Meat + Poultry Turkey Deep-Fried Turkey Brined in Cayenne and Brown Sugar 5.0 (4,765) 18 Reviews Cooking a deep-fried a turkey for Thanksgiving isn't as hard as it sounds (though it does require caution). And there's a great payoff: an exquisitely moist, crispy turkey. You can use different kinds of equipment: a stockpot, an electric fryer, a pot-and-propane setup, or a deep-fryer. The best deep fryers come with a thermostat and a metal basket for lowering the turkey into the hot oil and removing it once it's done. Whatever equipment you use, the procedure is the same: Heat the oil—it can take up to an hour—then slowly lower the turkey into it. A 12-pound turkey cooks in just 36 minutes following the timing of 3 minutes of frying per pound or turkey. Related: Amazon’s Secret Outlet Dropped 4,000+ Kitchen Sales Before Black Friday, but These Are the 15 Best By Allison Vines-Rushing Allison Vines-Rushing Allison Vines-Rushing is a James Beard Award-winning chef who is celebrated for her French-inspired interpretation of modern Southern and New Orleans cuisine. She has been featured in The New York Times, New York Observer, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Art Culinaire. Allison opened the critically acclaimed New Orleans restaurant MiLa and co-authored the cookbook Southern Comfort: A New Take on Recipes We Grew Up With (2012). Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Slade Rushing Updated on November 18, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 1 hrs Yield: 10, with leftovers Ingredients 3 cups packed light brown sugar (about 1 1/4 pounds) 1 ½ cups Dijon mustard ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper 2 gallons cold water 1 bunch of thyme 1 head of garlic (separated into cloves and crushed) 12 pound turkey 2 ½ gallons vegetable oil Directions In a large stockpot, whisk the brown sugar with the mustard, salt and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the water, then add the thyme and garlic. Add the turkey, cover and brine in the refrigerator for 35 hours. In a turkey fryer or an 18-quart or larger stockpot, bring the oil to 400°; this can take up to an hour. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels. Transfer the turkey to a frying basket, breast side up. Lower the turkey into the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes per pound, 36 minutes. Lift the basket out of the fryer and drain the turkey on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes. Carve and serve. Petrina Tinslay Suggested Pairing Rich, robust Zinfandel: 2019 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Rate it Print