Smoke Fried Turkey

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4.20 from 71 votes

The Smoke Fried Turkey for your most epic Thanksgiving yet!

Prep Time1

Cook Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: People

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

10-12 Lb Turkey fully thawed
1 Cup Kosher Salt
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Peppercorns
1 Cup Cajun Seasoning
4 oz Butter

Instructions

The day before cooking; combine kosher salt, brown sugar, and peppercorns in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and mix thoroughly. Remove brine base from heat and cool with ice.
Place Turkey in a large brine bag with brine base, 1.5 gallons of water, and ½ cup of Cajun seasoning. Place turkey in a cooler with ice or refrigerator to brine overnight.
The next morning, pre heat smoker to 275F degrees.
Mix 4 oz of softened butter with ¼ cup of Cajun seasoning. Remove turkey from the brine bag and inject with Cajun butter, hitting all major muscle groups (breasts, thighs, legs, and wings). Season turkey generously with Cajun rub.
Smoke turkey at 275 degrees until 135 degrees at the breast. The size of the turkey will greatly affect this timing. While turkey is smoking prepare deep fryer and heat oil to 350 degrees.
Remove turkey from smoker and lower into the deep fryer (safely). Use all safety precautions and proper safety gear. The deep fryer should be turned off during this part to avoid a grease fire.
Cook turkey in the deep fryer for 10-15min, until internal temp on the breast reads 165 degrees. Remove from fryer and rest for 10 min.
Carve turkey and take your rightful crown as the monarch of Thanksgiving!

Video

Notes

What size turkey should I get?

Plan for about 1 to 1.5 pounds of holiday bird per person to make sure everyone gets their fill (and you have leftovers for sandwiches). For smaller gatherings, stick to a bird around 12-14 pounds for the best frying results. If you're feeding a bigger crowd, consider cooking two smaller turkeys instead of one massive bird—they'll fry more evenly and stay juicier.

Nutrition