Propane Burner BTU rating

[PaulT]

I planned to fry a turkey for Thanksgiving, but rather than buying one of those fryer kits you see everywhere for $70, I bought a 2-burner camp stove from Sams that I could also use for camping. The stove cost $100, and the pot I needed cost me another $40, but I can do 2 birds at once. After getting the stove home, I noticed that the burners are rated at 30,000 btu each. The better turkey fryers I saw claimed a BTU rating of 170,000. I even saw one rated at 200,000 btu! These burners LOOK just like mine. Basically, big cast Iron rings with 2 circles of holes. What is the difference between my burners and the fryer burners? It seems that it must be the regulator, since the BTU rating has to come from burning more fuel per/minute if both use propane. What am I missing? can I just buy a regulator with a higher flow and increase the BTU of the burner? Any help is appreciated. For the curious about why I need more BTUs while frying, read on...

Before frying the turkey, I did my research. I learned that I was to heat the oil to 375, slowly lower the turkey several times, covering more and more of the bird each time to drive out the water. After finally dropping it in all the way, the oil should be maintained at 350 degrees until finished, about 3 minutes per pound. If the oil temp drops below 340, then the bird will absorb the oil.

Once I but the bird into the 375 degree oil bath, the temp dropped to 270, and never got hotter than 285. The turkey was still done in the 3 minutes per pound time range, and it didn't taste greasy (except for the skin, which would have been nicer if it was crunchier - love that turkey "pork" rind!). Apparently I didn't have a hot enough burner to raise the oil/bird back to the recommended 350, nor keep it above the 340 mark. Hopefully I can just get a higher flow regulator and use it when I am frying big wet/cold things like turkeys or whole pigs (just kidding, but wouldn't that be great!).

PaulT

 

[Bird]

Paul, I'm not sure how to describe them, but if you'll look at the burners, you'll see the difference. The high BTU burners are also sometimes referred to as high pressure burners and they really do put out a lot more heat. I guess I'm a little surprised that you were able to successfully fry turkeys on the camp stove. On the other hand, I don't think it's necessary to go to 375 degrees either. Even though I have one of the 170,000 BTU burners, the instructions that came with it only say to go to 325 degrees. I preheat the peanut oil to 325 with the burner turned about as high as possible, slowly lower the turkey into the oil (which usually drops the temperature a little below 300), wait until the temperature comes back to 325, then turn the burner down a bit to maintain 325 to 350. I've never let it go over 350 and try to keep it right at 325. However, I cook them for a total of 3.5 minutes per pound (from the time I first lower them into the oil; not waiting for the temperature to come back up before I start timing them).

 

[PaulT]

Bird,

<font color=blue>I guess I'm a little surprised that you were able to successfully fry turkeys on the camp stove.</font color=blue>

Maybe you are thinking that the camp stove I purchased is your basic coleman folding stove for use with those little propane bottles. The one I bought is very different. It is a large, heavy cast Iron job that has a manifold, 2 valves, and two monster cast iron rings for burners.

My brother in law has one of those Coleman stoves, and it takes about 15 minutes to boil a 2 quart pot of water on high! I know it would never have fried a turkey. We used to use his stove on our extended family camping trips. Now we'll use the one I bought, so I can have my coffee perked before noon!

<font color=blue>I'm not sure how to describe them, but if you'll look at the burners, you'll see the difference. The high
BTU burners are also sometimes referred to as high pressure burners and they really do put out a lot more
heat.</font color=blue>

Our local Farm and Country had a day after Thanksgiving sale, and there was a 170k btu fryer on display. The burner had a smaller diameter ring, but the venturi tube cast into it was about the same diameter. I just can't see how it could burn that much more propane (or rather how mine could burn that much less). Can you check your pressure regulator for flow and psi?

PaulT

 

[Bird]

OK, Paul, I know what kind of burner you're talking about now; nice stoves. I think that's the same burner (or type at least) that most gas water heaters use. The high pressure, or high BTU, burners are actually much smaller in diameter. I'm afraid I don't know enough to know why they put out more heat, but they do. I don't have any way to check to see what the flow and psi are on mine, but I know you can open the valve enough to blow out the flame./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif They really let a lot of gas blow through there.

 

[bgott]

There should be an orifice in the tube under or inside of the burner. You might be able to install a larger orifice in your camp stove.

 

[Mike_Dumond]

There is an orifice at the begining of the venturi tube, that should be cleaned every once in a while. Do not change it for a larger one. Unless you know what you're doing, or you like really big fires. (you know the type, the one's you have to call the fire dept for) Changing the orifice also means you need to change the air mixture, and not too many people have the instrumentation to do that. The burners, although looking the same, may not be able to handle the extra heat.

It's like a tractor. Either get the size you need, or expect to take longer to do the job. But, running JP-4 won't help. Just my $.02

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike