the right peanut oil, you’ll be rewarded with a perfectly fried crispy turkey that tastes as good as it looks. Doing a little research beforehand ensures your oil meets all your cooking requirements. Then the fun part comes—gathering family and friends around the table to enjoy the fruits of your labor.