Frying your Thanksgiving turkey is a vibe—it sets a mood that says, “I am celebrating this holiday 110 percent, but it’s going to be fun and chill, and we’re going to be outside.”
In regard to the finished product, fried-turkey enthusiasts utter a common refrain: “It’s the best turkey I’ve ever had.” They rave about how deep frying produces beautifully browned skin and juicy meat.
Frying turkey pieces is a fantastic way to enjoy juicy, flavorful turkey with an irresistibly crispy exterior. When done properly, fried turkey emerges with a beautiful golden brown crust and moist, tender meat inside. Follow this complete guide to learn how to fry turkey pieces at home to crispy, succulent perfection.
Choosing the Best Turkey Pieces for Frying
You can fry a variety of different turkey parts, but white and dark meat differ slightly when fried:
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White breast meat is leaner with a milder flavor. Sliced into strips nuggets or cutlets breast meat fries up beautifully golden and crisp.
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Thighs and legs have more fat and connective tissue, keeping them extra moist and packed with rich, savory flavor when fried.
Drumsticks and wings are ideal whole turkey pieces for frying Their small size means quick, even cooking For bigger meals, choose bone-in breasts, thighs, and leg quarters. Boneless breasts and thighs also fry up nicely.
For best results, opt for good quality, fresh or thoroughly thawed turkey. Pieces should be 6 to 8 ounces each for ideal frying.
Prepping Turkey Pieces for Frying
Proper prep ensures your fried turkey pieces come out perfectly cooked inside and out:
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Wash and pat dry – Rinse turkey pieces and pat very dry with paper towels. Moisture can cause hot oil to splatter dangerously.
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Season generously – For the crispiest skin and most flavor, coat all sides with salt, pepper, spices, and herbs. Get creative with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, rosemary, sage, and more.
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Let marinate – For extra juicy, seasoned meat, let pieces marinate 30 minutes up to overnight in buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, or sauce.
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Coat with flour – Dredge pieces thoroughly in flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, or batter to help seal in moisture and give a crispy coating.
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Refrigerate coated pieces – Let sit 20-30 minutes so coating adheres. This also helps ensure inside cooks through before outside burns.
Frying Turkey Pieces Step-by-Step
Frying turkey pieces takes just minutes, but using proper technique guarantees the best results:
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In a heavy pot or electric turkey fryer, heat at least 4 inches oil to 325-375°F. Peanut and vegetable oil work best. Use a thermometer to maintain temperature.
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Fry in batches, without overcrowding. White meat takes about 5-7 minutes, dark meat around 8-12 minutes. Don’t turn pieces more than once.
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White meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Dark meat should reach 175°F. Use a meat thermometer to check.
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Once golden brown, remove pieces to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season again while hot if desired.
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Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches. Discard oil once it darkens or smells overly fried.
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Keep a kitchen fire extinguisher on hand. Turn on ventilation fans and monitor oil temperature carefully to prevent burns or damage.
Choosing the Right Frying Oil
The right oil is essential for successful fried turkey. Choose an oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor:
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Peanut Oil – The top choice for frying turkey. Has a high smoke point (450°F) and adds a subtle nutty flavor.
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Canola Oil – An excellent budget-friendly option with a smoke point of 400°F. Has a mild flavor.
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Vegetable Oil – A versatile, neutral-tasting oil good for frying. Look for high oleic safflower or sunflower oil with a smoke point around 450°F.
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Corn Oil – Another affordable choice for turkey frying with a smoke point of 450°F and mild flavor.
Avoid olive and sesame oil which smoke at too low a temperature. Never use butter or margarine for frying turkey.
Seasoning and Marinating Turkey Pieces
One of the joys of fried turkey is just how much flavor you can infuse into the meat. Get creative with your favorite seasoning blends, herbs, and marinades.
Seasoning Ideas
- Herbes de Provence
- Jerk seasoning
- Ranch seasoning
- Creole seasoning
- Old Bay seasoning
- Italian herb blend
- Onion or garlic powder
- Spice rubs like chili powder, cumin, paprika
Marinade Ideas
- Buttermilk
- Hot sauce or buffalo sauce
- Barbecue sauce
- Teriyaki or soy sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Italian dressing
- Lemons or limes
- Worcestershire sauce
- Honey mustard
Brining is another excellent way to add moisture and flavor to turkey pieces before frying.
Serving Your Crispy Fried Turkey
The possibilities are endless when it comes to serving up your fried turkey masterpiece:
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Serve pieces on their own as an entrée with classic Southern sides like mashed potatoes, cornbread, collard greens, and mac & cheese.
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Pile fried turkey strips or nuggets on salads, sandwiches, pizza, nachos, tacos, stuffed potatoes, pasta dishes, or rice bowls.
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Chop or shred fried turkey meat to top soups, casseroles, omelets, quesadillas, or burritos.
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Pair wings and drumsticks with dipping sauces like barbecue, Buffalo, honey mustard, ranch, or blue cheese dressing.
However you serve it up, crispy fried turkey is sure to be a hit at your table. Just follow these simple steps for foolproof, mouthwatering results every time.
Turkey Frying Tips and Tricks
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When frying turkey pieces, safety should always be a priority. Always fry outdoors in an open area away from flammable materials. Have a fire extinguisher nearby.
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Thoroughly thaw turkey pieces before frying to prevent dangerous oil splattering from frozen moisture.
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Use a large sturdy pot or an electric turkey fryer designed for this purpose. Carefully lower pieces into hot oil slowly.
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Never leave a fryer unattended. The oil can easily overheat and ignite. Closely monitor temperature.
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Allow fried turkey pieces to rest before serving so juices redistribute. This keeps them hot and moist.
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Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat thoroughly to 165°F before eating again.
With the right prep and technique, you can enjoy the ultimate fried turkey even with just pieces: incredibly crispy, golden, and full of juicy flavor. Fried turkey takes a classic holiday centerpiece to finger lickin’ new heights.
So gather your ingredients, fire up the fryer, and get ready to wow your family with these succulent, crispy creations. Just follow the steps above for frie
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Having never tried it myself, I was excited by the prospect—but I also imagined it as a daunting, even scary, endeavor.
After studying dozens of recipes, I fried my first turkey on Thanksgiving Day in 350-degree oil until the thickest part of the breast registered 160 degrees.
It was drastically overcooked.
The problem was that while the turkey rested, its temperature kept rising due to carryover cooking (an effect that causes food to continue to cook after being removed from the heat, intensified here by the heat of deep frying), leaving the white meat dried out and tough. Even so, that turkey had some truly excellent bites, and I could taste the potential of the deep-fry method in the mahogany, nicely rendered skin.
Now, after seeking out advice from a couple masters, frying close to two dozen turkeys over the course of many months, and testing every variable, I’m here to tell you: The frying fanatics are absolutely right. When done well, a deep-fried turkey is amazing.
Tips from the Experts
While developing this recipe, I reached out to two turkey-frying experts to get some advice. Here’s what I learned.
From Steve Cavendish, a Nashville, Tennessee, home cook and one of the biggest fried‑turkey evangelists around:
- Before cooking, treat the turkey with a combination of brown sugar and kosher salt. The combination helps create skin that is salty-sweet and crispy.
- Tie the legs together to create a more compact mass that will result in more even cooking (we bind the wings too). Binding the turkey also makes it easier and safer to move into and out of the hot oil.
- Fry at around 300 degrees to ensure even cooking and to limit carryover cooking.
- Pull the bird from the oil when the thickest part of the breast registers 150 degrees; carryover cooking should bring the breast to about 160 or 165 degrees, which is perfect.
From Hoover Alexander, owner and chef of Hoover’s Cooking in Austin, Texas:
- Use a prebrined (or “self-basting”) turkey to ensure moist results. Alexander says prebrined birds not only “stay juicier” but also are more available and affordable.
- Inject the bird with flavored butter. There’s a reason a lot of turkey fryers come with large syringes for injecting the birds. “It’s about layering in flavors,” Alexander says, and the butter “ups the moisture factor as well.”
For our version, I injected the bird with an ultratasty garlic butter bolstered with fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary. I pureed the butter with chicken broth in the blender and poured it through a fine-mesh strainer to ensure that it was thin enough to keep from stopping up the injector. After letting it cool, I shot it throughout my turkey.
Then I proceeded with the method I had nailed down through testing: seasoning the skin, trussing the legs and the wings close to the bird, placing the turkey breast side up on the vertical turkey rack to keep the legs closer to the heat source and ensure that they cooked to a higher temperature than the white meat, and frying at 300 degrees until the skin was browned and crispy and the breast registered 150 degrees.
Southern Deep Fried Turkey
FAQ
How long to deep fry turkey pieces?
Fry 2 turkey legs at a time in hot oil 14 to 16 minutes, turning once halfway through, until skin is golden brown and juice of turkey is clear when thickest …
Can you cut up a turkey and fry it like chicken?
Whether you call it turkey schnitzel, cutlets, scaloppini, or even chicken fried turkey, pounding a turkey breast thin, breading it and frying it crispy is an ideal way to cook turkey breast.
How to deep fry pieces?
- Cut food into pieces of similar size if possible. They’ll fry to a finish at the same rate.
- Pat the food dry with paper towels before placing in the hot oil. Never add wet food to hot oil — splatter!
- Be Ready for the Worst Case Scenario: Grease Fire!
How do you keep turkey moist when frying?
If it’s too hot, you’ll get a dry turkey and be at risk of an oil overflow. 340˚F – 375˚F is my “goldilocks zone.” You will have a tremendously juicy bird if you stay within this range. Another variable that will affect the outcome of this deep fried adventure is the size of the turkey.
Can you fry all parts of a Turkey?
Yes, you can fry all parts of the turkey. However, certain pieces tend to work better for frying due to their size and texture. Drumsticks, wings, and turkey breast cut into smaller pieces are ideal for frying as they cook more evenly and quickly. 2. Should I marinate the turkey pieces before frying them?
Can one have turkey and carrots?
Eating turkey and carrots is part of healthy habits. The turkey has meat like chicken and is another healthy poultry option. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, it is a source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and vitamin B3.
How do you deep fry a Turkey?
If using a deep fryer, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to heat the oil to the recommended temperature. If using a frying pot, fill it with enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the turkey pieces. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the pot to monitor the oil temperature.
How do you cook a Turkey in a frying pan?
The turkey pieces are placed into a hot skillet containing heated oil. The oil should sizzle when the meat hits the pan. If the oil does not sizzle, it is an indication that the pan and oil are not hot enough. Do not use a fork to turn the pieces because piercing the turkey allows juices to escape.
How long does it take to fry a Turkey?
The frying time for turkey pieces can vary depending on their size and thickness. As a general guideline, you can fry smaller pieces like wings and drumsticks for approximately 8-10 minutes, while larger breast pieces may take around 12-15 minutes.
Are fried turkey pieces good?
Frying turkey pieces is a delicious way to enjoy turkey with a crispy, golden exterior and moist, juicy meat When done right, fried turkey pieces are full of flavor and texture This cooking method transforms typically lean cuts like breast meat into something irresistibly crunchy and succulent.