Fried Turkey Anyone? How about a TurDuckIn??

[disneyquestions]

Anyone ever gotten a fried turkey for Thanksgiving? There is a place near me that has been doing it for years, and I've always wanted to try it, but I don't know... its not traditional, ya know? How does it taste?

What about a TurDuckEn? How are they?

 

[Meriweather]

We've had fried turkey several times, not for TG though.
We will this year. A friend has fryer.
We really like it. Very moist and tender.

Haven't tried a TurDuken though....watched them prepared a lot on Food Network....not a fan of duck, so have passed on it.

 

[parrothead365]

I fry several every year. MM MM good

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Turducken are WONDERFUL. You must have a minimum of 20 or so people coming to your house or you will be eating turducken for a very long time!

The best part is that you don't have to do the turducken yourself. Here in Louisiana, where the turducken originated, we buy ours already stuffed and most of us buy them pre-cooked! Just google turducken and order one shipped up.

 

[megsters]

Anyone ever gotten a fried turkey for Thanksgiving? There is a place near me that has been doing it for years, and I've always wanted to try it, but I don't know... its not traditional, ya know? How does it taste?

What about a TurDuckEn? How are they?

LOVE fried turkey. Our church was having a Crossroads event today, and doing a big turkey dinner after the service. My dad was making 10 fried turkeys this morning...nothing like the smell of hot peanut oil at 530 this morning!!

My knowledge is limted to when it was on BBQ Pitmasters on TLC....

 

[MushyMushy]

Just had fried turkey this past summer. Very yummy!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Most people I know buy their turkeys pre-fried. This is mostly because everyone knows someone who nearly burned down the house and at least took out a tree or a shed deep frying their own turkey. Even though it uses the same tools as boiling crawfish, it is not as safe or as easy! There are some men who specialize it, and if you have one of them as a neighbor or a relation, you make very sure to be on their good side around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

[pigletgirl]

My dad learned how to fry a turkey a few years ago, so now every turkey day we fry the turkey. Its very good and moist.

I have never tried a turducken.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have been frying turkeys for thanksgiving (and christmas, and a few other holidays, and just when we feel like turkey!) for years.

If you are going to do it yourself, there are several things you need to know.

the first is get a good "kit", not a cheapo one from a discount store.

you want a good stable stand with the burner, and I switched from a pot where the turkey is verticle, to one that is sideways. eaiser to lower and raise the turkey.

we usually get a really good injectable marinade, and of course we use a creole powder seasoning on the outside.

I usually do two turkeys at a time, plus two of three cut up chickens (cooled and sealed for later use!)

 

[lovebuzz]

We fry our turkeys every year. Once you do it , it is going to be hard to go back to the old way. It takes less time and is so tender and juicy.

 

[luvsJack]

We fry one every year in addition to the roasted turkey. Love fried turkey on T-day, leftovers not so much, when there ARE leftovers. DH always fries ours. The only time there was ever a problem was when the inside of the turkey still had some ice crystals and it caused a bit more spattering and rising of the oil. You have to make sure you measure for the oil very carefully and use peanut oil or at least mostly peanut oil (we have mixed peanut and vegetable oil).

We had TurDucken one year at Christmas. While we enjoyed it, we all decided that it wasn't something we wanted to replace our traditional Ham or Turkey with.

 

[DareTooDream]

Here's another thumbs up for fried turkey! Moist and yummy.

I had turducken once. A friend made it a couple of years ago - trying it out on a group of 8 of us. It was quite a process - I watched - there were already 3 working on it. Out of the 8 of us, 2 liked it (the chef and her husband). The other 6 of us didn't care for it. We ate it - we didn't hate it - but it certainly wasn't worth the effort and expense. Perhaps if it was just a tur-ken (without the duck) it would have been better. My friend is a great cook usually - so I don't think it was anything she did. I suppose though, there are a few things that could make a difference - like the stuffing recipe you use, spices on the skin, etc............. Like snarlingcoyote said - you can buy them pre-made!

Enjoy your holiday, whatever you decide!

 

[disneychic2]

In addition to the turkey I roasted last year, DH did a fried turkey. It was quite the production as he rigged up a hoist system so he could lower the bird slowly into the hot oil so as to reduce splatter. Took three guys to accomplish this not counting the photographer! Tasted great, though, not greasy since the skin gets seared right away locking in all the juice. This year he is slow smoking a turkey. Think it will be great too!

 

[Nancyg56]

I like fried turkey but not for Thanksgiving. I ordered a turducken for our neighbor meal just after Christmas and it was delicious! I think that it was noce for a special meal but I would not have one for Christmas or Thanksgiving as it is not a traditional main in my family.

 

[ilovejack02]

I have been frying turkeys for thanksgiving (and christmas, and a few other holidays, and just when we feel like turkey!) for years.

If you are going to do it yourself, there are several things you need to know.

the first is get a good "kit", not a cheapo one from a discount store.

you want a good stable stand with the burner, and I switched from a pot where the turkey is verticle, to one that is sideways. eaiser to lower and raise the turkey.

we usually get a really good injectable marinade, and of course we use a creole powder seasoning on the outside.

I usually do two turkeys at a time, plus two of three cut up chickens (cooled and sealed for later use!)

Frying my first one this year , Lets all keep our fingers crossed ; ) . Cut up chickens, that is a great idea, I may do that too ! I have a Food Saver , so easy way to save it .

We love Turduken (sp?) Usually buy from Chris's specialty meats http://louisianameats.com/about-us/

Pretty pricey , usually around 60.00, feeds a crowd though. I would never try to make my own, leave it up to the experts.

 

[MushyMushy]

Most people I know buy their turkeys pre-fried. This is mostly because everyone knows someone who nearly burned down the house and at least took out a tree or a shed deep frying their own turkey. Even though it uses the same tools as boiling crawfish, it is not as safe or as easy! There are some men who specialize it, and if you have one of them as a neighbor or a relation, you make very sure to be on their good side around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

That reminds me! Memorial weekend this past summer, we went to 4-day party where we were promised a deep fried turkey. The guy cooking the turkey must have fallen asleep at the wheel because that bird went nuclear! It was black and had collapsed in on itself.

Labor day weekend, same deal, same place for a party, same guy, but this time with a supervisor to make sure he stayed awake. Turkey came out great.

I think the trick to not having the oil explode is a dry turkey. My friend spent a good bit of time with a hair dryer, blow drying that turkey. I have some amusing pictures of that.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

We try to do a fried turkey each year. We found a crazy-good recipe from Bob and Tom and it is wonderful! It never fails to be super tasty!

 

[rie'smom]

We have fried turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometimes there's a turducken too but I don't eat any of them.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Frying my first one this year , Lets all keep our fingers crossed ; ) . Cut up chickens, that is a great idea, I may do that too ! I have a Food Saver , so easy way to save it .

We love Turduken (sp?) Usually buy from Chris's specialty meats http://louisianameats.com/about-us/

Pretty pricey , usually around 60.00, feeds a crowd though. I would never try to make my own, leave it up to the experts.

A "TRICK" that I learned, is that after you take the turkey out. (and chicken if you fry them too) cut up three or four potatos.

turn off the burner (you won't need it) and put the potatoes in the hot oil.

the potatos will cook, and at the same time, "clean" the spices from the oil that we use on the outside of the turkey (cajun spice)

once they are done, serve the potatoes as an appitizer with some dip.

the oil will then be somewhat clean so that when it cools, you can filter it back into the container for storage and re-use.

if you have a good grade of peanut oil, you can reuse it over and over (maybe two or three times) if you filter out the sludge and store it properly.

 

[rie'smom]

A "TRICK" that I learned, is that after you take the turkey out. (and chicken if you fry them too) cut up three or four potatos.

turn off the burner (you won't need it) and put the potatoes in the hot oil.

the potatos will cook, and at the same time, "clean" the spices from the oil that we use on the outside of the turkey (cajun spice)

once they are done, serve the potatoes as an appitizer with some dip.

the oil will then be somewhat clean so that when it cools, you can filter it back into the container for storage and re-use.

if you have a good grade of peanut oil, you can reuse it over and over (maybe two or three times) if you filter out the sludge and store it properly.

Thanks for the great tip!