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Deep-Fried Turkey

  • 30m Prep Time
  • 45m Cook Time
  • 1h Ready In

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  • Cuisine : American
  • Course : Dinner

12 servings First, we suggest looking at compilation videos of turkey-frying mishaps to gain an awareness of what you are up against. (Reconsidering is always allowed.) There are many ways to disastrously mess this up, but the most catastrophic outcomes can be avoided by never frying a turkey indoors, on a wooden deck, near anything combustible, or underneath an overhang. Success is made even more probable by making sure the oil will not overflow the pot. To determine the amount of oil you will need, place the turkey in the frying pot, and add water to cover, recording the amount needed. (A 40-quart pot usually takes 6 gallons of oil to cook a 12-pound turkey.) Finally, make absolutely sure the turkey is completely thawed and bone dry on the surface. We recommend dry-brining; then pat the turkey dry inside and out. As the turkey is quite heavy to add and remove from a tall pot, this is a cooking technique that is best performed by two people.

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • One 12-pound turkey
  • 1
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
    • ⅓ cup lemon juice
    • (2 tablespoons Dijon mustard)
    • (2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, or a combination)
    • 6 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Whisk together in a small bowl: ½ cup vegetable oil; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; ⅓ cup lemon juice; (2 tablespoons Dijon mustard); (2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, or a combination); 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1
    • 2 tbsp sweet paprika
    • 2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 tsp dried oregano
    • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 2 tsp coarsely cracked black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp salt
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. In a small bowl, combine the sweet paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano or marjoram, cayenne pepper, coarsely cracked peppercorns, and salt. Stir with a fork or small whisk until the spices are evenly distributed. Set aside until ready to use.
  • 6 gallons vegetable oil

Let's Prepare

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Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One 12-pound turkey
  • 1 (¾ to 1 cup Lemon Marinade, Balkan Marinade, or Becker Chicken or Pork Marinade)
  • 1 (Cajun Blackening Spice, Coffee Spice Rub, or Sweet and Smoky Spice Rub)
  • 6 gallons vegetable oil

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Remove the giblets and neck from: One 12-pound turkey

  2. Step 2.

    If the bird is not kosher, self-basting, or brined, you may use a hypodermic meat injector (available at gourmet shops and online retailers) to infuse the bird with seasoning. Allow to steep for at least 1 hour and then pour through a fine-mesh sieve: (¾ to 1 cup Lemon Marinade, Balkan Marinade, or Becker Chicken or Pork Marinade)

  3. Step 3.

    Fill the needle with the strained marinade and inject about 1 ounce of the marinade in each thigh and the front and back of each breast.

  4. Step 4.

    Let the turkey marinate on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If the turkey was not dry-brined, you may rub the skin all over with: (Cajun Blackening Spice, Coffee Spice Rub, or Sweet and Smoky Spice Rub)

  5. Step 5.

    Heat to 300°F in an outdoor propane turkey fryer with a 40-quart capacity: 6 gallons vegetable oil

  6. Step 6.

    Wearing silicone gloves or mitts, place the turkey in the cooking basket and carefully lower into the hot oil. Stand back as the oil will spit and pop as the cold turkey enters the hot oil. Bring the oil to 350°F over high heat and cook, adjusting the heat to maintain the frying temperature, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 155°F, about 45 minutes. Turn off the burner and use long-handled tongs to locate the handle of the cooking basket. Slip the lifting rod back under the handle to remove the turkey from the oil. Hold it over the pot and let the excess oil drain, then place the basket and turkey on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the turkey to a platter and let stand loosely covered with foil for at least 20 and for up to 40 minutes.

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