deep fried turkey

Cajun Fried Turkey

Having acquired a taste for Cajun cooking during my years in Texas, this method of preparing turkey is the only way to go.

Yum

Cajun Fried Turkey

  • Servings: 6 to 8
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

  • 2 pints Chow Chow
  • 11 to 12 pound turkey, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Red pepper to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Garlic powder
  • 5 gallons peanut oil (approximate)

Preparation

  1. Prepare Chow-Chow. To use the Chow Chow for injection, place about 5 tablespoons prepared Chow Chow in a blender or food processor and pulverize thoroughly. Add vinegar, white wine, lemon juice, red pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Blend again for 30 seconds.

  2. Place the mixture in a large chef’s syringe and inject entire amount into turkey, being sure to include breast, legs, back, and inside of turkey cavity. Place turkey in refrigerator for 3 days to marinate before deep frying.

A word of caution before continuing – always do the deep frying outdoors only. If your large pot does not have oil-level indicator lines, use this method to determine the correct amount of oil need:

  • Place the turkey in the fryer basket and place in the pot.

  • Add peanut oil until it reaches approximately 1-inch above the turkey.

  • Remove the turkey from the pot and cover on a platter; set aside.

  1. Preheat the peanut oil in your outdoor deep fryer to 350 to 365 degrees F. (It usually takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour to preheat the peanut oil). Use a deep-fat frying thermometer clipped onto the side of the pot. Be careful not to exceed this temperature, as the oil can begin to smoke and catch fire.

  2. Make sure your turkey is completely dry before using – remember hot oil and water don’t mix.

  3. Rub the outside of the turkey vigorously with a mixture of additional garlic powder, salt, and red pepper.

  4. When oil is hot, carefully and slowly submerge the prepared turkey into the hot oil. Leave turkey submerged in the hot oil for 4 minutes per pound (turkey weighing under 12 pounds should cook only 3 minutes per pound). The turkey will begin to float when done. Never completely cover the deep-fryer pot when frying with oil.

  5. Remove cooked turkey from the oil carefully and check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170 degrees F. in the breast. When the Turkey has reached the desired temperature, turn the burner OFF and use heat-resistant oven mitts to remove it from the pot. Immediately wrap the turkey with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest approximately 30 minutes before carving.

Cho! Co!

Steve D.

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