Fried Turkey Recipe
Fried Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Thawed whole, uncooked Turkey
- 3 gallons High temp Frying oil, e.g. peanut oil
Turkey Rub
- 3 tablespoons Seasoning salt
- 3 tablespoons Black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Lemon pepper
** Measurements are estimated and sprinkled on the turkey and then rubbed on**
Turkey Injection Marinade
1 bottle of Tony Chachere’s Injectable Marinade, Garlic & Herb or your favorite flavor
Instructions
- Thaw: Thaw your turkey completely, then rinse and pat it dry.
- Measure Oil: Fill your pot with water to the first fill line. Place the turkey (in an airtight bag) into the pot to make sure it will be fully submerged and the water won’t overflow. Mark the water line — this is how much oil you’ll need.
- Fill & Heat: Dry the pot and add peanut oil up to the marked line. Preheat the oil to 275°F. Remove the turkey from the plastic wrap and pat dry one more time.
- Inject: Fill your syringe with injection marinade (Garlic & Herb or your preferred flavor). Poke one hole at a time and move the needle in different directions under the skin as you slowly push out the marinade. Repeat in several areas of the bird, making as few holes as possible while distributing marinade throughout.
- Season: Mix the rub spices together and rub all over the turkey — on the outside, inside the cavity, and under the skin where you can.
- Fry: When the oil reaches 275°F, place the turkey in the frying basket or on the hanger/hook. Carefully lower it into the hot oil, wearing gloves to protect your hands and arms from splatter. Insert a thermometer probe and close the lid. Allow the oil temperature to come up to 325°F.
- Cook: Fry until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F.
- Rest & Carve: Carefully remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest for 20–30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
Classic
The Best Fried Turkey
Total Time: 1 day 20 minutes
Servings: 22 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large turkey under 18 lbs
- 1 injection syringe
- 3 gallons peanut oil
Turkey Rub
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon onion salt
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Turkey Injection Marinade
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup oil canola or vegetable
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ½ large lemon fresh, squeezed
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
Instructions
- Thaw: Thaw your turkey completely, then rinse and pat it dry.
- Inject: Mix your injection marinade ingredients together and fill the syringe. Poke one hole at a time and move the needle into different directions under the skin as you slowly push out the marinade. Repeat in several parts of the bird, making as few holes as possible while getting marinade into as much of the turkey as you can.
- Season: Mix the rub spices together and rub them all over the bird — on the outside, inside the cavity, and under the skin where you can reach. Wrap the turkey tightly in cling wrap so it’s completely covered and refrigerate for 1–24 hours (the longer, the better).
- Measure Oil: When you’re ready to fry, fill the pot with water to the first fill line. Place the turkey (in an airtight bag) in the pot to be sure it will be fully submerged without causing overflow. Mark the water line — this is how much oil you’ll need.
- Heat Oil: Dry the pot and add peanut oil up to the marked line. Preheat the oil to 275°F. Remove the turkey from the plastic wrap and pat dry one more time.
- Fry: When the oil reaches temperature, place the turkey in the frying bucket and carefully lower it using the hanger/hook. Wear gloves to protect your hands and arms from splattering oil. Insert a thermometer probe and close the lid. Allow the oil to come up to 325°F and cook until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F.
- Rest: Remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest for about 20–30 minutes before carving.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Sweet & Spicy
Deep-Fried Turkey Brined in Cayenne and Brown Sugar
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10 with leftovers
Ingredients
- 3 cups packed light brown sugar (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- 1 ½ cups Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 gallons cold water
- 1 bunch of thyme
- 1 head of garlic (separated into cloves and crushed)
- 12 pound turkey
- 2 ½ gallons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Brine: In a large stockpot, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard, salt, and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the water, then add the thyme and garlic. Submerge the turkey in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for about 35 hours.
- Heat Oil: In a turkey fryer or an 18-quart (or larger) stockpot, heat the oil to 400°F. This can take up to an hour.
- Prep Turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place the turkey breast-side up in the frying basket.
- Fry: Carefully lower the basket with the turkey into the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes per pound (around 36 minutes for a 12-pound bird).
- Rest & Serve: Lift the basket out of the fryer and let the turkey drain on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Carve and serve.
Southern Style
Deep-Fried Turkey
Total Time: 10 Hr 20 Min
Servings: 20
Ingredients
Cajun Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chiles or ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon salt
Cajun Marinade
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Turkey
- 1 whole turkey (10 to 12 lb), thawed if frozen
- 1 poultry or meat injector
- 1 turkey deep-fryer, consisting of 40- to 60-quart pot with basket, burner and propane tank
- 5 gallons peanut, canola or safflower oil
Instructions
- Mix Rub: In a small bowl, mix all of the spice rub ingredients until well blended; set aside.
- Mix Marinade: In a shallow glass or plastic bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and stir until the salt is fully dissolved; set aside.
- Prep Turkey: Remove giblets and neck from the turkey. Rinse the turkey well inside and out with cold water, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Pay extra attention to drying both cavities—any water left on the turkey can cause dangerous bubbling in the hot oil. Do not tie the legs together so oil can circulate through the cavity. Cut off the wing tips and tail so they don’t get caught in the fryer basket. Place the turkey in a large pan.
- Season: Rub the spice mixture all over the turkey, inside and out.
- Inject: Using a meat injector and following its directions, inject the marinade into multiple areas of the turkey. Cover the turkey in the pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Set Up Fryer: Place the outdoor gas burner on a level dirt or grassy area, away from the house, garage, or any structure. Add oil to the cooking pot until it is about 2/3 full. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the edge of the pot.
- Heat Oil: Set the burner to medium-high and heat the oil to 375°F. This may take 20–40 minutes depending on weather, wind, and temperature. Place the turkey, neck end down, on the basket or rack.
- Lower Turkey: When the oil reaches 375°F, slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. The oil level will rise and froth as moisture escapes from the turkey, then stabilize in about 1 minute.
- Fry: Immediately check the oil temperature and adjust the flame to maintain 350°F. If it drops to 340°F or below, oil can begin to soak into the turkey. Fry for 3–4 minutes per pound (about 35–42 minutes for a 10–12 lb turkey), staying with the fryer at all times to regulate the heat.
- Check Doneness: At the minimum frying time, carefully lift the turkey to check the temperature. A meat thermometer should read 170°F in the thickest part of the breast or 180°F in the thigh. If it’s not there yet, return the turkey to the oil and continue cooking. When done, let the turkey drain in the basket for a few minutes.
- Rest & Carve: Remove the turkey from the rack and place it on a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes for easier carving.