Dry Brined-Fried Turkey without Oil
Dry Brined-Fried Turkey without Oil, crispy outside, juicy inside, an easier, faster and healthier way to deep fry a turkey in an oil-less turkey fryer. Dry brining adds flavor and moistness throughout and cajun seasoning spices things up ever so slightly for a Thanksgiving turkey you will never forget!
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 10 lb whole turkey (Not kosher, not self-basting. Check the label to make sure no added salt.)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt (For every 4-5 pounds of turkey will need 1 Tbsp of Kosher salt. Do not use table salt.)
- 2-3 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tbsp Cajun or Creole Seasoning (I used Zatarain's Creole Seasoning)
Instructions
- 1
To dry brine the turkey, place the bird on a cutting board and remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity. Also, remove any plastic holders or pop-up thermometers.
- 2
Rinse the turkey well and pat dry inside and out with paper towels.
- 3
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt inside the turkey cavity and sprinkle the rest evenly over the entire bird and under the skin, where ever possible.
- 4
Place the turkey breast-side up on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 day, but ideally 3 days. You do not need to rinse it or pat it dry before cooking.
- 5
To fry the turkey, brush the peanut oil all over the skin of the turkey.
- 6
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning evenly over the entire turkey.
- 7
Turn on the oil-less fryer and place the turkey in the basket, breast side up. The fryer does not need to pre-heat.
- 8
The directions on the fryer say to cook the turkey uncovered for about 9-10 minutes per pound. My turkey cooked much quicker than this and I highly recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it. The turkey is done when it registers 160 degrees when the temperature probe is inserted in the thickest part of the breast not touching bone.
- 9
During the last 15 minutes of cooking cover with the wire mesh lid to allow the turkey to brown.
- 10
Remove the turkey, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. The turkey will continue to cook and come up to 165 degrees F.