The best deep fried turkey

The Holidays are upon us! What better way to impress your family than with a tender deep fried Turkey!

We all have seen those beautiful photos with beautiful deep-fried birds! You are probably like many of those people who just stare with amazement but never really attempt to make birds. Well, guess what? You no longer have to do that, because I am going to teach you exactly how to do so with a yummy fried turkey recipe. First, we must give credit to my father-in-law. I would be lying if I said this was all done by me. Lol, no way I just watched and learn. So, let’s wait no further.

How to choose the right Turkey?

If you have a small dinner with let’s say about 9 people, then I would suggest you get a 9-pound Turkey. The rule for Turkey buying is usually 1-pound of Turkey per adult. So, if you are having 9 people, a 9-pound Turkey would be enough. If you would like to save some Turkey for later, to make those tasty Turkey sandwiches then buy a bigger Turkey.

How to unthaw Turkey?

To unthaw a frozen Turkey, you would need to unwrap the Turkey and place the turkey in the sink. You can place cold water over the turkey to allow the turkey unthaw quicker. You can also sprinkle salt in the water to speed up the process. Let the turkey sit overnight. I know this process may seem long but I definitely wouldn’t suggest cooking a frozen Turkey. It will not come out well.

Deep frying Turkey brine

I know many speak of injecting their Turkeys and that is fine. I just prefer to brine my Turkey. If you want a juicy Turkey, follow these steps. I must warn you that it will take some time but it doesn’t matter because you know you will have beautiful results ahead. The first thing you need to do is place a stockpot on the stove and add in 2 boxes of chicken broth,  ½ onion, butter, salt, allspice berries, whole black peppercorns, garlic powder, Cajun creole seasoning, and brown sugar. Once that mixture comes to a boil, pour it into a container and let it cool. Once cooled, pour it into a bucket along with cool water. Sit the turkey, place a lid over the top and let the turkey sit for 12 hours.  Now it’s time to fry.

How to deep fry a Turkey outdoors?

Once your brining process is complete. You can move to Turkey seasoning. I like to take my hands and rub the seasoning in. I guess this would be considered as a “fried Turkey rub”. Now let’s get to the good stuff. Place some peanut oil in your Turkey fryer propane outdoor cooker. If you aren’t comfortable with using gas, you can also use a large deep fryer but please remember not to overfill either one of these fryers with grease. If you overfill the pot, the oil will overflow into the propane. PLEASE PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS!

Another way to do this is in the beginning stages, place the unthawed and unseasoned Turkey in the stockpot. Then put water until it’s at a good point. Once you have emptied the pot. Make sure to dry the pot because water and oil together is a big no-no. Once you have the peanut oil in the stockpot, wait until the grease reaches about 350 degrees. Then place your Turkey inside the grease and put the top on. The rule of thumb is for every pound of Turkey you should cook the turkey for 3 minutes. After Turkey is done, lift turkey and check the temperature. If it’s 170-175 degrees you can let the grease drain and enjoy and your deep fried turkey.

How to know when you are done? How long to deep fry a turkey?

Frying a turkey is not difficult. There is a red button like object on the side of the turkey. Once this button has popped up, you will know that your turkey is done. Another way to know is to stick a thermometer in Turkey. If the meat thermometer is reading 175 degrees, your fried Turkey is done.

Looking for recipes to pair with this deep fried Turkey. How about trying gravy, pecan pie, mash potatoes, or macaroni.