Turkey recipes: GO.

[BakerMikeRomeo]

I'm looking for deep fried turkey recipes (rubs and spices and what-have-you), but post what you got!

Go! Hurry! Stop reading this post and click reply!

Aaaand... go.

Go.

Proceed. Start. Commence to turking!

~BakerMike

[SADShooter]

Whatever else you do, brine the bird first.

[Manedwolf]

1. Fill turkey fryer with low smoke point oil.

2. Heat to insanely overheated levels.

3. Drop in still-frozen turkey.

4. Run from fireball, call 911.

[Gewehr98]

I've done about a dozen deep-fried turkeys so far.

Some of the better results involved injecting the bird with white wine.

I've also done variations like injecting the bird with melted butter, 4 sticks per 15lb bird.

Last year, I messed with my little nephew's head by stuffing a Cornish Game hen in the cavity.

When the turkey was being carved, we "discovered" it. He honestly thought the turkey was pregnant, until we finally reminded him that birds lay eggs.   

[CAnnoneer]

1) Place wild turkey on head of lawyer
2) Empty shotgun at the turkey
3) Cook lawyer, sue turkey

[K Frame]

Whatever else you do, brine the bird first.

Uhm.... No.

NEVER brine a bird that has been "treated" with a "flavoring agent."

In fact, NEVER buy a bird that has been so treated.

Normally it's just a saline solution of some type (sodium lactate seems to be popular right now).

It almost always results in a bird that has extremely odd texture to the flesh.

And, if you dunk it in your own brine solution, you're going to end up with a damned salt lick.

If you find yourself with a bird that is so treated, roast it and pray for the best.

Oh yeah, biggest reason why processors like to "flavor treat" their birds?

The extra water weight that that bird retains is pretty much pure profit.

[Manedwolf]

Aren't there stats for how many people mushroom-cloud a turkey fryer every year by doing it wrong?

[Thor]

Aren't there stats for how many people mushroom-cloud a turkey fryer every year by doing it wrong?

Apparently nothing very handy. Be careful with Google!! Believe or not, the bottom of page 1 started in on pr0n sites !!

[K Frame]

I suspect that the one organization that would have that would be the national clearing house/lobbying organization for insurance companies in the United States.

[Gewehr98]

Allstate runs a commercial warning against folks burning down their houses every Thanksgiving.

Alton Brown even goes so far as to use a jury-rigged ladder as a turkey derrick for the procedure.

Pay attention to the instructions, and you won't get hurt.

Kinda like reloading ammo, nicht wahr?   

[Manedwolf]

Allstate runs a commercial warning against folks burning down their houses every Thanksgiving.

Alton Brown even goes so far as to use a jury-rigged ladder as a turkey derrick for the procedure.

Pay attention to the instructions, and you won't get hurt.

Kinda like reloading ammo, nicht wahr?   

Engine block hoist. 

[BrokenPaw]

I've fried probably a half dozen turkeys, and one of the things that I've made a habit of doing is sitting outside by the fryer and counting the number of firetruck sirens I hear.  Living where I do, hearing even one fire truck on an evening is a rarity, but the past three thanksgivings, I've counted no fewer than six each time.

I put my fryer in the middle of the 35-foot circular gravel cul-de-sac at the bottom of my driveway.  Even if it gets out of hand, the worse it'll do is make my gravel look funky.

Frying makes some darn good turkey, but it's not for the faint of wit.

-BP

[SADShooter]

Mike:

Is brining "untreated" poultry an inherently bad idea? I suppose I don't buy enough turkeys to know that this "treatment" is now commonplace.

SADShooter

[K Frame]

Mike:

Is brining "untreated" poultry an inherently bad idea? I suppose I don't buy enough turkeys to know that this "treatment" is now commonplace.

SADShooter

Nope, it's a GREAT idea.

Brining adds flavor and the salt that does move into the meat helps keep it from drying out.

I use a balanced brine of salt, sugar, and spices. I made the mistake of brining a treated bird a couple of years ago. Jesus it was terrible.

The only reason to be careful in brining an untreated bird is if someone in the house has sodium issues. That's also a very good reason not to buy a treated bird.

[auschip]

I inject with Tony Chachere's Creole Butter.  Then fry at 325 for 3 minutes a pound.  Make sure you stir the oil periodically by slowly lifting the turkey in the pot and then letting it settle to the bottom. 

[roo_ster]

For a change of pace from the typical roasted or fried turkey....

Stuff your turkey with saur kraut, chopped apples, caraway seed, & some other yumminess & then roast.  Makes for one moist roasted bird.

My mom gets raves for her kraut bird.

[BakerMikeRomeo]

1) Place wild turkey on head of lawyer
2) Empty shotgun at the turkey
3) Cook lawyer, sue turkey

  Hahahaha!

Engine block hoist. 

Damn straight. We have a big folding metal ladder, and the bar that supports the hoist hangs on the rungs. There's something deliciously industrial about listening to the winch go "CLrnk-whrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.." and extricate your turkey. Also makes it _crazy_ easy to check for doneness.

C'mon, no recipes for rubs or anything? Links? Help me out here, people!

~BakerMike

[never_retreat]

You cant go wrong with cyane pepper
Gives the bird a bit of and edge.

[auschip]

C'mon, no recipes for rubs or anything? Links? Help me out here, people!

~BakerMike

I tried different rubs 3 times.  Each time, all the rub came off in the first dip.  I don't use a hoist or anything like that, Just good welding gloves, a dry turkey, and the correct amount of oil.

[erik the bold]

Since no one's helped with a serious recipe yet, I'll start....   

I've used this recipe from Bob and Tom in the past, turkey has been excellent.

LET'S BEGIN!
Remove all giblets and neck from bird as well as any plastic or metal pop-up timers

MARINATE: In bowl, add equal portions of strained Italian dressing and white wine. Sprinkle Tony's seasoning (see below) on top of marinate. Stir constantly so the dressing and wine don't separate. Inject turkey with marinate all over meat. Rub down turkey with seasoning. Place turkey in plastic bag overnight in refrigerator. Remember to  before frying.


FRYING DAY: Make sure you have the following...
" A 40 Qt. stock pot
" Cooking oil (to fill approx. 1/2 to 1/3 of pot)
" A metal dial type thermometer
" A timer
" An outdoor gas or electric turkey fryer or "fish burner"
" A FULL tank of propane  (if using gas cooker)
" Heavy Stringor twine
" Tony's seasoning

FRYING:
Set up fryer and pour in oil. Tie thermometer inside pot with string so you can easily monitor the cooking temperature of the oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F.

Rub turkey down again with Tony's seasoning and tie turkey's legs together (yes, together) so you can easily remove the turkey from the pot. Lower turkey slowly into oil being careful not to allow oil to spill over.

Set timer (4 minutes per pound - turkey breasts: only 5 minutes). Calculate the cooking time from the weight sticker. (A 12 lb. turkey takes approx. one hour).When timer goes off, remove turkey from pot. Let cool for several minutes before carving. Enjoy - or wrap in foil for later use. Turkey can be reheated or eaten cold for snacking.

Make sure you never leave the fryer alone, and keep oil temperature as close to 350 degrees F. as possible while cooking. You can fry 4 - 5 turkeys before changing the oil. Let oil cool completely before discarding.

Tony Chachere's Famous Creole Seasoning
26 oz. box of free-flowing salt
1 1/2 ounce box ground black pepper
2 oz. bottle ground red pepper
1 oz. bottle pure garlic powder
1 oz. bottle chili powder

Mix well and salt to taste. When it is salty enough, it's seasoned to perfection!

More tips...

#1. Use only turkeys that don't exceed 18 pounds. anything more than that will not get done in the middle before the outside burns up.

#2. Before deep frying it, put the turkey in the pot and add cold water till it comes just over the top of the turkey. remove the turkey and mark the inside of the pot. this is how much oil needs to be added for that turkey. too little oil won't cover the bird and too much will overflow.

[BakerMikeRomeo]

NEVER brine a bird that has been "treated" with a "flavoring agent."

In fact, NEVER buy a bird that has been so treated. 

How do you go about so doing? I'm not being a dick, I'm just asking. Where do you shop (i.e., will my local Food Dog have Untreated Turkeybirds, or will I need to seek out a more upscale location?), are there labeling requirements for "flavor treated" birds or will it be snuck in under my sodium-lactate radar?

Thanks for all y'all's replies.

~BakerMike

[Manedwolf]

Getting kosher turkeys tends to bypass a lot of the flavor-additive icky sorts.

[K Frame]

"How do you go about so doing? I'm not being a dick, I'm just asking. Where do you shop (i.e., will my local Food Dog have Untreated Turkeybirds, or will I need to seek out a more upscale location?), are there labeling requirements for "flavor treated" birds or will it be snuck in under my sodium-lactate radar?"

"Getting Kosher turkey...."

Getting a bird prepared by a kosher processor pretty much guarantees that you won't have any flavoring agents added to the bird.

Empire Kosher is the largest kosher poultry processor in the United States. They have a plant near where my parents live, and that's where we've gotten birds many times.

If you don't have access to a kosher bird, you'll have to start reading labels. Any play on the words of "Flavoring solution, flavor enhancing solution, basting solution" or anything like that means sodium injections. Butterball? Stay the hell away from it.

And yes, if it's added, it MUST be noted on the label.

[Brad Johnson]

A mountain of smoked turnkey, shaved thin.
Two pieces of thick-cut rye bread.
Three or four slices of swiss cheese.
Honey dijon mustard.
Real butter.

Lather up bread with real butter (One side or both. Your choice).  Enclose turkey and swiss in your favorite configuration (I prefer a cheese interface on both sides of the meat with a slice in the middle of the meat if possible).  Place in a hot skillet and cook until browned.  Turn and repeat.

Use mustard as a dip, or spread on each bite with a small knife or spoon.

For a variation add kosher dill pickles (drained thoroughly) to the sanchwich layers before cooking.

Brad