No matter which route you take, remember to remove the giblets from the turkey’s cavity and dry it inside and out. (Excluding the liver, which can be bitter, reserve the neck and any other discarded turkey parts to make turkey stock.)
The oil: You can use any type of oil that has a high smoke point. Canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oil all work well. How much oil do you need to fry a turkey? For a 12–14-lb. turkey, you’ll need approximately 4–5 gal. of oil. But pots vary in volume, so the method below will help you determine the precise amount you’ll need to fill your particular pot. Remember that the oil level will rise once you lower the turkey; this method factors in the clearance required between the oil’s surface and the top of the pot. Never fill the pot to the brim, which could cause the hot oil to overflow and set the whole thing ablaze.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Measure the oil level.
To prevent hot oil from overflowing when you lower the turkey, you’ll need to measure your pot’s fill level before frying. To do this, place the turkey in the empty, cool fryer pot and fill the pot with water until the turkey is fully submerged, with water rising about 2" above the bird. Remove the turkey from the pot and set it aside. Use a waterproof marker to mark the water level on the outside of the pot. This is your fill line. Discard the water, then wash and dry the inside of the pot thoroughly.
To ensure the bird has time to dry out completely, we recommend doing this step a few days in advance, before dry-brining the turkey.
2. Set up the turkey fryer and heat the oil.
Arrange the burner outside, on a flat surface far from the house, garage, swing set, backyard patio, or any other combustible structure. Keep children and pets (and any inebriated relatives) a safe distance from the fryer at all times.
Place the pot on the burner; clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot. Add a neutral oil with a high-smoke point to the pot up to the fill line you made earlier (you’ll need about 4–5 gal. to fry a 12–14-lb. turkey in a 30-qt. pot). If you spill any oil on the side of the pot, wipe it off with a rag. Turn the burner on and adjust the heat to medium-high. Monitor the fryer until the temperature of the oil registers 375°F. You’ll fry the turkey at 350°F, but heating the oil slightly higher allows for the temperature to drop when you briefly turn off the burner and submerge the bird. Depending on the outside temperature, it should take around 30 minutes for the frying oil to reach 375°. Stay close by; you don’t want the temperature to exceed 450°F.
3. Prep your turkey.
While the oil is heating, make your herb or spice rub and spread it underneath the turkey’s skin (if you’ve dry-brined the bird, you can skip this step). We like a classic herb rub with dried thyme and rosemary, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika (as in our fried turkey recipe), but feel free to customize the seasonings. Make a Cajun spice mix with cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and other seasonings, or go wild and rub your turkey with Dorito seasoning. It is your Thanksgiving turkey after all.
