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If you haven’t had fried turkey, you are missing out. It is the BEST way to prepare your Thanksgiving or Chirstmas turkey. This will be the fifth Thanksgiving I’ve fried our turkey and I’m never going back. Why is frying the best way to prepare a turkey? For one, the bird cooks in a fraction of the time, but it also frees up your oven to bake off the sidedishes. Finally, and most importantly, the meat comes out juicy, moist and flavorful.
A key to flavorful meat is to inject it with a homemade marinade using an injector. It’s like giving the turkey a ton of flavor shots right into the meat. For the marinade, just bring butter, chicken stock, chicken base and spices to a low boil until everything comes together. Inject all of the marinade into the turkey in about 20 spots all over the breasts and then use the rest in the legs. You want the majority of the marinade in the breast meat since that’s leaner than and can tend to dry out. Some of the marinade will seep out and that’s okay. Just keep puncturing and distributing it the best you can. You’ll see the meat plump up as you inject it. It’s quite fun. Once out of marinade, massage the outside of the turkey to help spread that marinade throughout.
I have used the same Masterbuilt 10 L XL electric fryer each year and it works like a charm. This particular fryer fits up to a 22 pound bird. I usually get a 20 pound bird and grab a couple rotisserie chickens to have as backup. It comes with everything you need to fry the turkey other than the oil. For that you’ll want a high smoke point oil like peanut oil or canola oil. I like to get my oil at Costco. It’s the cheapest option by far! I follow the cooking instructions on the manual except I turn the temperature down to 325 degrees (once the bird is submerged) like it instructs to do for breast meat only. Cooking time varies based on the size of your turkey. Instructions state to cook for 3 1/2 – 4 minutes per pound. I stick with 3 1/2 minutes and use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature. The worst thing to do would be to overcook your bird. Definitely have a meat thermometer and stick it 2 inches into the thickest part of the breast to get an accurte reading. You want to reach 160 degrees internal temperature before allowing to rest for 10 minutes.
If you’re worried about not having drippings for gravy, please go take a look at my make ahead turkey gravy recipe! For easy clean up grab an oil solidifier. Just add to oil that’s still hot (not boiling) and it’ll turn the liquid oil into a solid for easy disposal.
Fried Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 turkey up to 22 lbs.
Injectable Marinade
- 4 tbsp salted butter melted
- 1/2 c chicken stock
- 1 tsp Better than Bouillon chicken base
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Completely thaw turkey.
- Rinse and soak turkey in cold water for 30 minutes to remove any ice crystals.
- Dry turkey off with paper towels. Set aside.
- To a small pot over medium heat add butter, chicken stock, chicken base, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Bring to a low boil and whisk until everything comes together and the salt dissolves.
- Remove marinade from the heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Inject marinade 1 tablespoon at a time into the turkey. Focus on the breast. Create 10 injection sites in each breast. Inject remaining marinade into the legs.
- Massage the marinade into the turkey.
- Add a high smoke point oil like canola or peanut oil to the turkey fryer just below the max fill line.
- Set electric fryer to 375 degrees. It will take about 45 minutes to preheat.
- Dry turkey off with paper towels, place in the basket and SLOWLY lower into the oil with the hooks provided.
- Once fully submerged, close the lid and lower temperature to 325 degrees.
- Set a time for 3 1/2 minutes per pound of turkey.
- Remove basket from oil using hooks provided. Hang on the ledge and take the temperature 2 inches into the thickest part of the breast. If the internal temperature hasn't reached 160 degrees, put back in the oil for 5 minute increments and take the temperature until you reach 160 degrees.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes before carving.