Dis is a delightful dish. It is so easy to fix,
I garontee!
| One 12 to 15-pound turkey | Ground cayenne Pepper |
| Salt | 4 to 5 gallons peanut oil |
Rinse the turkey well and pat dry inside and out. Using
a shaker, sprinkle the bird inside and out with salt, then shake on cayenne
pepper in the same manner, making sure to rub the seasonings into the
meat. Wash your hands! Pour enough peanut oil into a large 40-quart pot
to insure that the turkey will be covered when fully lowered into the
pot. Make sure the pot is large enough that the oil won’t overflow when
the turkey is submerged. Also, I use a steamer to rig to keep the bird
off the very bottom of the pot, where the oil is much hotter. Heat the
oil to 350 to 375 degrees. Then, holding on to the legs, very SLOWLY and
CAREFULLY lower the bird all the way into the hot oil, being careful not
to splash any oil. I wear cooking mitts to make this easier. Fry about
3 to 4 minutes to the pound. (Smaller birds cook more quickly; larger
birds might have to cook 5 to 6 minutes per pound.) A 15-pound bird will
be done in 50 to 60 minutes. Some tongs or a large fork make handling the turkey much easier. Test for
doneness at the bone at the thigh joint. Carefully remove the turkey from
the oil, allowing it to drain, and stand it upright on its legs and pope’s
nose so that the excess oil will drain from the cavity onto paper towels.
Carve as usual, and be sure to savor the crunchy skin.