I have yet to have met a true outdoorsman that was not also an avid chef. These days I enjoy sharing fish and game preparation methods and recipes with my friends as much as I do hunting and fishing stories. While attending Clemson University during the early 90’s I got to be friends with a couple of guys in the forestry program. These good ole boys were always having a party out at their house on the lake and cooking up fresh fish, venison, dove, hog, turkey, duck, etc. Through watching and helping I learned a lot about sportsman’s cuisine. Perhaps my most memorable experience at the lake house was the first time I ever had deep fried turkey. It was early spring and these guys had killed some turkeys on the WMA land owned by the University. They brought the turkeys home, cleaned them, and then rubbed them down with Cajun seasoning. As it turns out they had seen some Cajuns on ESPN Outdoors demonstrating how to fry turkeys the week prior. They dropped the Turkey in a pot of boiling oil on the back porch and 45 minutes later we were all eating the juiciest and best turkey we had ever had.
These days frying turkeys had become quite popular, and as matter of fact every time I turn around I see an advertisement from a hardware or home improvement store for turkey fryers. In keeping with the season I thought it may be nice to provide a few tips and recipes for frying turkeys.
Several homes in Louisiana burnt to the ground when turkey frying first started. A five gallon pot full of boiling oil can be deadly. The turkey fryer should be set up outdoors and on a level surface. Make sure pets and children are kept away at all times.
For frying a turkey you will need the following items:
•Turkey, thawed, cleaned, etc.
•propane burner, somewhere around 160,000 BTU
•large stainless steel or aluminum frying pot (approximately 28 quarts) Note: stainless steel is more durable and holds the heat better than aluminum.
•turkey hanger and stand
•grease thermometer
•peanut oil
•seasoning
•injector
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