Turkey Cooking Tips and Recipe’s
Recipe for deep frying
-Purchase a fresh turkey that has been minimally processed. If necessary, defrost the bird thoroughly.
- Prepare the turkey the night before frying as detailed below.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the cavities and wash the bird inside and out with cold water. Thoroughly dry the turkey including the interior cavities as any water will create spatter when deep frying.
- Use a dry Cajun rub (available at the grocery store) for the skin. Be sure to get the rub into all crevices around the wings and legs.
- Inject the bird with your favorite beer which adds great flavor. If you don’t want to use beer, you can inject a variety of marinades available at your local grocery store, or you can make your own by mixing dry ingredients with orange juice. Orange juice will act as a tenderizer for the meat.
- Heat your oil to 360° and deep fry the turkey for 3 ½ minutes per pound (approximately 40 minutes for a 12 pound bird) maintaining this temperature. Note that the temperature will drop somewhat when you first lower the turkey into the oil.
- Remove your turkey from the oil slowly and drain.
- Carve and serve.
Recipe for smoking
- Purchase a fresh turkey that has been minimally processed. If necessary, defrost the bird thoroughly.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the cavities and wash the bird inside and out with cold water.
- The day before cooking, prepare a brine solution:
-1 cup sea salt
-1 cup brown sugar
-4-6 sprigs of thyme
-6 leaves sage
-10 peppercorns
-2 gallon water
-½ cup cider vinegar
-2 lemons quartered
-2 oranges quartered
-Combine all ingredients in large stock pot or 5 gallon bucket available at Ace Hardware.
- Place the thawed turkey into the brine solution and let sit 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
-Prepare a compound butter in-advance as follows:
-½ pound unsalted butter
-1-2 tablespoons sage
-1-2 tablespoons thyme
-2 teaspoons black pepper
-2 tablespoons parsley
Combine all ingredients and form into 6 inch long log then wrap in plastic.
- Remove brined turkey one hour prior to smoking and pat dry. Soak the wood chips you plan to use for smoking for at least 1 hour prior to smoking.
- Set up your smoker and bring to temperature
- Slice the compound butter into 12 slices and stuff into the cavity and under the skin.
- Place turkey onto a vertical turkey roasting stand and set into smoker.
- Smoke for 6-8 hours at 220-240F.
- Carve and serve
November 22nd, 2008 by Ragin Cajun /
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