Our step-by-step tutorial on How to Deep Fry a Turkey is the fastest way to cook your bird for the holidays – your turkey will be moist, flavorful and done in no time! The perfect Thanksgiving turkey!
The Best Deep Fried Turkey
Did you know there is a way to fast-track your turkey cooking without sacrificing flavor OR moisture!? There is – deep-frying! Deep-frying turkey only takes 3 1/2 minutes per pound! It is a must try and, bonus, it will free up a lot of valuable oven space. I was blown away with how moist the turkey was and how much flavor it had. Now, there is something to be said for slow-roasting an herb butter turkey – don’t get me wrong – but this deep fried turkey recipe is so delicious and so FAST, you may never go back!
Hosting a Smaller Crowd?
If you have a smaller crowd and don’t need a whole turkey, you can simply make a Deep Fried Turkey Breast!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Fast: With only 3.5 minutes per pound of turkey – it will be done in no time!
- Flavor: The flavor really is amazing – this might be my favorite way to cook a turkey.
- Moisture: Since it cooks so fast and is cooked in liquid, there really isn’t much opportunity for your bird to dry out.
- Free up Your Oven: Think of all that free oven space you will have without a large bird in it!
How To Prep A Turkey Before Deep Frying
There really isn’t much you need to do in order to prep a turkey for the deep fryer. It’s different than your typical baked, grilled or smoked turkey where you need to pat dry, rub with butter and season. All you need to do to prep your turkey is:
- Thaw: Completely thaw your turkey (very important – see our tutorial on how to thaw a turkey) – do not cook unless it is 100% thawed – and bring to room temperature. No real need to pat dry with paper towels since it will be going right into the oil.
- Remove Giblets + Hock Lock: Remove giblets, neck, etc. from inside. Additionally, remove any hock lock that is holding the legs in place.
- Brine (optional): Complete any sort of brine you desire, if you choose (optional).
- Peanut Oil: When you are ready to deep fry, add enough peanut oil to your aluminum deep fryer (you can test out how much you need by practicing with water first) so that your turkey will be completely submerged.
- Temperature: Bring the temperature of the oil to 400 degrees F. – do NOT let it go over 400 degrees as it is very dangerous and could catch on fire. Keep covered when heating oil.
What You Will Need
- fresh turkey – determine how much turkey per person you will need and then if the turkey is frozen, ensure it is FULLY thawed!
- peanut oil – the perfect neutral oil for deep frying a whole turkey. You can find it at your local grocery store.
- butter – use a basting brush to baste the fully cooked turkey while the meat rests.
- kosher salt – sprinkle on the outside of the turkey after cooking for some added seasoning.
- turkey fryer kit – burner, large fryer pot + lid, fryer basket, turkey hanger, turkey fryer thermometer. Highly recommend an outdoor fryer.
- propane tank – make sure you have plenty of gas for the entire cooking process.
- meat thermometer – a turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.
Deep Fried Turkey Brine
Option to brine the turkey first, but you don’t have to. A lot of people do, but it isn’t necessary for a successful Deep Fried Turkey. We have made this recipe plenty of times without brining and they always come out delicious. Learn more about brining a turkey in our simple tutorial!
How to Deep Fry a Turkey
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to add the peanut oil to the large pot and bring it to 375-400 degrees F (do NOT go over 400 degrees F).
Now, make sure there isn’t anything holding the legs of the turkey together and place it in the fryer basket. Use the metal tool that comes with the fryer kit to VERY slowly lower the basket, with the turkey inside, into the hot oil. If you move too fast the oil might boil over the top of the pot. Take your time!
Make sure the turkey is fully submerged in oil. Put the cover on top and let it cook for 3 1/2 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (use an instant-read thermometer) at the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
How Long to Deep Fry a Turkey
A turkey is deep fried for 3 1/2 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Once fully cooked, carefully pull the basket out of the oil and set it on a baking sheet. After it cools for a little bit, remove the turkey from the basket and let rest for 30 minutes. While the turkey rests, baste with butter and sprinkle with salt.
How To Carve a Turkey
Once the turkey is fully cooked and has had time to rest, it is time to carve for serving. We have a super simple tutorial on how to carve a turkey that includes step-by-step photos.
Best Ways To Serve Deep Fried Turkey
A simple deep fried turkey can be served the same way that you serve a traditional roasted turkey. Perfect for Thanksgiving Day and all those delicious side dish recipes, like Crock Pot Stuffing, Potatoes au Gratin Gruyére, Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, Bourbon Cranberry Sauce, & Cornbread Muffins! Feel free to serve with any of your favorite holiday side dishes.
Recipe FAQs
- What is the best oil for deep frying a turkey? Peanut oil because it has a high smoke point (or flash point) which makes it less likely to catch fire compared to other oils. The smoke point of peanut oil is 450 degrees F. So, if you need to choose an alternative cooking oil just ensure it has a smoke point of at least 450 degrees F.
- How much oil is needed to deep fry a turkey? If you are using a 12-15 pound turkey and a 29qt pot, you will need approximately 3-4 gallons of oil. That being said, the easiest way to check of the exact amount needed is to simply place the turkey in the pot (you can do this before you take it out of the packaging) and add water (enough so the turkey is fully submerged). Then do a quick measure of how much water you needed – this is recommended as the size of the turkey and the size of the pot will vary.
Safety Tips
Be Smart: You are dealing with peanut oil that’s 350-400 degrees F… be smart and safe. Pick a safe place to put the fryer that is flat and dry. It is also a good idea to put something around the air fryer (at a safe distance) to let people know to stay away from it. Have a fire extinguisher on hand (just in case). Use gloves when placing the turkey in the oil and when taking it out. And wear long pants, just in case.
Oil: Don’t fill the oil beyond the maximum fill line and ensure it is at the right temperature.
Don’t Leave Unattended: Never leave the deep fryer unattended – and if YOU need to go inside to cook something else, leave someone else responsible for keeping an eye on it.
Go Slow: Lower the turkey incredibly slow. Like, really slow. Whatever you think is slow… triple it .. that should be slow enough.
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Other Turkey Recipes You Might Like
- Grilled Turkey
- Smoked Turkey
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Roasted Turkey Breast
- How to Cook a Turkey
- Roasted Spatchcock Turkey
- Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
How to Deep Fry a Turkey
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 52 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 14 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Deep Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
How to Deep Fry a Turkey – a step-by-step tutorial on how to successfully deep fry your turkey! Super simple and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (15 pound turkey pictured)
- Peanut oil (approx. 3-4 gallons – see Notes)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2–3 tablespoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Thaw: Follow our tutorial on how to thaw a turkey (very important) – do not cook unless it is 100% thawed – and then bring to room temperature.
- Remove Giblets: Remove giblets, neck, etc. from inside. Additionally, remove the hock lock or anything that is holding the legs together.
- Brine (optional): Feel free to brine the turkey, if you choose (optional).
- Peanut Oil: When you are ready to deep fry, add enough peanut oil to the aluminum deep fryer (you can test out how much you need by practicing with water first) so that your turkey will be completely submerged.
- Temperature: Bring oil temperature to 375-400 degrees F. – do NOT let it go over 400 degrees F. as it is very dangerous and could catch on fire. Keep covered when heating oil.
- Slowly Drop Turkey: Place turkey in the aluminum basket/strainer (usually comes with a turkey fryer) and very, VERY slowly lower it into the hot oil. Ensure oil does not bubble over the top.
- Cover: Place the fryer cover on top. The temperature will drop from 400 degrees F. down to 350-325 degrees F. You want to cook the turkey at 350 degrees F. for 3 1/2 minutes per pound. Cook covered, uncovering only occasionally to keep an eye on internal temp.
- Check Internal Temp: Once the turkey has cooked for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, use the metal tool to carefully raise the turkey up out of the peanut oil enough so you can check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Turkey is fully cooked when the dark meat is at 165.
- Remove + Baste: Carefully remove from fryer, drain and place on a large platter. Baste with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
- Rest: Let rest for 30 minutes.
- Serve: Carve the turkey and serve on a large platter – enjoy!
Notes
- Do I Need to Prep/Pat Dry the Turkey: Nope. You don’t pat dry or rub with olive oil beforehand – you will be basting with melted butter afterwards though! You can brine the turkey beforehand, but that is completely optional.
- Cooking Time: the cook time in the recipe card was calculated using a 15 pound turkey (15 lbs x 3.5 minutes = 52.5 minutes). Make sure you calculate the cook time based on the size of your turkey.
- Meat thermometer: You will want a trusty meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. I have this meat thermometer and love it.
- Peanut Oil: You can just buy peanut oil from your local grocery store. You will most likely need 3-4 gallons (this will obviously depend upon how big your turkey is and how large your deep fryer is).
- Hock Lock: You will want to remove any hock lock that is holding your turkeys legs together – they are usually plastic and will melt in the deep fryer.
- Fully Thaw Your Turkey: It bears repeating that you MUST fully thaw your turkey and allow it to come to room temperature before you deep fry it.
- Leftovers: try making some Homemade Turkey Stock, Turkey Pot Pie or Leftover Turkey Salad!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 772
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 490.6 mg
- Fat: 18.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Protein: 141.1 g
- Cholesterol: 490.6 mg
Originally published November 19, 2016.
Suzan says
Great way to cook a turkey. My husband followed your recipe and another one just to get everything correct. Came out perfectly. The best part, my oven was free for all the sides, rolls, and pie. I make everything from scratch so this was perfect!
Erin says
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Suzan! And thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review – I really appreciate it!
S says
“Fry”
EH says
This came out perfectly!
Erin says
Awesome to hear!