Smoked Fried Turkey

[willkat98]

I'm just hearing about this in Internet forums.

Smoked Fried turkey.

From my research it goes some what like this (I've found 2 variations so far).

While smoking something "else", throw a turkey onto the smoker at approx 190 to 210 for 1 to 1.25 hours of almost all flavor wood smoking.

Remove turkey from smoker and fry in turkey fryer at (and heres where the research differs) 375* oil temp for 2.5 minutes per pound.

To me, this sounds right, since its 3.5 minutes a pound to fry a regular bird.

I have never tried this, and am eager to try something new. From my early (and I mean in just the past few days) research, I have heard comments like "best of both worlds" and "hint of smokyness with locked in fried goodness"

I got to somehow make room to test before T Day. Running out of time though

 

[sundaysmoker]

Sounds pretty good. I have yet to have fried turkey but I have heard they are excellant. Let us know when you try it.
Patrick

 

[Dutch]

Don't burn the deck off the back of the house. Neighbor did that to his when deep frying a t-bird. Told the Fire Department that he was goning to replace the deck anyway. His wife didn't think it was very funny and left him. He didn't replace the until his new wife made him and now he's only allowed to deep fry on the CEMENT patio!! 8)

 

[sickpuppy]

Dutch,

That is a funny story but sorry to say it happens quit often when frying a t-bird. Lots of serious injuries and buildings burnt down.

I have fried a lot of turkeys and have now got it down to where I feel safe doing it. I still keep a fire extinguisher handy. First off you need the right amount of oil (I use peanut). To do this, since you never have the same size bird, you place bird in pot and fill with water to cover the bird. Then make a mark at the water line, empty water and dry out pot and pat dry the bird, removing as much water as possible. Refill pot with oil to mark. As we know oil and water does not mix, especially when frying. This is what causes most of the fires. Both wet bird, or too much oil, causing the oil to over flow and then hit the fire bursting in flame. Also, using a temperature gauge and keeping oil below its combustion point is required. Never drop the bird in the oil, lower very slowly.

Next to turducken I think an injected and fried t-bird is one great taste treat. Fast and fairly easy if done right and always juicy.

Dan

P. S. Dutch, I went to a festival this past weekend at the Destrahan Plantation (a yearly event and was surprised they still had it this year, Katrina and all) and in the cooking quarters they had a demonstration of dutch oven cooking. Some good vittles were being cooked.

 

[Dutch]

Dan, Foods prepared in a smoker or a dutch oven contain absolutely NO calories!! :mrgreen: Cooking in dutch ovens is a learned skill much like smoking foods. A lot of trial and error occurs in both until you master the basics.

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Chi Bill,
I did a smofry turkey today and it was a thing to behold. I started it out by soaking it in brine overnight. The tukey weighed 12.28 lb. I brined it in a solution of 2 gal water, 2 cps kosher salt, 2 cps sugar, 1/4 cp garlic powder, 1/4 cp onion powder and 1/8 cp black pepper. When I said over night, I put the bird into the brine at about 9:00 Wed. night in the refrig and took it out at about 1:00 PM Thurs. I washed it clean, rubbed it down with some EVOO and Tony Cacheries (sp) Cajun seasoning. I smoked it for 1.25 hr at 225* (hickory smoke). Then, I pulled the turkey from the smoker and placed it into the deep fryer. I cooked it at 325* for 2.5 min. per lb. (31 Min. total). I then pulled it out and let it rest for about 15 min. I carved the bird and along with the wife's corn bread dressing, green beans and cranberry cassarole it was fantastic. The turkey was moist, smokey and the skin was crispy. I highly recommend the smofry to all. It's yet another wonderful way to enjoy turkey and the art of smoking. Thanks for the idea.

 

[cmacv]

"sickpuppy"
I have fried a lot of turkeys and have now got it down to where I feel safe doing it. I still keep a fire extinguisher handy. First off you need the right amount of oil (I use peanut). To do this, since you never have the same size bird, you place bird in pot and fill with water to cover the bird. Then make a mark at the water line, empty water and dry out pot and pat dry the bird, removing as much water as possible. Refill pot with oil to mark. "sickpuppy"

see i got fring t-birds down and you just burnt down your house, you put t-bird in pot cover with water than remove bird than mark water level, if you marked the spot with bird in added that much oil, added bird bammm oil overflow hence fire, good thing you had that extinguisher handy! =p

 

[sickpuppy]

Sorry, I do not have a clue as to what you are trying to say. You seem to be good at graphics but expression of thought and sentence structure is a little lacking.

Dan

 

[mrgrumpy]

Sickpuppy,

Yoy have:
First off you need the right amount of oil (I use peanut). To do this, since you never have the same size bird, you place bird in pot and fill with water to cover the bird. Then make a mark at the water line, empty water and dry out pot and pat dry the bird, removing as much water as possible. Refill pot with oil to mark.

One very important missed point.... after you put the water into the pot to cover the bird, remove the bird before making your mark where the water level is. By not doing this, you will overfill the pot with oil, and when you put the bird in, could splash/run the hot oil over the pan and onto the burner causing a rather large fire.....

 

[scott in kc]

Another very basic common sense piece of advice is, turn the burner off, when adding food to the fryer, then relight it.

Only takes a minute and keeps small problems small.

 

[veener88]

This is the number one reason when we built our deck we have a section were the smoker is that is tiles over cement board. and is about 10 feet from the house that is brick. That way if I am grilling, smoking, or frying I am on a service that is not flamable but I am still out or nice large deck.

 

[prplptcrzr2003]

I really don't care for deep-fried t-bird. My brother did it twice - it wasn't bad, but seemed to be too much trouble...not to mention the risk factor. Nothing beats a roasted (in an oven bag) or smoked bird any day! Just my opinion.

 

[nmayeux]

I have been frying turks for years, but this past Thanksgiving, I smoked 5 in my new smoker. I still think that a fried turk fresh tastes the best, but a smoked turk is much better hands down after a little time. I just think that after an hour or so, the fried turk is just too greasy. Plus, the turk sandwiches, and turk salad were the best I ever had this past year. FWIW,

 

[prplptcrzr2003]

Niiiiice pics! nmayeux, you brought up a good point about deep fried turkey being a bit greasy. Although good-tasting as it is, I just like the fact that you can do more with the leftovers of a smoked turkey than with a fried one. 2 years ago, we had a deep-fried turkey and part of the sides was deep fried corn on the cob! Anyone ever had that? Not bad, (tasted like popcorn) but it's not something I would have on a regular basis.

 

[ma?tley ca 1/4 e]

I fry corn on the cob all the time, but I dunk it in buttermilk, then flour, then fry. I do it with fried shrimp and crab claws. The buttermilk has a little hot sauce and old bay. Absolutely delicious!!!

 

[willkat98]

I love fried turkey, and do one every year (yipes, I just remembered the oil is still in the fryer in the basement from TDay.

I acknowledge that it must be eaten ASAP, as it looses its goodness. But I've never thought of peanut oil as leaving a "greasy" taste.

But, to be honest, I always smoke at least 2 of those 8# turkey breasts. The fried one gets injected with Tony C's Jalepeno Butter injection. One smoked one gets a Backwoods Zesty that I get at Menards, and the other smoked gets maple syrup mixture using sugar free maple syrup. It must be tried, before you discount it.

One year, Uncle Farker insisted on a "baked" bird too. He did end up getting that, but after trying the fried and smoked birds, he admited he liked them better.

Next year he was here, he was the carver, and generously sampled everything, and the oven only saw casseroles, no bird

I still haven't tried this smoked fried thing. Wonder if its best of both worlds

 

[gremlin]

Awesome looking grub...mmmmmmmmm .
If I could only my skins to look that crispy.
Is that a gas smoker?..... I don't think I will ever get skin that crisp in my electric smoker.
Nice job nmayeux.

 

[nmayeux]

Bill,
It has been at least 4 years since we have baked a bird. Fried or smoked is the only way to go, as you just can't beat the flavor. Also, thanks Grimlin. The smoker is wood fired, and we probably need to do a thread about smoking turks. To finish the skin, I usually jack up the temp just before removing the bird. Also, I use my favorite mop of bourbon and apple juice to get that nice color. Once I like the color, I cover with a foil tent if needed.