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This Thanksgiving, Deep Fried Turkey is on the menu! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Don't Be scared; You can make the perfect fried turkey. I believe in you!!
Sure, you could do an oven baked turkey or smoked turkey and yes, I've got amazing recipes for those as well, but if you want to take your holiday dinner to the next level, fried turkey really is the only way to go!!
Jump To:
- Why this Fried Turkey is the Best
- Deep Fried Turkey Ingredients
- Fried Turkey Equipment List
- How to Prep for Deep Frying a Turkey
- Fried Turkey Recipe Time and Temperature Requirements
- What temperature to Deep Fry Turkey?
- How to Deep Fry a Turkey
- How Long to Deep Fry a Turkey
- How to Carve Deep Fried Turkey
- IMPORTANT Deep Fried Turkey Recipe Tips
- Fried Turkey Recipe Safety Tips
- What to Serve with Deep Fried Turkey
- How to Store Fried Turkey
- Deep Fried Turkey Recipe FAQs
- More Like this Deep Fried Turkey Recipe:
- More from Grilling 24x7
Why this Fried Turkey is the Best
This recipe has been forged in fire and hot oil from years of experience. Don't take advice on frying a turkey from some weekend warrior who's only done it once. Let me take you through the process so your fried turkey comes out perfect year after year.
We will cover all the secrets to juicy fried turkey as well as safety tips so you don't have to bother your local fire department because you tried to fry a frozen turkey.
On thanksgiving at my house it's deep fried turkey or nothing at all. My family has been frying turkeys since I was a kid either in the backyard or the parking lot of old RFK Stadium before a thanksgiving football tailgate.
I've got the battle scars to prove it when it comes to frying turkey and I came out on the other side a true master. Just ask the hundreds of thousands who have used my recipe year after year.
Looking for other tasty turkey recipes? Check out one of my personal favorites Butter Injected Grilled Turkey, Texas Smoked Turkey Breast, Spatchco*ck Smoked Turkey
Deep Fried Turkey Ingredients
With only three ingredients, your deep-fried turkey recipe will be on the table to impress in no time!
Turkey: I recommend choosing a fresh turkey anywhere in the 12-14 pound range.
Peanut Oil: 16-20 quarts of peanut oil. (3-4 gallons of oil) If you can't find peanut oil, canola oil works too.
Salt: 1 tbsp Lawry Season Salt. Kosher salt is acceptable, too. Avoid dry rub, Coarse Black pepper, brown sugar, or seasonings with dry herbs that will burn during frying.
Fried Turkey Equipment List
Propane burner to cook the turkey.
Large 30 qt. pot with turkey lowering attachments.
Fire extinguisher on hand just in case anything goes wrong.
Cardboard boxes to put on the driveway underneath the burner so I don't get any oil stains on the driveway. Wooden decks or slabs will also work as a substitute.
Paper towels to help with clean-up.
Turkey frying kit. You can buy the parts separately or as a bundle. Just make sure you have a burner, a pot, and a stand with a hook to lower the turkey safely.
Heat-safe gloves to avoid any burns to your hands. I use Cotton gloves with Black Nitrile gloves instead because I have more dexterity.
Instant-read thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of the turkey.
How to Prep for Deep Frying a Turkey
Thaw the Turkey: Make sure the turkey is fully thawed and drained. Use a paper towel to pat the turkey dry, inside and out. I like to leave the turkey in a plastic container uncovered overnight with paper towels in the bottom of the container.
This will dry out the skin and give you a much crispier finished product.
Seasoning: Season the turkey with Lawry Season Salt. this is best done the night before and is also known as dry brining. I don't inject or marinate turkeys before frying because liquid and hot oil don't mix.
Peanut Oil: Fill your pot to the fill line with peanut oil, then place it on your propane burner. Light the burner and bring the heat of the oil to about 325 degrees F. If your pot doesn't have a fill line, a good rule of thumb is never to fill the pot more than ⅔ full.
Prep the Turkey: Place the turkey lowering attachment through the cavity of the turkey so it sits upright. Then, use butcher's twine to tie the legs together. You may also just tuck the legs underneath the skin at the top of the bird. Next, make a loop around the broadest part of the turkey and tie the wings so that the tips are held against the side of the bird.
Fried Turkey Recipe Time and Temperature Requirements
What temperature to Deep Fry Turkey?
Heat your oil to 325 degrees F. before slowly lowering the turkey into the oil. The oil temperature will go down drastically at first. You can lose as much as 100 degrees F. Depending on how powerful the burner is and the wind conditions, it should take about 15-20 minutes for the oil to recover back to 325 degrees F.
How to Deep Fry a Turkey
STEP 1: Lower the turkey into the hot oil. Once the temperature of the oil reaches 325 degrees F, cut the flame so that you can safely lower the whole turkey into the peanut oil. Use the turkey-lowering attachment and begin slowly lowering the turkey into the oil. The bottom of the turkey will begin to sizzle and pop as soon as it touches the oil. Continue to lower the turkey about 1 inch at a time. This process should take about 30 seconds, so don't rush it.
STEP 2: Raise the heat and cook. Once the turkey is fully submerged, you can raise the heat back up to medium-high until the oil temperature reaches 275-300 degrees F. Cook for about 30 minutes before checking the internal temperature of the turkey. The temperature of the oil can drop as much as 70 degrees, so don't be alarmed by the drop. Slowly bring the oil back up to the ideal cooking temperature.
STEP 3: Check the internal temperature. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast as well as the thickest part of the leg. The turkey is done when the breast has reached 160 degrees F. The leg will be much higher, around 175-190 degrees F, but that's a good thing because dark meat has a higher fat content.
STEP 4: Remove the turkey from the oil. Once the turkey is fully cooked, remove the bird slowly from the oil and let the excess oil drip off into the pot before transferring to a piece of cardboard to drain. Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes. The carryover temperature of the turkey will rise to 165 degrees F or slightly higher.
STEP 5: Remove the twine. Remove the butcher's twine and carefully slide the turkey off of the metal base.
How Long to Deep Fry a Turkey
At 325 degrees F. your turkey should take about 3-5 minutes per pound. But this can drastically change based on the weather.
I tell people it usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour for the average bird to reach 160 degrees F.
How to Carve Deep Fried Turkey
Once the turkey has rested, transfer it to a large cutting board. There are lots of ways to carve a deep-fried turkey, but I like to start by removing the leg quarters and then the wings.
Once they are removed, I carve off the whole breast in one piece and then slice the breasts individually. You can arrange it on a platter with fresh herbs and cranberries or you can eat it right off the cutting board as my family does.
IMPORTANT Deep Fried Turkey Recipe Tips
Before you fry, make sure to read this 2-3 times. I promise these tips to make a huge difference when frying a turkey.
- Do not heat the oil over 325 degrees F.
- Fully thaw and dry off the turkey before frying.
- SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil.
- Fry the turkey for 3-5 minutes per pound and check the internal temperature after about 30 minutes.
- When you're checking the internal temperature and removing the turkey, TURN OFF THE FLAME!
Fried Turkey Recipe Safety Tips
Remember when I said read the tips 2-3 times? Well, read these deep frying safety tips four times. Accidents happen; I find it's best always to be prepared.
- Have a fire extinguisher on hand, just in case. Make sure to keep a safe distance if you do need to use it.
- For your turkey fryer setup, pick a solid-level surface, such as a driveway. Set up the tank as far away from the pot as the gas line will allow.
- Oil and water don't mix. So don't use your turkey fryer in the rain.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed to prevent a grease fire
- Keep the propane tank as far away as possible from the deep fryer
What to Serve with Deep Fried Turkey
There is truly nothing better than the perfect side dish.
- Mashed Potatoes
- Stuffing Waffles
- Cranberry Apple Chutney
- Green Beans
- Cornbread
- Collard Greens
How to Store Fried Turkey
Place the leftover turkey in airtight containers or plastic bags. Typically, turkey can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You could also freeze your leftover turkey. Place your leftover turkey in plastic wrap inside a freezer bag and place it in the freezer.
This leftover turkey should stay good for up to 3-6 months.
Deep Fried Turkey Recipe FAQs
What Size Turkey is Best for Deep Frying?
The ideal size bird will be around 12-14 pounds. I've found that larger birds take too long to cook the breast meat and dry out the other parts of the turkey.
Now, as you can see, I didn't follow my own advice mainly because when I got this fresh turkey, they had just sold the last of their smaller birds, and this was the smallest one left.
I made it work, but it barely fit in the pot, and we had to keep a close eye on it to make sure we cooked it all the way through.
You can Always fry one turkey and smoke another, as my family often does, to make sure we have plenty of leftovers for Turkey Sliders and my personal favorite Turkey Stroganoff Pot Pie
How do you dispose of oil after frying turkey?
After the oil has cooled, you can strain it out and use it again a few more times.
Once the turkey is cooked and served, put the lid back on the oil and let it cool down for a few hours until it's below 80 degrees F. before disposing of the oil.
I use a funnel to pour the oil back into the jugs and take them to a place that can adequately recycle the oil. Check your local landfill or recycling center.
*Helpful Tip* I always put cardboard down on the driveway underneath the burner, so I dont get oil stains on the driveway.
Can you reuse oil from frying a turkey?
Yes, After frying the turkey let the oil cool down completely then pour the oil through a fine mesh strainer into a 5 gallon bucket, You should be able to reuse the oil 2-3 more cooks depending before its time to dispose of the oil. Make sure to use oil within 30 days.
Is it necessary to brine a turkey before deep frying?
Most commercial turkeys that you find at the grocery store have already been brined to increase the final weight as well as ad favor and juiciness so bringing is not necessary. If you buy a fresh all natural turkey then I do recommend a brine or at least an injection before frying.
How big of a turkey do I need?
Ideally I prefer frying a 12-14 lb turkey, It cooks evenly so the breast meat and dark meat both come out juicy with a crispy skin. I have fried up to a 20 pound turkey but I found that the drumsticks and wings came out dry by the time the breast was fully cooked.
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Grilled turkey breast with a butter injection
Best crispy deep fried shrimp
Texas smoked turkey breast pellet grill
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5 from 4 votes
Deep Frying a Turkey
Forget oven baked turkey! This Thanksgiving Deep Fried Turkey is on the menu! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and oh so delicious!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Deep fried turkey
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour
Rest Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
Servings 12
Calories 492kcal
Equipment
Propane Burner
Large 30 Qt. Pot w/ Turkey Lowerig Attachments
Fire Extinguisher
Ingredients
- 13 lb Turkey 12-14 Pound Range
- 20 qt Peanut Oil
- 1 tbsp Lawry Season Salt
Instructions
Make sure turkey is fully thawed and drained. Use a paper towel to pat the turkey dry inside and out.season the turkey with kosher salt and let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes
Fill your pot up to the fill line with peanut oil and place on your propane burner. Light the burner and bring the heat of the oil to about 325 degrees F.
Place the turkey lowering attackment through the cavity of the turkey so it sits upright. Then use butchers twine to tie the legs together. Next make a loop around the wides part of the turkey and tie the wings so that the tips are held against the side of the bird.
Once the oil has reached 325 degrees F. Cut the flame so that you can safely lower the turkey into the oil
Use the turkey lowering attachment and begin slowly lowering the turkey into the oil. as soo as the bottom of the turkey touches the oil it will begin to sizzle and pop. Continue to lower the turkey about 1 inch at a time. This process should take about 30 seconds so dont rush it.
Once the turkey is fully submerged, you can raise the heat back up to medium-high until the oil temp reaches 300-325 degrees F. Cook for about 20 minutes before checking the internal temperature of the turkey.
Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast as well as the thickest part of the leg. The turkey is done when the breast has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The leg will be much higher but thats a good thing becaause dark meat has a higher fat content.
Once the turkey is fully cooked remove the bird slowly from the oil and let the excess oil drip off into the pot before tranfering to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Let the tukey rest for about 15 minutes. the carryover temperatuire of the turkey will rise to 165 degrees F. or slightly higher.
Remove the butchers twine and carfully slide the tukey off of the metal base. Carve the turkey up and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Once the turkey is cooked and served, put the lid back on the oil and let it cool down for a few hours until it's below 80 degrees F. before disposing of the oil. I use a funnel to pour the oil back into the jugs and take it to a place that can adequately recycle it.
Helpful Tip* I always put cardboard down on the driveway underneath the burner so I don't get oil stains on the driveway.
Store leftovers in a sealed container for 3-4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 6 months
Nutrition
Serving: 6oz | Calories: 492kcal | Protein: 75g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 251mg | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 782mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg
