Recipe: Deep Frying Turkey

Hi Ray! Here are some basic guidelines for frying turkey from my favorite cajun cooking site...the recipes included are cajun but the basic instructions would apply for any recipe used. There are regular frying recipes in the archives...Good Luck!1. ALWAYS FRY TURKEYS OUTSIDE AND KEEP CHILDREN AWAY!

2. Make a "long handle holder" to aid in raising and lowering your bird.

3. Be VERY CAREFUL and SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil. Immersion causes quite a reaction.

4. Use a LARGE, DEEP heavy duty pot that the turkey fits in with plenty of room for your oil.

5. Before filling the pot with oil, fill it with water and lower the packaged turkey into the pot. This lets you find the level for the oil and avoid overflow. A 40 quart pot filled to 24 quarts is usually about right.

6. Cooking time is usually 4 minutes per pound with the oil temperature being 350 degrees. Remember to use ONLY peanut oil.

7. The more "Cajun Style" you make them the better they taste!

8. Keep the bird under 15 pounds or the outside will get overdone before the center of the breast and thighs are done.

Note: The oil cost for 1 bird is outrageous. We have used the same oil to do about 5 to 10 birds which makes it lots less expensive.

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Fire Hazard - Please Use Caution With These Recipes
MY HINTS TO YOU!

Recipe # 1.
Cajun Style Deep Fried Turkey

4 oz Liquid garlic
4 oz Liquid onion
4 oz Liquid celery
1 tb Red pepper
2 tb Salt
2 tb Tabasco
1 oz Liquid crab boil OR -
1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 ea Poultry or meat injector
1 ea Defrosted 10-12 lb. turkey
5 ga Peanut oil

Saute liquid garlic, liquid onion, liquid celery, red
pepper, salt, tabasco and liquid crab boil or Old Bay
Seasoning until salt and pepper are dissolved. Fill the
injector and inject the turkey at the breast, wings,
drumsticks, thighs and back. Allow to marinate for 24 hours
in the refrigerator or in a ice chest.

Using a 10 gallon pot for frying, bring the peanut oil to
350 degrees and fry the turkey for 38 to 42 minutes. The
turkey should float to the surface after 35 minutes and you
should cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
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Recipe # 2.
Cajun Style Deep Fried Turkey

1 md Sized turkey
1 ea propane cooker
1 ea Strainer basket
1 ea Zatrain's Crab Boil or
-Trappey's Cajun Shake
1 ea Injector
1 lg Pot peanut oil
1 ea Deep fry thermometer

Remove turkey innards. Place turkey on a cookie sheet for
drainage. Inject as many areas of the turkey as possible with
16 ounces of liquid marinade (Zatarain's Crab Boil or
Trappey's Cajun Shake). Liberally sprinkle the outside of the
turkey with Cajun Shake.

Have your peanut oil heated to 350 degrees. Plan ahead,
because it takes time to heat. Hang the deep-fry thermometer
over the side of the pot with a bent coat hanger for easy
reading of the oil temperature. Place the turkey into the
strainer basket, and slowly lower the basket into the oil with
something long enough to keep you a safe distance away
(anything from a broom handle to a pipe). Be careful doing
this. Immersion causes quite a reaction.

The oil temperature will drop, so increase the flame a bit
to bring it slowly back up to 350 degrees. Cook the turkey 3
1/2 minutes per pound at 350 degrees. (A 12 pounder will take
only 42 minutes to cook.) To remove the turkey, carefully
find the basket handle with a coat hanger, then slip the
lifting rod back under the handle to remove the basket. Let
the excess oil drip into the pot. It helps if two people do
this, so one person can slide the cookie sheet back under the
turkey. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe # 3.

Deep Fried Turkey

1 11-14 lb whole turkey
2/3 c Wishbone Italian dressing
1/3 c Sherry the real stuff - not cooking Sherry
2 ts Garlic powder
3 ts Lemon pepper
1 ts Onion powder
2 ts Cayenne pepper
5 ga Peanut oil

Mix all the ingredients well and place in an injection
syringe. If it doesn't pass through the needle holes you may
have to strain the marinate. Inject the marinate into all
parts of the bird. Place the bird in a large plastic bag and
allow to disperse throughout the bird for at least 2 hrs.
Turn the bag and massage the bird from time to time.

Optionally you can make a rub of the dry ingredients and rub
over the surface of the bird after the first hour of
marinating. Preheat the cooking oil in a kettle large enough
to hold the entire bird to 350-375. Tie the legs of the bird
together with wire. It helps hold the bird together and
provides a way to lift it in and out of the oil.

Carefully place the bird into the oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes
per lb. You should carefully time your cooking as each cooker
has it's own peculiarities. The resulting bird is tender and
tasty and very juicy.