How to Deep Fry Turkeys With Garlic Butter
The holiday tradition of getting up early to prepare a turkey for hours of slow baking in the oven may still hold true for many families. However, over the past few years another alternative for cooking turkey has gained in popularity. Deep frying the bird not only cuts down drastically on the amount of time it takes to cook, but it also results in a surprisingly tender, moist main dish. Injecting the turkey with garlic butter before frying brings a whole new level of taste sensation to this traditional holiday dish. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Turkey, 10 to 15 lbs.
- Turkey fryer
- 5 to 6 gallons water
- Clean cloth or paper towels
- 1 cup melted butter
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- Poultry injector
- 5 to 6 gallons peanut oil
- Cookie sheet
- Serving platter
- Carving knife
Instructions
-
-
1
Take the turkey out of the refrigerator at least 90 minutes before cooking. The turkey should be completely thawed, and at room temperature, prior to beginning the deep frying process.
-
2
Determine exactly how much oil will be needed to cook the bird by placing the turkey in the empty, unheated fryer. Add enough water to completely cover the bird and have 1 inch of extra liquid. Remove the turkey and measure how much water is left in the fryer. This will be the amount of peanut oil needed to fry the bird.
-
-
3
Pat the turkey with a clean cloth or with paper towels until it's completely dry. The drier the bird, the less oil will splash when it it submerged in the fryer.
-
4
Melt 1 cup of butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top. Add the garlic powder, kosher salt and onion powder. Mix well and let it cool slightly before pouring the butter mixture into the poultry injector.
-
5
Inject the turkey, in several different locations, with the butter, garlic, salt and onion powder mixture using the poultry injector. The injection locations should each about 4 or 5 inches apart. Make sure to inject the bird as thoroughly and evenly as possible. Let the turkey sit at room temperature for at least an hour.
-
6
Pour peanut oil into the fryer and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit..
-
7
Mount the turkey upside down on the fryer rack. The neck of the turkey should be facing the bottom of the fryer. Using oven mitts, slowly and carefully submerge the turkey into the hot oil. The oil temperature will decrease slightly once the turkey is submerged, so you may have to turn up the burner to return the oil to 350 degrees. Once the oil returns to the desired temperature, reduce the heat to maintain 350 degrees while the turkey cooks. Allow 3 1/2 minutes per pound to cook the bird. The turkey skin will be dark brown when the turkey is done.
-
8
Remove the turkey from the fryer using oven mitts to handle the rack. Carefully lay the turkey upside down (breast side down) on a cookie sheet and let it cool for 30 minutes. Turn the turkey over, transfer it to a platter, then carve and serve.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can also inject the turkey the night before you cook it. After injecting the bird, just cover it and return it to the refrigerator until the next day. If you do this, it's still important to remove the bird from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you cook it and pat the turkey dry with a clean cloth prior to frying it, to avoid oil splattering.
Be extremely careful when deep frying a turkey.
Always read the instructions that come with your fryer before attempting to use it.
It's best to deep fry outside on a level surface.
Take your time lowering the turkey into the fryer to avoid hot oil splatters or boiling over.
Refer to the Turkey Fryers Online website listed in the Resources section of this article for more important safety information about deep frying turkeys.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
