This recipe guides you to a super juicy fried turkey with crispy skin, achieved by first brining in bourbon and seasonings, then injecting with melted seasoned butter before deep frying. Perfect for Thanksgiving.
First, start with a bourbon brine using salt, seasoning (peppercorns, paprika, cumin, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme), orange peels, and bourbon. Brine the turkey for at least overnight and ideally up to 36 hours, pending the size of your turkey. This helps keep the turkey tender and prevents it from drying out. Pat the turkey completely dry and let it sit on a rack until completely dried out; this prevents kickback when frying. Inject the turkey with melted butter along with garlic, paprika, onion powder, cumin, and pepper. Fry the turkey for approximately 3 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F, or until the turkey breast reaches 165 F and the thighs are at least 180 F. Let the turkey rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before carving and enjoying.
