Ingredients: One 13-19 pound turkey, 3 gallons of peanut oil, 8-16 ounces of injectable marinade (store bought is fine as long as it comes with a syringe), Creole Seasoning or your favorite poultry dry rub.
Equipment Needed: Turkey fryer, oil thermometer, meat thermometer, protective gloves, apron.
Defrost turkey completely according to how many pounds it weighs. For deep frying a turkey, it is best to choose one that is under 20 pounds. This can take several days in the refrigerator. Make sure to remove bag of gizzards, liver, neck, and pop-up sensor (if there is one).
The night before you fry it, pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Inject marinade into turkey using syringe. Inject into breast, thigh, and legs. If you bought the marinade at a store, there should be instructions on the bottle. Cover with dry rub making sure to put into cavity as well.
When you are ready to fry, preheat frying oil to desired temperature. This can take up to an hour. Optimal oil temperature is around 350 degrees.
Lower bird slowly into the oil with a hook or basket. If you are using an open flame fryer, turn off the flame before lowering the turkey or taking it out. Make sure it is set up away from your house. The oil will boil so wear an apron and gloves.
Fry turkey for the time that corresponds to how much it weighs. Make sure the bird is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size. Generally, it will take about 3 minutes per pound but use a meat thermometer to be safe. You don't want to overcook or undercook the bird. Take it out when it reaches 165 degrees.
Cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees. The turkey will continue cooking while resting but will not become overdone.
Carve and serve to your family and friends!
