Deep-Fried Turkey Recipe

Active Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 day 12 hrs

Servings:

10 with leftovers

Cooking a deep-fried turkey for Thanksgiving isn't as hard as it sounds (though it does require caution). And there's a great payoff: an exquisitely moist, crispy turkey. Many people who try deep-frying a turkey for Thanksgiving never go back to a roasted bird.

New Orleans chefs Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing created this recipe, which starts with a savory-sweet brine that includes brown sugar, mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Letting the turkey brine in this mixture for 35 hours ensures it comes out full of flavor. Be sure to thoroughly dry your turkey — inside and out — with paper towels before frying it. Even a small amount of moisture will cause the oil to bubble up.

You can use different kinds of equipment: a stockpot, an electric fryer, a pot-and-propane setup, or a deep fryer. The best deep fryers come with a thermostat and a metal basket for lowering the turkey into the hot oil and removing it once it's done, or you can purchase a turkey fryer designed specifically for the task. Whatever equipment you use, the procedure is the same: Heat the oil — it can take up to an hour — then slowly lower the turkey into it. A 12-pound turkey cooks in just 36 minutes, following the timing of three minutes of frying per pound or turkey.

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Ingredients

3 cups packed light brown sugar (about 1 1/4 pounds)
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
1 (12-pound) turkey
2 1/2 gallons vegetable oil

Directions

In a large stockpot, whisk the brown sugar with the mustard, salt, and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the water, then add the thyme and garlic. Add the turkey, cover, and brine in the refrigerator for 35 hours.
In a turkey fryer or an 18-quart or larger stockpot, bring the oil to 400°F; this can take up to an hour. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels. Transfer the turkey to a frying basket, breast side up.
Lower the turkey into the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes per pound, 36 minutes. Lift the basket out of the fryer and drain the turkey on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes. Carve and serve.