Country Fried Turkey

Gather the ingredients.

Make the spice blend: Whisk the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and ground ginger in a medium bowl until evenly combined and set aside.

Prep the turkey: Pull the skin off the turkey thighs and drumsticks. Remove the bones from the turkey thighs with a sharp knife (see Tips for more instructions). Cut each thigh in half or in thirds if large. Slice each breast  across the grain on a diagonal to yield 1-inch thick “steaks.” You’ll get about 5 to 6 steaks per lobe.

Make the brine: In a bowl large enough to hold all the turkey pieces, whisk the eggs first, then add the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of the spice blend, and salt; whisk until well combined. Note: If your turkey is pre-brined (check the packaging label), then omit the salt from the buttermilk.

Submerge the turkey pieces in the brine and gently stir to make sure each piece is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat an oven to 325 F. Remove the turkey from the fridge and let sit for an hour to take the chill off. Prepare 2 large baking sheets with racks set inside them.

Fill a 12-inch or larger cast iron skillet halfway up with oil and heat to 350 F. Be careful not to fill it higher, as the oil will get displaced when you add the turkey.

Mix the seasoned flour: Whisk the flour, remaining spice blend, baking powder, and salt in a large baking dish, such as a 9 x 13, until evenly combined.

Drizzle about 1/2 cup of the buttermilk brine all over the seasoned flour, a little at a time, and stirring with a fork after each addition. This creates little clumps in the flour that will give the crust a craggy texture.

Since they take the longest to cook, remove the 2 drumsticks first from the buttermilk brine, letting any excess drip off. Roll them in the flour mixture until completely coated, pressing well to adhere.

Fry the drumsticks until golden brown and crisp all over, about 10 minutes per side, adjusting the heat to maintain a temperature of 325 F. Remove to one of the prepared baking sheets with a rack and transfer to the oven to finish cooking, 20 to 30 minutes. They should reach an internal temperature of 165 F.

Meanwhile, allow the oil to come back up to 350 F. Coat the thighs next and fry until browned and crisp outside and no longer pink inside, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the thighs to the rack with the drumsticks in the oven. Fry the breast pieces in batches and remove them to the second prepared baking sheet with a rack.

When the drumsticks are cooked through, reduce the oven temperature to 200 F. Allow the oven to cool down enough, then transfer the second rack of cooked breast pieces to the oven to keep warm.

Arrange the turkey pieces on a large platter and serve.