Thanksgiving 2012 {Fried Turkey}

I hope everyone of you had a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and fabulous food!  We hosted this year, and took the opportunity to try frying a turkey.

Fried Turkey


I know it sounds awful, but I've never been a fan of roasted turkey... I love the smell of the house as it roasts away (taking up every inch of oven space for hours and hours), but even the most skilled cook cannot turn out a turkey that I'll eat more than a slice of and want to go back for more.   I would always fill my plate with all of the side dishes and be very content.

That was until I tasted my first fried turkey a couple of years ago... beyond moist and flavorful... and the skin is nice and crisp!

Fried Turkey


The photos I've got here are from our "test run" that we did the weekend before Thanksgiving.  It's always a good idea when you are wanting to stray from traditional methods of cooking a turkey to give it a try ahead of time.  Of course, we did have a back-up plan as My Mom-in-Law brought brisket to our Thanksgiving feast... unfortunately, the turkey was such a huge hit that she had quite a lot to take back home with her.

Thanksgiving Feast 2012

Before I give you some tips on frying a turkey, let's talk about that table filled with food!

We had the traditional dishes most people have during the holiday which included sweet potatoes with marshmallows, stuffing, fresh cranberry sauce and rolls.

In addition to those dishes, we also had some of our family favorites. I made the  baked orzo and our aunt brought the spinach pie. 

Now, for some tips on frying a turkey:


  • You can start by watching all of the YouTube videos on what NOT to do!  Some are kind of funny, but it's a good idea to watch them and take them seriously.  Heating up such a large amount of oil can be very dangerous.
  • Place the fryer away from your home!  Things can easily go wrong and before you know it a fire will break out.
  • Make sure your turkey is FULLY defrosted.  I took the extra precaution of having it defrosting in my fridge a few days earlier than normal for the 14 pound bird that we had.  I wasn't taking any chances!
  • We used a Butterball seasoning kit that included the syringe used to inject the marinade and a rub for the skin - Cajun spices that weren't too overpowering and everyone enjoyed it.
  • Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. 
  • Lower the turkey SLOWLY into the hot oil.  Don't rush it or you could have a flare up of flames.
  • Figure about 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per pound.  You will want to use a 12-15 pound turkey, if you need more than that just fry up a second bird.  


What was your favorite part of the Thanksgiving feast?

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 Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

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