Deep Fried Turkey

First and foremost, please be safe. If done improperly, this can be very dangerous; if done correctly though, this will be some of the best turkey you’ve ever had.

What you will need:

• A turkey frying kit (what we have) and propane burner
• A meat injection kit (what we have)
• Marinade for injection (this recipe was found in the user guide for our injection kit, but use whatever you like)
  • 1 cup (stick) melted butter
  • 1/2 can (6 ounces) beer
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • Directions: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until salt is dissolved and the sauce is even and runny but not hot. (You’re going to want to make this right before you’re ready to inject it, about 3 hours prior.)
• Your favorite dry rub (or just salt and pepper)
• Roughly 4 gallons cooking oil

Prepping the turkey:

• I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT EVER ATTEMPT TO FRY A FROZEN TURKEY. EVER. If you’re curious as to why, just Google it. The short version is that very, very bad things happen. Seriously, fire departments have recorded it to deter the behavior. Just don’t. (“How to Safely Thaw a Turkey”, US Department of Agriculture)

• When frying anything, you want the exterior as dry as possible. The day prior to frying, remove the turkey from its packaging (and everything inside the cavity). Use paper towels to dry as much excess liquid as possible. Place the turkey on a sheet pan and let it sit uncovered in your refrigerator overnight.
• About 3 hours before cooking, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and pat it dry with paper towels again. Coat the skin and cavity walls with dry rub. Thread the rack’s handle through the neck opening and out the lower cavity opening. If you have some butcher’s twine, tie the legs and tail together.
• Inject your marinade into the breasts, thighs, and legs with roughly two- to three-inch spacing. Let the turkey sit out at room temperature uncovered until time to cook.

Cooking the turkey:

• Remove the wings from the turkey. (This is optional, but I wish I had. You can fry them before or after the rest of the turkey, but if you cook them attached, they are all but inedible.)
• Place your burner on a level spot away from flammable or combustible materials. Fill your pot with oil to the fill line (about 3.5 gallons for my pot, but I ended up adding the additional half gallon after the turkey was in the oil). About 30 to 45 minutes prior to cooking, begin heating your oil to 350 F (180 C).
• Using the hook, slowly add your turkey to the oil. Maintain oil temperature between 300 F (150 C) and 325 F (160 C) while cooking. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per pound of turkey or until a temperature of 180 F (80 C) is reached in the deepest part of the thigh.
  • Estimated cook times
    • 8 pounds – 24 to 32 minutes
    • 10 pounds – 30 to 40 minutes
    • 12 pounds – 36 to 48 minutes
    • 14 pounds – 42 to 54 minutes
    • 16 pounds – 48 to 64 minutes
    • 18 pounds – 54 to 72 minutes
• Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes. Carve, serve, and enjoy.