Spinoff: First Time Frying a Turkey

I fry every year and use Alton Brown's brine recipe. It's been posted on here a bunch so quick search and you should be set.

I've brined and injected fried turkey, and prefer just injecting. Keeps the meat just as moist and takes less time and prep. Your mileage may vary.

And remember displacement when putting the oil in the pot.

please take videos of the fire

seriously though, prefill pot with water and dunk your raw unseasoned bird in to judge the correct oil level you need.

then remove the bird and dump water and fill to that mark

this is the most common point people fail and overflow causing large fires

I inject my turkeys the night before and make a mixture of butter, some water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, green onion and parsley. I'll let this simmer and then strain it once the flavors have been infused.

I'll then let it come to room temperature and keep it mixed since the butter wants to separate a bit. I'll inject in the leg, thigh, twice in each side of the breast using just one injection site but moving the needle up and down the breast to get it injected.


Make sure the turkey is thawed and bone dry before putting it in the oil. If you want to season the outside of the turkey prior to frying, simply rub some olive oil over the skin and season.

When frying, gently lower it into the pot and make damn sure you didn't overfill the oil or it will boil over.

ETA: I fry at 325 and cook my birds 3.5 minutes per lb. I aim for 13 lb. turkeys and cook them for just over 45 minutes each. Don't get a turkey over 15 lbs. if you can help it. I did do one that was 20 lbs. once but had to adjust the frying temperature down and cook it a good bit longer to make sure it didn't burn on the outside and be raw on the inside.

If in doubt about being done, a good meat thermometer is your friend.

Oh, and don't carve it right away. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes or longer before cutting into it.