For people who like their holidays bold, golden, and slightly dangerous.
There are two kinds of people in this world. The ones who play it safe with oven turkey, and the ones who get that reckless twinkle in their eye every November and start rolling out the propane tank. If you’re here, I’m guessing you’re the second kind. Welcome, friend. You’ve come to the right place.
Fried turkey is the undisputed heavyweight champion of holiday cooking. It’s fast, it’s dramatic, and it delivers the juiciest bird you’ll ever put on a plate. Forget babysitting a dry oven roast for half the day. We’re talking about lowering a seasoned bird into bubbling peanut oil and pulling out a golden, crackling masterpiece in under an hour. It’s like the culinary version of a magic trick, except the payoff is dinner.
Before you panic, no, it’s not actually scary if you do it right. The whole process is pretty simple. Heat the oil, season the turkey generously, and ease that bird into the fryer like it’s settling into a hot tub it definitely doesn’t want to be in. Maintain your 325 to 350f, give it about three minutes per pound, and keep an eye on the internal temp. When the thigh hits 160f, you’re golden. Literally.
And because we like bold flavor around here, hit it with a little extra Fried Turkey seasoning the moment it comes out of the oil. It’s a blend of jalapeno, garlic and sage and it’s perfect for so many holiday dishes. That’s the secret to a louder, fresher finish that tastes like pure holiday victory.
Let it rest, carve it up, and serve a turkey that will make everyone at the table wonder why they ever bothered with an oven in the first place. Ready to fry? Let’s go.
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Perfect Fried Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 x 12-15lb turkey
- 4 gallons of peanut or frying oil*
- Hardcore Carnivore Fried Turkey seasoning
Instructions
- Fill a turkey fryer with the oil* and heat to 350F.
- Season the turkey generously with the Fried Turkey seasoning.
- Place the turkey on a frying rack, and apply additional seasoning if needed.
- Lower the turkey slowly into the hot oil, then cover and maintain a temperature of at least 325-350f. Cook the bird for around 3 mins per pound. Towards the end of the cook time, monitor the internal temperature with a probe thermometer, inserted into the thigh.
- When the temperature reads 160F, remove the bird from the grease and set it aside to rest. Though the safe poultry temp is 165F, the turkey will continue to increase in temperature slightly even after it is removed from the oil.
- For a fresher, bolder, and hotter flavor, apply a light dusting of Fried Turkey seasoning to the bird as soon as it comes out of the oil.
- After 10-15 minutes of resting, remove the bird from the frying rack, then carve and serve.
* The exact amount of oil required depends on your fryer. Please be careful to fill according to instructions. Do not overfill.
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