Tips, recipes for deep fried turkey

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the outdoor cooking experts at SmokeInDaEye.com are offering some recipes and tips to make sure your turkey is extra special this year.

Deep fried turkey is great, as long as you exercise caution when cooking. Here's 10 tips to a perfect fried bird.

1. Safety first. Place the fryer well away from the house and anything flammable like a wooden deck in case the hot oil spills.
2. Test the oil levels. Adding 15 to 20 pounds of anything to liquid will make the level rise so your best bet is to test it in advance by putting the turkey in the pot then filling with water until the bird is fully immersed. Remove the turkey, noting the level of the water on the side of the pot with a permanent pen. Dump the water, dry the pot well (water and oil don't go well together).
3. Don't go overboard with the seasonings. Think how moist and flavorful chicken fried in peanut oil is without the addition of injections, rubs, etc. But if you must, inject the meatiest portions of the turkey using an injecting needle with a flavorful liquid such as white wine and turkey seasonings. Try to keep the injection light in color so the meat doesn't come out with dark streaks. As for rub, apply it the night before so the flavor can really absorb into the meat, otherwise most of it's coming off like dirt in a bath.
4. Oil it up. Once you're ready to get frying, fill the pot with oil (preferably peanut) to the line you made previously. Heat to approximately 325 degrees. When prepping the turkey, make sure it is fully defrosted and patted dry. Again, water and oil don't go well together and ice crystals will cause some nasty little red spots all over your body.
5. Dress the part. Before you get started, make sure you are wearing shoes, not sandles, long pants, a long sleeved shirt and whatever else to protect from small bits of flying grease or overflow.
6. Be prepared. Keep mitts, a lid for the pot and a fire extinguisher on hand in case you have to remove the pot quickly from the open flame. Note, water will only make the situation worse if you have a grease fire. Suffocating it by putting the lid on the pot is your best bet.
7. Get cooking. Once the oil is fully heated, place the turkey onto the rack provided, attach the hooked rod and SLOWLY lower it into the oil. You may want to wear a welders glove to help with the heat, but the key is not to drop it in and cause a splash back. From there, let the fryer do its job.
8. Bring the turkey to temperature. When deep frying turkeys, a good rule of thumb is 3 minutes per pound (i.e. 45 minutes for a 15 pound bird). To be extra certain, check the internal temperature with a remote thermometer. Once it reaches 170 degrees, you're good to go.
9. Rest it. While friends and family will be anxious to dive right in, allow the cooked bird to rest 10-20 minutes before carving so the juices can redistribute.
10. Enjoy!

A Smokin' Thanksgiving Bird

Brine ingredients:1 gallon vegetable broth3/4 cup kosher salt1/4 cup brown sugar4 tbsp your favorite barbecue dry rub seasoning Additional ingredients:12-14 pound turkey1 cup yellow mustard1 cup barbecue dry rub seasoningHeat all ingredients over medium heat until dissolved and well blended. Cool in fridge until ready to use. In a large stock pot, place the raw 12-14 pound turkey inside and cover with brine. Let soak in the fridge overnight, 8-12 hours.Remove turkey, pat dry thoroughly. Rub turkey skin well with plain yellow mustard then coat well with Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom Rub or any of your favorite barbecue rub. Allow to rest while preparing the smoker*.Heat smoker with lump charcoal and 2-3 fist sized pecan wood chunks or favorite fuel to approximately 350 degrees. Add turkey and cook until internal temperature in thickest part of the turkey reaches a minimum temperature of 165 degrees (approximately 2.5 hours). Remove and rest for approximately 30 minutes before carving. * Note: A charcoal grill can be substituted for a smoker by placing coals and wood chunks on either side of the grill, leaving the center cool. Coals can also be separated by a disposable aluminum pan filled partially with water and/or fruit juice, adding additional moisture to the cooker.From

Southwestern Turkey Soup

One turkey carcass with most of the meat removed and set aside1-2 gallons of water1/2 cup flour1/2 cup canola oil1 onion finely chopped2 celery stalks, minced4 cloves garlic, minced1 carrot, finely chopped1 smoked ham hock2 carrots, cut into slices1/2 tablespoon of cracked black pepper1 tablespoon salt3 bay leaves1 teaspoon anaheim chile powder1 cup roasted corn kernels2 poblano peppers, roasted, deseeded and deskinned then sliced into matchsticksWaterLeftover turkey, chopped1 one pound bag of egg noodlesHeat large stockpot over medium adding oil and flour. Stir continuously to make a dark chocolate colored roux.Add diced onion, celery, chopped carrot, garlic and sauté approximately 10 minutes until fragrant.Add turkey carcass and fill pot with water until carcass is submerged. Add ham hock, salt, pepper, bay leaves, chile powder and bring to a boil.Reduce heat to a simmer, add lid and let cook for approximately 4-5 hours. Remove lid, remove carcass, and add corn, poblanos, carrot slices, turkey and egg noodles. Simmer approximately another 30 minutes. Skim excess fat from top and discard. Serve warm or refrigerate immediately.http://SmokeInDaEye.com

A Smokin' Thanksgiving Bird

Brine ingredients:

1 gallon vegetable broth

3/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp your favorite barbecue dry rub seasoning

 Additional ingredients:

12-14 pound turkey

1 cup yellow mustard

1 cup barbecue dry rub seasoning

Heat all ingredients over medium heat until dissolved and well blended. Cool in fridge until ready to use. In a large stock pot, place the raw 12-14 pound turkey inside and cover with brine. Let soak in the fridge overnight, 8-12 hours.

Remove turkey, pat dry thoroughly. Rub turkey skin well with plain yellow mustard then coat well with Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom Rub or any of your favorite barbecue rub. Allow to rest while preparing the smoker*.

Heat smoker with lump charcoal and 2-3 fist sized pecan wood chunks or favorite fuel to approximately 350 degrees. Add turkey and cook until internal temperature in thickest part of the turkey reaches a minimum temperature of 165 degrees (approximately 2.5 hours). Remove and rest for approximately 30 minutes before carving.

 * Note: A charcoal grill can be substituted for a smoker by placing coals and wood chunks on either side of the grill, leaving the center cool. Coals can also be separated by a disposable aluminum pan filled partially with water and/or fruit juice, adding additional moisture to the cooker.

From http://SmokeInDaEye.com

Southwestern Turkey Soup

One turkey carcass with most of the meat removed and set aside

1-2 gallons of water

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1 onion finely chopped

2 celery stalks, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 smoked ham hock

2 carrots, cut into slices

1/2 tablespoon of cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon anaheim chile powder

1 cup roasted corn kernels

2 poblano peppers, roasted, deseeded and deskinned then sliced into matchsticks

Water

Leftover turkey, chopped

1 one pound bag of egg noodles

Heat large stockpot over medium adding oil and flour. Stir continuously to make a dark chocolate colored roux.

Add diced onion, celery, chopped carrot, garlic and sauté approximately 10 minutes until fragrant.

Add turkey carcass and fill pot with water until carcass is submerged. Add ham hock, salt, pepper, bay leaves, chile powder and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer, add lid and let cook for approximately 4-5 hours. Remove lid, remove carcass, and add corn, poblanos, carrot slices, turkey and egg noodles. Simmer approximately another 30 minutes. Skim excess fat from top and discard. Serve warm or refrigerate immediately.

From