Deep-Frying a Turkey: Two Delicious Recipes for a Crispy, Flavorful Bird

Dry Brining turkey is a much easier, more efficient way to prepare and tenderize a turkey before cooking. It doesn’t require a big bucket that holds gallons, nor does it take up half of the space in your refrigerator. All you have to do is coat the turkey with the dry brine mixture and refrigerate it for a full day or two. The end result is a perfectly brined turkey ready to roast, grill, or deep-fry!.

Once your turkey has been dry-breathed, check out our recipes for Oven Roasted Spatchcock Turkey and Maple Glazed Turkey for all the tricks to roasting the tastiest juicy, tender turkey! Spatchcocking is the process of taking out the backbone of the bird and cooking it flat, which cuts down on cooking time significantly! In 2 hours you have a perfectly roasted, juicy, tender, flavorful turkey. Perfect for Thanksgiving or holiday dinners! Learn how to spatchcock and dry brine in with our step-by-step video!.

Are you craving a Thanksgiving turkey that’s juicy, crispy, and bursting with flavor? Then ditch the oven and try deep-frying your bird this year! Deep-frying a turkey is a surprisingly simple process that yields incredible results.

We’ve compiled two fantastic recipes from Food Network and Food & Wine to help you achieve deep-fried turkey perfection. Both recipes utilize a dry-brine technique, which involves rubbing the turkey with a flavorful spice mixture and letting it rest in the refrigerator for several hours. This ensures the turkey absorbs maximum flavor and cooks evenly.

Recipe 1: Dry-Brined Fried Turkey from Food Network

This recipe from Food Network celebrity chef Jeff Mauro features a simple dry-brine of salt, garlic, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. The turkey is then submerged in hot peanut oil for a quick and flavorful cook.

Ingredients:

  • 12-14 pound turkey
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed
  • 3-4 gallons peanut oil

Instructions:

  1. Dry-brine the turkey: Combine the salt, garlic, pepper, thyme, and rosemary in a food processor and pulse until fine. Rub the spice mixture inside and outside the turkey, ensuring it reaches the breast meat. Place the turkey on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.
  2. Heat the oil: Heat the peanut oil in a turkey fryer to 350°F.
  3. Fry the turkey: Carefully submerge the turkey into the oil, legs down. Fry for 20-25 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 145°F.
  4. Rest and carve: Remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Recipe 2: Deep-Fried Turkey Brined in Cayenne and Brown Sugar from Food & Wine

This recipe from Food & Wine takes the dry-brine to a whole new level with the addition of brown sugar, mustard, and cayenne pepper This creates a sweet, spicy, and savory flavor profile that permeates the entire turkey.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 gallons cold water
  • 1 bunch of thyme
  • 1 head of garlic, separated into cloves and crushed
  • 12-pound turkey
  • 2 1/2 gallons vegetable oil

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the brine: In a large stockpot, whisk the brown sugar, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and water. Add the thyme and garlic, then submerge the turkey in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 35 hours.
  2. Heat the oil: Heat the vegetable oil in a turkey fryer or large stockpot to 400°F.
  3. Dry the turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels.
  4. Fry the turkey: Carefully lower the turkey into the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes per pound (36 minutes for a 12-pound turkey).
  5. Rest and carve: Remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest on a rack for 15 minutes before carving.

Tips for Deep-Frying a Turkey:

  • Safety first: Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your deep fryer and exercise extreme caution when handling hot oil.
  • Choose the right oil: Use a high smoke point oil like peanut or vegetable oil. Avoid olive oil, as it has a lower smoke point and can burn.
  • Dry the turkey thoroughly: Excess moisture can cause the oil to splatter, so be sure to pat the turkey dry before frying.
  • Use a thermometer: A meat thermometer is essential for ensuring the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Let the turkey rest: Resting the turkey allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.

Deep-frying a turkey may seem intimidating, but with these two delicious recipes and helpful tips, you can achieve crispy, juicy perfection. So ditch the oven this Thanksgiving and impress your guests with a deep-fried turkey that’s sure to become a new tradition.

Dry Brine Turkey Ingredients

  • For every four pounds of bird, approximately one tablespoon of coarse kosher salt is required. Morton’s Kosher Salt is the preferred salt for dry brining. Although Diamond Crystal Kosher is also well-liked, you will need to use less salt because the granules are smaller. DO NOT USE TABLE SALT. (It will result in an overly salty turkey).
  • Use a mixture of fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, sage, and rosemary.
  • Spices: You’ll need dried oregano or Italian seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  • Lemon Zest: You can use lemon zest or orange zest.
  • Turkey: Use a thawed turkey. Verify if the turkey has been previously injected with a salt solution (a self-basting turkey) or is pre-salted (a kosher turkey). Buy a natural or organic turkey. I like to get my turkey from ButcherBox!.

PLEASE NOTE: Salt is the key to dry brining. Although you can add sugar, citrus zest, spices, and fresh herbs to improve the dry brine, salt is the most crucial ingredient. Any course salt will work. If you only have fine salt, then cut the amount of salt needed in half.

dry brine for fried turkey

Pro Tips And Things To Know When Dry-Brining

  • USE THAWED TURKEY: Fully thawed turkeys are ideal for dry brining.
  • GET THE BRINE UNDER THE SKIN: Although the entire turkey should be brined, it is crucial that the dry rub mixture be applied directly to the skin, particularly the breasts, which are typically the thickest part of the bird.
  • BRINE FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS: This will allow the salt to tenderize the turkey by penetrating the skin and meat. Your turkey can be dry-brined up to 72 hours beforehand. We typically dry brine our turkey for 32 hours.
  • GLOVED HANDS WORK BEST: When applying the dry brine mixture to the turkey, wear gloves. This makes it easier to spread the brine throughout the turkey’s cavity and under its skin.
  • DO NOT RINSE: Do not rinse off the dry brine. This will undo all of your hard work, and after the turkey is rinsed, the skin won’t brown as much.
  • TURKEY CAN BE DRY BRINED WHOLE OR CUT: A turkey can be dry brined whole, spatchcocked, or sliced into pieces.
  • ANY COOKING METHOD WORKS: You can roast, grill, or deep fry your turkey after it has been dry-brined. Cook the turkey using your favorite method.
  • A GAMECHANGER IS SPATCHCOCKED TURKEY: Our preferred method for cooking an entire turkey is Spatchcock Turkey. Visit our post for the Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe to learn how to roast and spatchcock a turkey.

dry brine for fried turkey

Make sure your turkey is thawed by the Monday before Thanksgiving Thursday if you are preparing one for Thanksgiving dinner. To ensure that your turkey is ready to cook by Thursday, dry brine it on Monday and no later than Tuesday.

dry brine for fried turkey

Dry Brined Turkey on a Pellet Grill

FAQ

Should I dry brine turkey before frying?

A dry brine is perfect for deep frying because no additional liquid is introduced. Dry brines also remove a good deal of the moisture from the skin, which results in a crispy bite. My recommendations for frying is to inject the turkey.

Do I rinse off dry brine turkey?

And if you’re wondering, no—you don’t need to rinse the bird, whether it’s been dry-brined or wet-brined, before adding more seasoning and roasting. Again, the bird needs to be dry, and Youngman also notes “it’s not particularly sanitary to wash meat in the sink.”

How do you dry a turkey for frying?

If you have a fresh turkey, simply pat it dry with paper towels. Either way, avoid using a wet brine or marinade; excess moisture can lead to splattering when you submerge the bird in the hot frying oil, resulting in dangerous flare-ups.

How long do you dry brine turkey?

Dry-brining for more than 24 hours will produce even juicier and better-seasoned meat. To brine longer than 24 hours, loosely cover turkey with plastic wrap or cheesecloth before refrigerating, to prevent excess moisture loss through evaporation. Let rest for up to three days.

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