The Mistake To Avoid When Deep-Frying Turkey
Looking for a change to your ordinary turkey? Deep-fried turkey can be a game-changer that elevates Thanksgiving's favorite bird to a higher status, especially when served with treasured sides like macaroni and cheese and stuffing.
Fried chicken is beloved by many for its depth of flavor and incredibly crispy skin. Likewise, deep frying turkey can offer all those same benefits — crispy skin, incredible flavor, and a quicker cooking time than simply sticking the bird in the oven. But while this process is beneficial, it requires a careful eye, and knowing what to avoid can ensure it turns out perfect.
One of the biggest obstacles to avoid is overcrowding your skillet when you deep fry the turkey, especially if you're cooking it in your kitchen. Overcrowding can result in soggy and greasy turkey skin as having all those pieces bunched together reduces the oil temperature. To get all parts of the turkey cooked evenly, batch cooking of similar pieces (drumsticks, thighs, breasts) is best -– start out in the deep fryer before finishing it in the oven.
Seasoning possibilities with turkey
Americans eat more than 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving each year, solidifying its status as a holiday staple. Still, a common complaint of turkeys is that they're too dry and don't have enough flavor. For deep fryer rookies, a simple salt/pepper mixture works nicely. But for a change of flavor, a Cajun seasoning mix can give the meat a kick of Southern flavor. For a hotter spice blend, adding ancho chili or cayenne pepper can add a bite that sticks on the tongue.
Cooking a turkey may often rely on traditional methods, but it can come with too many frustrations in the kitchen. Changing things up and deep frying turkey can unlock a new way to enjoy it. With a flavorful spice blend and a bath in oil in the skillet, run-of-the-mill turkey (and a side of flavorful turkey gravy) can be turned into a plate that resembles fried chicken and offers the same satisfying crunch with each bite.