Why Let the Cajun’s Have All the Fun? Deep Fry Your Own Turkey

Well, another holiday is fast approaching, so it’s time for another recipe. I love, love, love fried turkey. But, alas, both my mother & mother-in-law are weird about a fried gobbler, so I’ll be baking my turkeys this year. But, I do believe that everyone should fry a turkey at least once. Go ahead; add it to your bucket list. (I also have the turducken on my bucket list, but I’ve yet to mark that one off).

Here are a couple of pointers before we get started – fry your turkey OUTSIDE on a level spot of land. Put the dogs up (especially if you happen to have an eyeless Lab). DON’T try to fry Bigbird in the garage or on your deck, as you will burn your house down. Wait until right before Thanksgiving to buy your million gallons of peanut oil . . . it will go on sale. I don’t go the peanut oil route ‘cause I don’t like taking a mortgage out for my Thanksgiving meal. I go to Sam’s & buy a restaurant oil product that has a 425 degree smoke point (vs. the 450 degree smoke point for peanut oil). Also, after questioning several people who don’t like fried turkey, I surmised that what they actually didn’t like was the Cajun flavored injection. Though yummy & spicy, I actually don’t think the Cajun flavor goes well with traditional Thanksgiving sides, so I’m giving an injection marinade recipe that fits a little better with the traditional fixins. Hopefully this will keep your Great Aunt Kenzata from mocking you & your fried bird from now until her deathbed.

Okay, here we go:
13 lb. Turkey (completely thawed, if using a frozen Tom)
Approximatley 4-6 gallons of oil with a high smoke point
Injection kit
Salt & pepper

Marinade:
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/3 c molasses
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
2/3 c chicken or turkey stock
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

Remove turkey from plastic bag & remove all innards. Wash bird and pat dry with paper towels. You’ll want to get your turkey as dry as possible (water & hot oil don’t play well together).

Simmer the marinade in small pot. Using an injection kit (with needle), inject the marinade thoroughly throughout the turkey. Be careful not to puncture the skin. Instead, insert the needle under the skin wherever you can find an opening. Make sure to penetrate the bird all over (legs, wings, thighs, and breasts). Yes, go ahead & man-handle your bird.

When you’re finished with the injections, place your turkey on the spit (included with your turkey fryer). Rub salt & pepper all over the little guy.

Heat oil to 350 to 375 degrees (which might take up to 30 minutes – DON’T put your bird in before getting to the right temperature).

Carefully lower Bigbird on spit into the fryer. Use gloves to avoid a Thanksgiving trip to the Vanderbilt Burn Unit.

Cook that bird 5 minutes per pound. You’ll want to keep the temperature around 325 degrees throughout the entire cooking time. A burly man is as handy as a pocket for this task. (Your oil temp will drop precipitously after the bird is added to the oil, hence the starting temp of 350-375).

Remove bird when cooking time is up. Let all oil drip off before taking inside (mocking aside, nobody wants Great Aunt Kenzata slipping on your oil saturated kitchen floor). Let the bird sit for 20 minutes before carving.

I usually do two birds . . . you’ve got some $$ invested in that oil, so you might as well make good use of it.

Happy Thanksgiving!