DEEP-FRIED TURKEY
As every politician since Huey Long -- or possibly Madison himself -- has said, ''We can do better.'' And in Louisiana, they have, by doing the unthinkable: deep-frying an entire turkey in a bubbling vat of peanut oil or lard. The result is delicious, surprisingly ungreasy and fast. (A 14-pounder cooks in 49 minutes -- 49 minutes!) I've made five of these things, and comments have ranged from ''This is the best turkey I've ever eaten!'' to ''This is the best turkey I've ever eaten!'' with nary a discouraging word. Deep-frying must be done outside, which means you will need a propane tank. In New York City it is illegal to cook with propane gas except in large gardens or outdoor spaces of single-family dwellings. It should work fine in a yard, where your fryer can double as a defensive weapon in case of intruders scaling your wall. In case the oil overflows, place a large bowl and a ladle next to the pot. Also, just before lowering the bird into the oil, and again just before taking it out a scant 49 minutes -- 49 minutes! -- later, turn the flame off for the same reason.
Provided by Jonathan Reynolds
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h40m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Eight to 24 hours in advance, make the brine by sauteing onion, celery and garlic in butter until tender. Add hot peppers and Worcestershire, then stir in the salt, cayenne and black pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Strain into a bowl, pressing the solids to extract as much juice as possible, to yield about 1 1/2 cups.
- With monster hypodermic, inject the turkey's breast in five places and each leg in one place.
- With your bare hands, rub the cayenne into the turkey's breast under the skin. Omit if you don't like the flavor -- though it's very mild in this quantity.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, for 8 to 24 hours. Or if you prefer, you may fry the bird immediately.
- On the day you plan to eat it, remove the turkey from the refrigerator, place it in the empty fryer pot and cover with water. Then empty the pot, measuring the water to find out how much oil you'll need (usually about 5 gallons for a 14 pounder).
- Dry the pot very thoroughly and fill it with the same amount of oil or lard, attach the extra-long thermometer and heat the oil to 350 to 375 degrees. Just before lowering the bird, turn off the flame to make absolutely sure that Mr. Peanut's essence won't start a fire. Then pierce the turkey with its holder and lower slowly into the oil. Boil for 49 minutes or longer (3 to 3 1/2 minutes per pound).
- Remove the turkey, drain excess oil and rest it on a platter for 10 to 30 minutes. Slice and dive in!
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Thato Ojo
[email protected]I was very impressed with this recipe. The turkey was so moist and juicy, and the skin was perfectly crispy. I would definitely make this again.
dfs 4lie
[email protected]This recipe was amazing! The turkey was cooked to perfection and the gravy was so flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.
Bandu Priyankara
[email protected]I've tried a few different deep-fried turkey recipes, and this one is by far the best. The turkey was so moist and juicy, and the skin was perfectly crispy. I will definitely be making this again.
Irfan Mushtaq
[email protected]This recipe was a hit! The turkey was cooked perfectly and the gravy was delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
zubayir ali
[email protected]I was very happy with this recipe. The turkey was juicy and flavorful, and the skin was crispy. I would definitely make this again.
Raju Ahaamed
[email protected]This recipe was easy to follow and the turkey turned out great. The meat was moist and flavorful, and the skin was crispy. I will definitely be making this again.
Vanessa Ortiz
[email protected]I've made this recipe several times now, and it always turns out perfectly. The turkey is always juicy and flavorful, and the skin is crispy and delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.
Agent James
[email protected]This was a great recipe! The turkey was delicious, and the gravy was perfect. I will definitely be making this again.
Shuzon vai Vip
[email protected]I was really impressed with this recipe. The turkey was so moist and juicy, and the skin was perfectly crispy. I will definitely be making this again.
Both Sides
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! My turkey was cooked to perfection, and the gravy was amazing. I will definitely be making this again for Thanksgiving.
Lorine Immeldah
[email protected]I've been deep-frying turkeys for years, and this is the best recipe I've ever tried. The turkey was so juicy and flavorful, and the skin was crispy and delicious.
Kajol Talokdar
[email protected]This was my first time deep-frying a turkey, and I was a little nervous. But the recipe was so easy to follow, and my turkey turned out perfectly. I will definitely be doing this again!
jaybest Songs
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and my turkey turned out perfectly. It was so moist and tender, and the flavor was amazing.
Paro Sanam
[email protected]My first deep-fried turkey was a huge success! The meat was juicy and flavorful, and the skin was crispy and golden brown. I'm so glad I tried this recipe.