Best Spicy Pepper Butter Fried Turkey Recipes

SOUTHERN FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Combine butter, red pepper sauce, water, garlic, and bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil the sauce for 10 minutes to reduce. As it cooks, the color will deepen. Allow the sauce to cool before injecting it into the turkey. It is best to inject the turkey with the sauce at least 12 hours before frying.
• Set up a 40-quart deep fryer with burner base and propane tank according to manufacturer's directions. As a safety precaution, measure the amount of oil needed to fry by filling the pot first with water and covering the turkey by 1-inch. You may want to put the turkey in a plastic bag for ease. Remove the turkey and mark the water level on the side of the pot ? this insures no spill over when working with hot oil. Pour out the water, dry the pot and turkey thoroughly.
• Fill the pot with oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Have a deep fry thermometer attached to the pot. Put the turkey on the fry stand and attach to the metal hanger that comes with the fry kit. Slowly ease the turkey into the hot oil, long oven mitts and an apron are essential.
• Keep a close eye as the oil bubbles up. Turkey cooks 4 minutes per pound so check it at 45 minutes. The internal temperature of the bird should read on a thermometer between 170 and 180 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oil as carefully as it went in.
• Set the turkey stand on a roasting pan to drain the excess oil. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes so the juices settle before removing and carving.

COPYCAT POPEYE'S CAJUN FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• For Seasoning Mix: Combine kosher salt, peppers and onion powder in one bowl. Cover and hold for service. Important beginning note: To identify the correct amount of oil to use in the commercial fryer, place the turkey in the fryer before adding seasoning and add water until turkey is covered. Measure the amount of water and use a corresponding amount of oil. Drain and dry the fryer thoroughly before placing the oil in the fryer. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Wash the turkey well with cold water. Drain and completely pat dry both the inside and outside of the turkey with paper towels. Cut off the wing tips and tail so they do not get caught in the fryer basket. Place turkey in a large pan and rub the inside and outside of the turkey with 1/2 of the Cajun Turkey Seasoning Mix. Do not truss or tie legs together. Cover the pan and refrigerate turkey overnight. For Marinade: Over very low heat, melt butter and stir in salt, black pepper, white pepper and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Stir until well blended. Allow mixture to cool to about 100 degrees F. Spoon or pour into injector needle and inject the turkey, covering all the thick areas such as the breast and legs. Add oil to the fryer with a basket or rack. Heat the oil on medium-high setting until it reaches 365 degrees F -- about 20-40 minutes. Place the turkey, neck down, in a basket or on a rack. When the oil temperature registers 365 degrees F on the deep-fry thermometer, carefully lower the turkey into the oil. The oil level will rise from the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will settle in about one minute. Check the oil temperature immediately and increase the flame to maintain the oil at 365 degrees F. Cook the whole turkey about 3-4 minutes per pound. Monitor and regulate the heat at all times. When a food thermometer registers 170 degrees F in the turkey breast or 180 degrees F in the thigh, remove the turkey from the oil and let it drain for a few minutes. (Let the oil cool completely before storing or disposing it.) Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Immediately sprinkle turkey with the remaining Cajun Turkey Seasoning Mix. Allow the turkey to sit for 20 minutes before carving. Recipe Source: Popeye's Executive Chef Billy Jacob

BUFFALO FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Look at the label on the turkey and write down the exact weight. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt all over the turkey, inside and out, nudging some into areas where the skin naturally separates from the bird, such as around the neck, top of the breast and between the legs and breast. Chill, uncovered, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
• Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels, making sure there is no moisture anywhere, especially in the cavity. (Any wetness may cause dangerous splattering.)
• Place the turkey breast-side up in the basket of a turkey fryer or on the fry stand, depending on the type of deep fryer you have; follow the manufacturer's instructions. Let the turkey sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 3.
• Fill a turkey fryer with oil according to the manufacturer's instructions, following the specifications for the weight of your turkey (see Cook's Note). Heat to 375 degrees F (this could take 30 to 60 minutes depending on your fryer). Set a rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Lowering the turkey requires upper body strength so prepare yourself. Most fryers come with a hook to lower and raise the basket or fry stand in and out of the oil. Make sure to use the hook. Lift the basket over the fryer and carefully and slowly lower the turkey into the oil, inch by inch, until about half way, and then pause to allow the cavity to fill with oil. The oil will be bubbling vigorously and that?s ok. (If it starts to splatter violently, that could mean there is water on the turkey or that the turkey is still partially frozen. If that happens, remove the turkey from the oil and check to ensure the turkey is free of moisture and not still frozen.) Once the cavity is full of oil, continue lowering the turkey until it is completely submerged. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding cooking covered or uncovered and adjusting the heat. Continue cooking until the turkey is golden brown, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes per pound, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Carefully remove the turkey from the oil and transfer to the prepared rack to drain and cool, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Simmer the hot sauce, garlic and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly darker and thickened, about 10 minutes. Discard the garlic, reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter, one piece at a time, until completely melted, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Remove the turkey from the basket or fry stand and liberally brush with the Buffalo sauce, making sure to get into every nook and cranny. Let sit 15 minutes. Repeat basting and sitting two more times. Reserve remaining sauce for serving.
• Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks, blue cheese dip and remaining Buffalo sauce.

SUCCULENT DEEP FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels; coat completely with no-stick cooking spray. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl; rub over turkey.
• Combine spice injection mixture ingredients in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Let cool to barely warm. Inject the mixture with spice injector into several spots on both sides of the turkey breast and thighs, making sure not to inject too much into any one spot. Cover and chill overnight.
• Fry according to fryer manufacturer's directions using peanut oil. Reference package for additional information.

SPICY TURKEY STIR-FRY WITH CRISP GARLIC AND GINGER

Steps:

• In a cold 12-inch skillet, combine oil, garlic and ginger. Place over medium heat until sizzling, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic and ginger are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Add coconut oil to pan, then stir in scallion whites and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in turkey, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Don't stir the meat too much, so it can turn deep brown.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice, fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste and add more lime juice, red-pepper flakes, soy sauce and sugar or honey if you like.
• Gently mix about two-thirds of the fried garlic and ginger into the turkey. Serve turkey over rice, topped with cilantro, basil, scallion greens and fresh chile, and garnished with remaining fried ginger and garlic.

CAJUN DEEP-FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion juice, garlic juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper and beer. Mix until well blended.
• Use a marinade injecting syringe or turkey baster with an injector tip to inject the marinade all over the turkey including the legs, back, wings, thighs and breasts. Place in a large plastic bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Do not use a kitchen trash bag. If your turkey is large, you can use an oven bag.
• When it's time to fry, measure the amount of oil needed by lowering the turkey into the fryer and filling with enough oil to cover it. Remove the turkey and set aside.
• Heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). When the oil has come to temperature, lower the turkey into the hot oil slowly using the hanging device that comes with turkey deep-fryers. The turkey should be completely submerged in the oil. Cook for 36 minutes, or 3 minutes per pound of turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). Turn off the flame and slowly remove from the oil, making sure all of the oil drains out of the cavity. Allow to rest on a serving platter for about 20 minutes before carving.