Nothing says Thanksgiving like a vat of hot, boiling oil. Fried Turkey!!

Having grown up in the South, where everything is fried, fried turkey is nothing new to me.   But, I have met a lot of people who have never heard of it or tried it.  Of course, usually the first reaction you get is, "OMG, it will be so greasy"  but it is far from greasy.    Justin Wilson, Cajun Chef, said of fried turkey, " Frying whole turkeys is sort of the Southern version of making fondue. You have a lot of your friends over, you poke around in a pot of hot oil with some sticks, and then you pull out your dinner."     That sounds about right to me.   Frying a turkey is a very social activity, people want to gather around, see it,  and smell it being cooked.

When my husband moved from the north, that was one thing that he couldn't wait to try.    So our first Thanksgiving together, he and my dad stood huddled over a hot pot of boiling oil frying turkeys.   That was 6 years ago, ever since then he fries one every year. 

You start out with a thawed turkey, then you inject it with delicious marinades, either store bought or homemade.  Then rub the skin with a combination of cayenne pepper, white pepper, paprika, and other seasonings.   This adds the flavorfulness.    Marinade overnight, or at least 2 hours before frying.  

This year is different foe my husband because, now he finally has his own turkey fryer to play with.  You will want to pre-heat your oil.  The best oil to use for this is peanut oil.   Of course, you do have to take safety precautions because the oil temperature ranges between 325-350 degrees.   

Once your oil has reached the ideal temperature, it is time to drop the bird.   The general rule of thumb for cook time is about 3 minutes per pound.   Let your bird cook.  You will want to have a good thermometer on hand to check the internal temperatures.    The waiting is the hard part!  It smells so good.   

Your finished turkey will be a rich golden brown on the outside, with some of the juiciest and tastiest meat, you have ever eaten.    It is hard to eat roasted turkey after having a fried turkey.   Give it a try, you wont be disappointed.      Happy Thanksgiving!!