The Guild - The Wonders of the Fried Turkey

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A Deep Fried Delicacy: The How-To on Deep Frying Turkey

Deep-fried turkey, a concept that started in the south, is gradually rising in popularity nationwide. It's a perfect twist for barbecues, block parties and holiday feasts. In fact, since deep-frying turkey requires special equipment and lots of oil, families and groups of neighbors often get together to share the costs and the feast. To get you started, we have several deep-fried turkey recipes for you. For a Deep-Frying Turkey experience that is fun and produces delicious results follow these guidelines:

Equipment

You'll need a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket, burner and propane gas tank, a candy thermometer to measure oil temperature and a food thermometer to determine doneness of turkey. For added safety, have a fire extinguisher, oven mitts and pot holders nearby. To add flavor with different marinades and seasonings, you may want to purchase an injector.

Location
Place the fryer on level dirt or a grassy area. Never fry a turkey indoors, in a garage or in any other structure attached to a building. Avoid frying on wood decks, which could catch fire, and concrete, which can be stained by the oil.

The Turkey - Size Matters
Smaller turkeys, 8 to 10 pounds and turkey parts such as breast, wings, drumsticks and thighs, are best for frying. Size does matter as a 12-14 pound turkey is the maximum size bird that can be successfully deep-fried. In addition to the obvious safety concern of lowering and lifting a big turkey into a vessel of boiling oil, larger birds simply cook longer. The extra cooking time results in over-exposure to the skin, which will likely be over cooked.

If a larger bird (over 15-pounds) has been purchased, follow these steps for the best results. Detach the dark meat (leg and thigh portions) from the breast and fry the two turkey parts separately. Fry the leg/thigh sections first in oil that has been preheated to 365-375 degrees F. Cook to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Remove the dark sections and reheat the oil to 365-375 degrees F. Then fry the turkey breast to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.

Other Ingredients
You'll need approximately 5 gallons of a high-smoke point oil; more for larger turkeys. The turkey may be injected with a marinade, coated with breading or seasoned with a rub. Check our list of recipes:

Cajun Deep Fried Turkey
Ginger & Rosemary Deep Fried Turkey

Southern Deep Fried Turkey
Louisiana Fried Turkey Breast

Cooking Preparation

• To determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey in the fryer basket and place in the pot. Add water until it reaches 1 to 2 inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and note the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water. Pour out the water and dry the pot thoroughly. Be sure to measure for oil before breading or marinating the turkey.
• Heat the oil to 365-375 degrees F. Depending on the amount of oil used, this usually takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
• While the oil is heating, prepare the turkey as desired. If injecting a marinade into the turkey, puree ingredients so that they will pass through the needle. Even so, you may have to strain the mixture to remove larger portions. Remove skin if desired. If breading the turkey, place the turkey in a gallon-sized food safe storage bag with breading and shake to coat.
• Do not stuff turkeys for deep frying.

Frying the Turkey Once the oil has come to temperature, place the turkey in the basket and slowly lower into the pot. Whole turkeys require approximately 3 minutes per pound to cook. Remove turkey and check internal temperature with meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170 degrees F in the breast and 180 degrees F in the thigh. Turkey parts such as breast, wings and thighs require approximately 4 to 5 minutes per pound to come to temperature.

Additional Safety Tips Never leave the hot oil unattended and don't allow children or pets near the cooking area. Allow the oil to cool completely before disposing or storing. Immediately wash hands, utensils, equipment and surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey. Turkey should be consumed immediately and leftovers stored in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.

The oils used to fry turkey are critical to the success of the product.

Oil Selection
Only oils that have high smoke points should be used. Such oils include peanut, canola and sunflower. Peanut oil has abundant flavor and is the top choice of many cooks. Canola oil is low in saturated fats and would be appropriate to combine with peanut oil if fat and cholesterol are a concern.

Oil Filtering

These high smoke-point oils allow reusing the oil with proper filtration. Depending on the recipe used, remember to filter the oil...not just strain it. The first step is to strain the cooled oil through a fine strainer. If a breading, spice or herb rub are used in the preparation of the turkey, it will be necessary to further filter the oil through fine cheesecloth.

Oil Storage
The oil should be covered and refrigerated to prevent it from becoming rancid. The oil may be stored in the refrigerator for several months or until signs of deterioration begin. The oil will thicken when it is chilled, but will return to its original consistency when reheated.

Oil Shelf Life

According to the Texas Peanut Producers Board, peanut oil may be used three or four times to fry turkeys before signs of deterioration begin. Such indications include foaming, darkening or smoking excessively, indicating the oil must be discarded. Other signs of deteriorated oil include a rancid smell and/or failure to bubble when food is added.

For more information on deep frying turkey with peanut oil, visit www.louana.com.

© 2004 National Turkey Federation 1225 New York Avenue NW • Suite 400 • Washington, D.C. 20005 EMAIL: info@turkeyfed.org • TEL: 202.898.0100 • FAX: 202.898.0203

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