Standing only 24.5 inches tall and having a 16-inch-diameter housing, the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-less Infrared Turkey Fryer 07101366 is a modern grill with a specific purpose. This unit is designed to roast a turkey (or any large cut of meat) without oil and without the need for a rotisserie attachment.

The Oil-less Turkey Fryer relies on its own 18,000-Btu circular burner, which generates radiant (infrared) heat that surrounds and penetrates the food in the cooking chamber. Powered by a standard 20-pound propane tank, the quick heating burner requires no preheating and cooks turkey, chicken, pork, beef or lamb in as little as 8-10 minutes per pound. A handy meat thermometer is included with the grill to help you gauge doneness.

We loved the simplicity of this grill. It consists of the double wall heating chamber, a stainless steel inner cooking chamber, stainless steel drop-in basket, removable mesh lid and slide-out grease tray. The control panel has a single on/off knob, as well as a rotary flint-style igniter. There were a few initial setup steps, including attaching the legs, installing the grease tray support and affixing the control panel to the body of the grill. The assembly instructions were clear and straightforward.

For safety, the Char-Broil Big Easy should always be used outdoors, just the same as any gas grill. You can sit it on a patio or any stable surface. The body of the grill gets quite hot during use so it should be set a reasonable distance from any combustible materials. Although the grill comes with a mesh lid, it is not necessary to cover foods during cooking. The radiant energy provides a steady blanket of heat to thoroughly cook your food.

In our tests, a 12-pound turkey emerged after two hours with a golden brown skin that was perfectly crisped on the outside. The results were similar to a bird that had been oil-fried, yet without the mess or hassle of cooking in an oil-filled pot. Plus, we felt confident approaching the grill to check the cooking status, without worry of hot splatters or splashes of oil. The danger from a flare-up of hot oil is virtually eliminated. Fats and drippings from the meat are channeled through an opening in the base into the removable aluminum drip tray. If you wish to use the drippings to make gravy, you must purchase and use disposable food-safe aluminum liners to collect the drippings.

During cooking, heat radiates from the burner to the cooking chamber for extremely efficient cooking. The basket can accommodate turkeys or roasts up to 16 pounds. For added flavor, you can inject or rub seasonings on the meat before cooking. Because the roast is suspended in the cooking basket, the rub won't wash away like it would in an oil-filled pot. Unfortunately, you cannot cook small cuts of meat, such as individual steaks or chops, with this grill.

The only difficulty we encountered came when we tried to disassemble the unit for cleaning. Although the cooking basket can be easily removed and inserted, the stainless steel cooking chamber fits rather snugly in its housing and requires a bit of effort and coaxing to remove.


Pros: Quick and even heating, one simple control knob, rotary igniter, cooks turkeys or roasts up to 16 pounds
Cons: Limited to cooking whole poultry or large cuts of meat, unit is hard to disassemble

Warranty
90 days, limited