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deep fried turkey

AirRail avatar
Recipe by
Dave T.
@AirRail
Cades Cove, TN

Once you have deep fried turkey, you will never want it any other way.....except maybe smoked. I can't stress how careful you have to be. If done properly This is extremely easy and well worth doing and very safe, HOWEVER, if not done properly, you can and will incur sevier burns and or fire danger. Very important, do this outside using a Turkey Deep Fryer/Turkey Cooker. Always work on a non flammable surface. Always turn off fire when adding or removing turkey from pot, that way if you do splash hot oil out the flame will be off and you are less likely to have an accidental fire.

yield serving(s)
cook time 45 Min
method Deep Fry

Ingredients For deep fried turkey

  • 3+ gal
    peanut oil
  • 12-15 lb
    uncooked turkey
  • 1 c
    smoked salt
  • 1 c
    brown sugar, light or dark
  • 1/4 c
    course ground black pepper
  • 6
    bay leaves
  • 1 bottle
    hard apple cider

How To Make deep fried turkey

  • 1
    Wash turkey and remove giblets from turkey, if it has one of those little plastic pop up doohickeys, remove that also, as well as any plastic, metal or string thingamajig that might be holding the legs together. In other words, if it didnt grow on the turkey, you don't want it.
  • 2
    You will need a bucket or very large container, or a small cooler, big enough to hold the entire turkey. Put all ingredients in container, add enough water to mix, maybe a quart or so and stir until mixed up. Add turkey and cover with cold water and lots of ice. Cover and let stand for at least several hours, overnight is even better. Remove turkey from brine mixture and dry completely, and I mean completely, inside and out. IMPORTANT you can not have any moisture what so ever on or in the turkey.
  • 3
    After turkey is dry, put turkey in deep fry pot, pour enough peanut oil over it to completely cover, leave enough room for oil to expand and not boil over.Covering the turkey with oil this way will insure you have enough oil in your pot, and not so much as to cause a boil over, the major cause of turkey cooker fires. Remove turkey, set aside. Light burner under pot with oil, heat to 350-375 TURN OFF FIRE Lower turkey into oil and relight fire. Cook at 350 for 45min or around 3 1/2 min per pound, until internal temp is 160-165, check temp in several different locations, such as the thigh, breast, etc. if the temps are not where They need to be, you can put turkey back into pot to cook longer. TURN OFF FIRE, Remove turkey, let drain. Your turkey will have crisp skin, tender, and moist meat which is completely tender. It will make you look like a genius, you family and friends will gaze upon you with awe, and you will have joined the ranks of turkey deep fryers both near and far!!!
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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