Southern Deep Fried Turkey

Preparation

• 1 Remove the giblets and neck, rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Take care to dry both inside cavities. To allow for good oil circulation throughout the cavity, do not truss or tie legs together. Cut off the wing tips and plump little tail (as they may get2 In a medium bowl, mix vinaigrette, dry sherry and seasonings together. Strain the marinade. 3 Place the marinade in an injection syringe. Inject the marinade in the turkey breast, thighs and legs. Place the bird in a large food-safe plastic bag, refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours. Turn the bag and massage the turkey from time to time.4 Drain the marinade from the turkey and discard marinade. Place the turkey in the fryer basket or on a rack, neck down.5 Place the OUTDOOR gas burner on a level dirt or grassy area. Never fry a turkey indoors, in a garage or in any structure attached to a building. Do not fry on wood decks, which could catch fire, or concrete, which could be stained by the oil. (Safety tip: have a fire extinguisher nearby for added sa6 Add oil to a 7 to 10 gallon pot with a basket or rack. At the medium-high setting, heat the oil to 375 degrees F, (depending on the amount of oil, outside temperature and wind conditions, this should take about 40+ minutes).7 When the oil temperature registers 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer, slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. The level of the oil will rise due to the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will stabilize in about one minute. (Safety tips: to prevent burns from the splattering 8 mmediately check the oil temperature and increase the flame so the oil temperature is maintained at 350 degrees F. If the temperature drops to 340 degrees F or below, oil will begin to seep into the turkey.Fry about 3-4 minutes per pound, or about 35-42 minutes for a 10-12 pound turkey. 9 Stay with the cooker at all times as the heat must be regulated to maintain 350 degrees F. When cooked to 165-170 degrees F in the breast or 170-175 degrees F in the thigh, carefully remove the turkey from the hot oil. Allow the turkey to drain for a few minutes. 10 Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• Source: National Turkey Federation