Holiday Turkey
Ingredients
Whole Turkey
Buttermilk
Salt
Pepper
Good Feather Poultry Rub
Cayenne Pepper
Rosemary
Garlic
Prep: 1 Day
Cook: 45 - 60 mins
Total: 1 Day
Servings: 8 - 10
Yield: 8 servings
Preparation
Properly thaw your turkey, the safest way is to thaw it in the fridge. Allow roughly 1 day for every 4-5 pounds.
Once thawed, break the turkey down into 6-8 pieces. I chose 6 leaving the thigh and leg joints connected. You can separate them if you have a larger party to serve.
In a small pot bring 1 cup of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of salt,
1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper, 2 sprigs of Rosemary, 4 large crushed Garlic Cloves, lastly 1 cup cold water and stir.
In a large mixing bowl add 1 quart of buttermilk, and the brine liquid from the pot, and stir. Take your turkey pieces and add them to the buttermilk brine liquid, making sure they are fully covered. Add additional buttermilk if needed.
Cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge overnight/for 24 hours.
The Cook
Prepare your Masterbuilt Electric Fryer by adding 2 gallons of canola oil and setting the temp to 350 degrees. This can take roughly 30-45 minutes to bring to temperature. Lets the prepare the dredge.
In a long baking dish or large bowl, add 5 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups cornmeal, 2 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp of black pepper, 2 tbsp cayenne pepper, and 1/4 cup of your favorite poultry rub. Whisk together to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
I personally set up my frying station as follows. Turkey to the left, dredging mixture in the center, and a rack to the right to allow the excess to fall off of the turkey. When using this method it is best to use the wet hand and dry hand method.
Remove turkey from the brine liquid, shaking any excess off. Place one to two pieces of turkey into the flour dredge and coat evenly. Make sure to get into all the creases, then place them on the rack. For a thicker crust, you can repeat the process starting by dipping the breaded turkey back into the brine.
Now it's time to fry! For the best result, do not overcrowd the frying basket. A great tip is to cut the larger piece into smaller sections. Such as cutting the turkey breast into three chunks, this is best done before adding to the buttermilk.
Add turkey sections into the basket and cook until the internal temp is 165 degrees. When the internal temp is reached remove from oil and set it on a rack to allow excess oil to drip off. Plate and serve with some of your favorite sides.
