This Cajun smoke-fried turkey is bold, spicy, bright, and exciting. There aren’t many turkey flavors like sage and thyme in this turkey. The homemade Cajun turkey injection makes it a star on your holiday table.
When you imagine the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey you probably think of tender juicy meat infused with delicious smoky flavor and an incredibly crispy, golden brown skin. Well, the secret to achieving this ultimate holiday turkey is to smoke it first and then deep fry it for the finale. Combining smoking and deep frying results in a turkey that looks and tastes amazing.
Smoking allows the flavorful smoke to fully penetrate the turkey, seasoning it throughout. Then quick deep frying crisps up the skin and seals in all the moisture While unconventional, deep frying a smoked turkey is completely possible and well worth the extra effort for a memorable meal.
Is It Safe to Deep Fry a Smoked Turkey?
Deep frying anything comes with inherent risks, and safety should always be the top priority. Here are some tips for securely deep frying a smoked turkey:
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Use a large turkey fryer, not a small deep fryer. The turkey must be fully submerged.
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Fry outside on a flat, stable surface away from structures.
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Monitor the oil temperature with a thermometer. Ideal is 350-375°F.
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Fully thaw and dry the turkey before frying. Moisture causes hot splatter.
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Don’t overfill the fryer. Leave several inches of space at the top.
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Don’t leave the fryer unattended as oil can ignite quickly.
Follow proper deep frying precautions and deep frying your smoked turkey will be safe and delicious!
Step-By-Step Guide to Deep Frying a Smoked Turkey
Here is a simple step-by-step overview of how to smoke and then deep fry a whole turkey:
Part 1 – Smoking the Turkey
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Brine the turkey 12-24 hours to impart flavor and keep it moist.
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Remove from brine, pat dry, and let sit in the fridge uncovered to form a pellicle.
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Prepare smoker with desired wood chips – apple, cherry, hickory etc.
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Smoke turkey at 225-250°F for approx. 4 hours until internal temp reaches 150°F.
Part 2 – Deep Frying the Smoked Turkey
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Allow smoked turkey to fully chill in fridge. This helps dry the skin.
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Thoroughly pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels.
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Prepare outdoor turkey fryer with peanut oil and heat to 350-375°F.
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Very slowly lower turkey into hot oil to prevent splatter.
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Fry for approx. 3-4 minutes per pound, adjusting heat to maintain oil temp.
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Check internal temp and fry until it reaches 165°F.
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Remove carefully, let drain/rest, then dig in!
Tips for the Best Smoked Fried Turkey
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Inject turkey with a flavorful marinade or rub with spices before smoking.
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Allow 4-5 days for turkey to thaw fully in the refrigerator before frying.
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Use peanut, canola or vegetable oil for frying – high smoke point.
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Don’t rub oil directly on the skin prior to frying. Dry thoroughly.
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Add extra frying time since turkey is already partially cooked from smoking.
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Use a propane burner under fryer for precise temperature control.
Mastering the Method for Smoked Deep Fried Turkey Perfection
Perfectly executing the smoking and deep frying process takes some finesse. Here are a few tips and tricks from the pros:
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For smoking, use indirect heat and refrain from opening the smoker to prevent heat loss.
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Let turkey rest at room temp 30 minutes after smoking before chilling in fridge.
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Chill smoked turkey at least overnight before frying. Quick chilling can make meat dry.
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Pat turkey very dry before frying. Any moisture causes hot oil to bubble up aggressively.
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Lower turkey slowly into fryer. Lowering too quickly causes dangerous splashing.
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Adjust burner heat to maintain consistent oil temp of 350-375°F while turkey fries.
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When done frying, let turkey drain in fryer basket briefly before transferring to cutting board.
Serving Up Your Smoked Fried Masterpiece
A deep fried smoked turkey is incredibly versatile for serving in all sorts of delightful ways:
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Carve it up and serve pieces in a beautiful presentation with classic sides.
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Slice up the breast meat for incredible smoked turkey sandwiches.
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Dice or shred the meat for salads, casseroles, soups, chili, sandwiches, etc.
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Pair it with waffles, biscuits, or French toast for a savory breakfast or brunch.
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Use leftovers for dishes like turkey pot pie, turkey noodle soup, enchiladas, shepherd’s pie, etc.
So go all out this holiday season and wow your guests with a perfectly executed smoked fried turkey! The combination of smoking and deep frying truly creates the ultimate turkey – unbelievably moist,packed with smoky flavor, and with an insanely crispy skin. Just follow the tips above for smoking and frying success.
How to Safely Deep Fry a Turkey
Deep frying anything can be risky, but a whole turkey is always a challenge. Many, many fires break out each year with people trying unsuccessfully to fry their holiday turkeys. To keep your family dinner from going bad and the fire department from being called, here are some safety tips.
- Use a dedicated turkey fryer. Most can be picked up for around $100. These pots are very deep (about 28 to 30 liters), so they can hold both the turkey and the oil without spilling.
- Check that your propane has a regulator and a valve that turns it off yourself. A lot of the turkey fryer kits you can buy already have this adapter built in. This safety feature can prevent an explosion.
- Don’t overfill your turkey pot with oil. In step 1 of the recipe card below, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to figure out exactly how much oil you need to cover and fry your turkey.
- Dry your turkey before frying. To keep the oil from splashing and bubbling, it’s important to dry the turkey before frying it. I dry it with paper towels inside and outside the cavity.
- Place your fryer far away from any building in your yard, on a roof, on a deck, or on the ground. If your oil does catch, it can quickly and far spread. Keep the fryer as far away from anything that could catch fire as you can.
- Wear an apron and good shoes. Even from a deep fryer, hot oil can spray a long way.
Smoked Then Fried Cajun Turkey
A Cajun smoked turkey breast was actually the first thing my husband and I ever smoked. First bite of home-smoked meat. My father-in-law helped me with my old, free gas grill and a pie tin full of wood chips. I was hooked!.
It had all the flavor of a Cajun smoked turkey and the crispy skin of a fried turkey. Years later, I wanted to bring back some of that flavor and nostalgia in a turkey. And thus, smoke-fried turkey was born!.
Your breasts, thighs, and legs will be juicy and tasty because the injection butter has flavors like Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and spicy creole seasoning in it. You can make a turkey that tastes great and has great texture all the way through by adding smoke and then deep-frying it.
One quick tip for this recipe: skip the seasoning. This turkey is seasoned from the inside out, so I don’t think it needs an additional dry rub. Additionally, the rub will mostly come off in the fryer. If you want to add more flavor, sprinkle some of the creole seasoning that was used in the injection on the turkey after you’ve sliced it. That little dusting of color looks and tastes great on the finished bird.
To brine or not to brine? This is a very serious question when cooking turkey. For this particular turkey recipe, I don’t believe an additional brine is necessary.
However, I do recommend purchasing a pre-brined turkey injected with a saline solution. Most turkeys you buy at the store already have a brine on them, which I think is a great way to go. Since the injection has a lot of flavor, I don’t want to mix it up with extra flavor from a brine like my Apple Spiced Turkey Brine.
MAJOR FLAVOR Cajun Smoked Fried Turkey – First Time Deep Frying a TURKEY!
FAQ
How do you cook a fully cooked smoked turkey?
How long does it take to deep fry a turkey?
Can you fry a pre-smoked turkey?
How to make a smoked turkey crispy?
Is it OK to deep fry a Turkey?
There are a few things to keep in mind when frying turkey. The first is that deep frying can cause some minor health risks. Second, it’s important to use a proper fryer and heat the oil properly. Finally, make sure to cook the turkey until an internal temperature of 160 degrees is reached.
How to cook a smoked turkey?
You should aim for around 135F before pulling the turkey from the smoker. The next step is deep frying the whole turkey in the hot oil. Put the smoked turkey into the fry basket and lower it carefully into the cooking oil. Then, fry for 10-15 min. Just enough time to finish the cook and make the most amazing golden brown crispy skin.
Is it better to deep fry or smoke a Turkey?
Our guide will take a look at them all. Smoked turkey has a more complex flavor and allows for more hands-off time, while frying turkey yields crispy skin and takes a fraction of the time. However, it can be dangerous to deep-fry a turkey if you don’t have the right equipment and knowledge. Smoking is generally the safer choice.
What oil is best for deep frying a Turkey?
Peanut oil is the best oil for deep frying a turkey because its high flash point makes it less likely to catch on fire. It is also recommended that the oil for fried turkey be low in saturated fat, as the turkey will absorb a small amount of oil as it cooks.
What is deep frying turkey?
Deep frying turkey is a process that starts by boiling off the water from the bird. Next, a hot oil is added to the bird and heated until it starts to shimmer. The bird is then placed into the hot oil and deep-fried until golden brown.
How do you cook a Turkey in a deep fryer?
While turkey is smoking prepare deep fryer and heat oil to 350 degrees. Remove turkey from smoker and lower into the deep fryer (safely). Use all safety precautions and proper safety gear. The deep fryer should be turned off during this part to avoid a grease fire.