Subj:  Fried Turkey

From:  EBWATERS

Deep Fried Turkey

Tips on: Use water to measrue the amount of oil that 
wil be needed if you are unsure of
the capacity of your deep fryer. 
A heavy wire coat hanger hooked to the wire band that 
secures the turkey's legs will
help when lowering and lifting the turkey into the hot 
fat. Or use a sturdy cooking
spoon, tongs, or alarge fork for extra support. Do not 
rely solely on the wire band tgo lift
a heavy turkey as it can loosen during the cooking process.
Before removing the pot from the burner, let the oil 
cool for at least one hour after the
turkey has been removed and fire turned off.
You can inject strained bottled Italians salad dressing 
for the marinade or use the cajun
Injector which is a kit that includes a sixteen ounce 
jar of marinade and a syringe type
injector. Use about 1 ounce of marinade per pound of 
turkey. It is better to buy a fresh
turkey than a prebasted type because the prebasted ones 
are saltier.
Marinades can be injected in a whole turkey in about 
five minutes. Most experts
recommend cholsing a turkey no larger than twelve pounds. 
Remove the giblets from
cavities, wash cavities and pat dry. Inject marinade 
into turkey thighs, legs, and breast.
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a 40 quart cooker, such as 
a propane or butane cooker with a
steamer basket and a cover. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning 
(Zatarains is a good one) all over
the entire bird and inside cavity. Carefully lower the 
turkey into oil and deep fry for 3
1/2 minutes per pound, maintaining oil at 350 degrees. 
Remove turkey carefully and let
oil cool. Makes 12-15 servings.
Justin Wilson's Deep Fried Turkey:
 "I first made a turkey like this in the 1930's 
when I lived in Crowley, La. Some friends
and I had no luck in our hunting so we killed a yard 
turkey and tried it in fresh
rendered lard. I've been doing it ever since. It is 
the best way to cook turkey that I know
of. The turkey doesn't get dry like most baked turkeys 
do." Wilson now fires his bird in
peanut oil

1 15-20 pound turkey
salt and cayenne pepper
4-5 gallones peanut oil

Rinse the turkey well and pat dry inside and out. Using 
a shaker, sprinkle the bird inside
and out with salt and then shake on the cayenne. Be 
sure to rub the seasonings into the
meat and then be equally sure to WASH YOUR HANDS.
Pour enough peanut oil into a large 40-quart pot to 
cover turkey fully when it is
lowered into the pot. Make sure the pot is large enough 
that oil won't overflow when
turkey is submerged. Also use a steamer rig (rack) to 
keep the bird off the bottom of the
pot where the oil is much hotter. Heat oil to 350-375 
degrees.
Wearing cooking mitts and holding turkey by the legs, 
very slowly and carefully lower
the bird into the hot oil, all the way. Fry about 3-4 
minuts per pound (Smaller birds cook
more quickly; larger birds might have to cook 5-6 minutes 
per pound ) A fifteeen pound
bird will be done in 50-60 minutes. Some long tongs 
or a large fork make handling the
turkey a lot easier.
Test for doneness at the bone in the thigh joint. Carefully 
remove turkey from oil and
allow it to drain. Stand it upright on its leg so excess 
oil willd rain from the cavity onto
paper towels. Carve as usual and be sure to savor the 
crunchy skin."

Excerpted from Justin Wilson's HOmegrown Louisiana Cookin', 
Macmillan $21.00 and
worth every cent of it!