Spicy Pepper Butter Fried Turkey Recipes

SPICY BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Combine chicken stock, salt, brown sugar, onion, pepper flakes, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Stir until sugar and salt have dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate brine until thoroughly chilled.
• Combine brine and ice water in a clean, food-grade, 5-gallon bucket. Place turkey in the brine, breast-side down. Cover and refrigerate (or set in a cool area like a basement) for 6 hours, turning turkey once halfway through.
• Set an oven rack to the lowest level and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place a roasting rack inside a wide, low pan.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine. Place turkey on the roasting rack and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck back the wings and rub butter liberally over the entire bird.
• Roast turkey in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, and cover the breast with a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Return to the oven, reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven, keep loosely covered, and allow to rest in a warm area for 15 minutes before slicing.

SUCCULENT DEEP FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels; coat completely with no-stick cooking spray. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl; rub over turkey.
• Combine spice injection mixture ingredients in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Let cool to barely warm. Inject the mixture with spice injector into several spots on both sides of the turkey breast and thighs, making sure not to inject too much into any one spot. Cover and chill overnight.
• Fry according to fryer manufacturer's directions using peanut oil. Reference package for additional information.

SOUTHERN FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Combine butter, red pepper sauce, water, garlic, and bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil the sauce for 10 minutes to reduce. As it cooks, the color will deepen. Allow the sauce to cool before injecting it into the turkey. It is best to inject the turkey with the sauce at least 12 hours before frying.
• Set up a 40-quart deep fryer with burner base and propane tank according to manufacturer's directions. As a safety precaution, measure the amount of oil needed to fry by filling the pot first with water and covering the turkey by 1-inch. You may want to put the turkey in a plastic bag for ease. Remove the turkey and mark the water level on the side of the pot ? this insures no spill over when working with hot oil. Pour out the water, dry the pot and turkey thoroughly.
• Fill the pot with oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Have a deep fry thermometer attached to the pot. Put the turkey on the fry stand and attach to the metal hanger that comes with the fry kit. Slowly ease the turkey into the hot oil, long oven mitts and an apron are essential.
• Keep a close eye as the oil bubbles up. Turkey cooks 4 minutes per pound so check it at 45 minutes. The internal temperature of the bird should read on a thermometer between 170 and 180 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oil as carefully as it went in.
• Set the turkey stand on a roasting pan to drain the excess oil. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes so the juices settle before removing and carving.

MEMPHIS FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Figure out how much oil you need to fill your fryer: Put the turkey in the empty fryer and cover with cold water. Remove the turkey; mark the line where the water is in the pot. Empty the water and dry the fryer and turkey well.
• Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the spice rub inside the cavity of the turkey. Separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, starting at the top of the breast and sliding to the right and left, then working down. Massage some of the rub onto the meat under the skin. Sprinkle the remaining rub on the turkey's skin. Place the turkey on a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours so the flavors can marry.
• Fill your fryer with peanut oil to the line you marked (do not fill more than three-quarters of the way). Preheat the oil to 400 degrees F; it will take about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature as your oil heats. Once the oil reaches 400 degrees F, very carefully lower the turkey into the hot oil. (Most turkey fryers come with a basket for the turkey that has hooks and a handle to lower and lift; otherwise, get yourself a long set of sturdy tongs to grip the inside cavity and breast and an industrial kitchen fork to hold the back side of the bird.) Make sure the oil maintains its temperature while frying. Fry the turkey until the skin is dark golden brown and crisp, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest and drain on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Do not cover the turkey with foil or it will lose some of its crispness. The internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while resting. Transfer the turkey to a board or platter.

CAJUN-INJECTED SPICY TURKEY

Steps:

• Make the marinade by combining the Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, apple cider, honey, beer, salt, allspice, Creole seasoning, cayenne, olive oil, and minced garlic in a blender and process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill a large syringe* and inject turkey in the breast and thigh area, as well as the back, wings, and legs, with at least 2/3 of the marinade. You will have to fill the syringe numerous times.
• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Season the injected turkey well both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil and pour the remaining marinade all over the turkey. Bake the turkey uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the roasting pan, and continue to bake the turkey until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part between the thigh and the leg registers 165 degrees F. (If the turkey begins to brown too much, tent loosely with aluminum foil until it is done. Also, add more broth as necessary to keep the bottom of the roasting pan from burning.)
• When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• In 10-gallon outdoor cooker pot with a basket insert, begin heating the oil over a very hot propane flame outdoors to 390 degrees F. Do not set the burner to its highest setting, as you may need to increase the heat after you have added the turkey. It will take about 20 minutes for the oil to heat.
• Meanwhile, rinse the turkey well, pat it dry inside and out, and set it on end in a sink to drain.
• When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, pat the turkey dry again, and sprinkle it with salt. Place the turkey in the basket and carefully and slowly lower the basket with the turkey into the oil. Immediately check the oil temperature and adjust the flame so that the temperature does not drop below 300 degrees F; maintain the temperature at 325 to 350 degrees F. As it cooks, occasionally move the bird around in the oil with tongs so that it does not scorch.
• Whole turkeys take only 3 to 5 minutes per pound to fry to perfection. When it is done, the turkey will float to the surface with a perfectly crispy, browned skin. If you are unsure, you can test the meat for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer deep into the thigh meat or breast meat; it should register 180 degrees F.
• Using the basket insert, carefully remove the turkey from the oil and hold it over the pot for a moment to allow any excess oil to drain back into the pot. Then lay the bird on the oven rack and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• Just before carving, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add parsley, stir to combine, and cook until just sizzling. Carve turkey as desired, drizzle slices with butter sauce, and serve immediately.

DEEP-FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• To determine how much oil you will need for frying, set your turkey (still in the plastic) in your frying pot, legs up. Measure and add enough water just to cover the turkey. (There should be at least 6 inches between the water line and the top of the pot to fry safely.) Remove the turkey and water and dry the pot very well.
• Combine the butter, broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over very low heat and cook until the garlic softens, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let cool completely. Strain; reserve the liquid and discard the solids.
• One hour before you are ready to cook, take the turkey out of the refrigerator and remove the neck and giblets. Pat the turkey very dry, inside and out. If there is a pop-up timer, remove and discard. Use an injector syringe to inject the butter mixture into the turkey, 4 or 5 places in each breast and 2 or 3 in each leg and thigh. (Inject as deep into the flesh as you can.) Pat dry if any of the mixture leaks out. Season the turkey inside and out with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper and rub it in well.
• Add the oil to the frying pot and heat to 350˚ F (if using a propane fryer, heat over medium). It should take 45 minutes to 1 hour to heat the oil. Once the oil reaches 350˚ F, using protective gloves, slowly lower the turkey into the fryer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• The oil temperature will drop 30˚ F to 40˚ F almost immediately. Adjust the heat so the temperature stays between 300˚ F and 325˚ F the whole time you are frying. Fry 3 minutes per pound. When the turkey is done, turn off the fryer. Using the gloves and the lifting rack, carefully remove the turkey from the oil to a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; it should register 155˚ F. Let the turkey rest 20 to 30 minutes before removing from the rack and carving (the internal temperature will increase about 10˚ F). Make sure the frying oil cools completely before discarding, at least 4 hours.

SPICY TURKEY & PEPPER BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for 12-15 mins or until tender. Drain well, then return to the pan and allow to steam for 3 mins. Add some seasoning and the butter, then roughly mash with a fork and set aside until later.
• Meanwhile, cook the peppers and onion in a large pan for 5 mins - the water in the peppers should stop them sticking. Stir in the turkey mince, chilli and paprika and cook until browned. Pour in the stock, then bubble for 10 mins until thickened. Transfer the turkey mince into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and cook for 30 mins or until golden and bubbling.

SPICY PEPPER BUTTER FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Two days before frying, set up a large deep fryer with burner base and propane tank, meant for frying turkey, according to manufacturer's instructions. Measure the amount of oil needed by placing the wrapped turkey in the pot and filling the pot with water to cover the turkey by 1 inch. Remove the turkey and mark the water level on the side of the pot.
• Combine all ingredients, except turkey and oil, in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cool. Following package instructions, fill the injector that comes with turkey fry kit with butter mixture; inject butter mixture in turkey all over. Refrigerate turkey for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours before frying.
• Fill the fryer with oil up to the marked line, attach a deep fry thermometer to the pot, and heat oil to 350 degrees F. Put the turkey on the fry stand, attach to the metal hanger that comes with kit, and slowly lower into the hot oil. Cook turkey 4 minutes per pound; when done, turkey will float to the surface. Meat should register 180 degrees F on meat thermometer. Let turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• You can also use the butter mixture to baste a turkey in a 325 degrees F oven every 20 minutes until an internal temperature of 180 degrees F is reached.

DEEP FRIED TURKEY INJECTION - BUTTER CREOLE

Steps:

• Melt butter slowly as not to burn.
• Add rest of ingredients and mix well.
• (I place in a covered bowl and shake vigorously).
• Inject into your turkey and allow to sit for one hour or more before deep frying.
• HINT: We were cooking the turkey while camping, and decided to leave it in the bag to inject it, so it would not be so messy!
• It worked great!

CAJUN DEEP-FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion juice, garlic juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper and beer. Mix until well blended.
• Use a marinade injecting syringe or turkey baster with an injector tip to inject the marinade all over the turkey including the legs, back, wings, thighs and breasts. Place in a large plastic bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Do not use a kitchen trash bag. If your turkey is large, you can use an oven bag.
• When it's time to fry, measure the amount of oil needed by lowering the turkey into the fryer and filling with enough oil to cover it. Remove the turkey and set aside.
• Heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). When the oil has come to temperature, lower the turkey into the hot oil slowly using the hanging device that comes with turkey deep-fryers. The turkey should be completely submerged in the oil. Cook for 36 minutes, or 3 minutes per pound of turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). Turn off the flame and slowly remove from the oil, making sure all of the oil drains out of the cavity. Allow to rest on a serving platter for about 20 minutes before carving.