How long to fry a 14 lb turkey

Deep frying a turkey is a very fast method of cooking that is gaining in popularity. The turkey comes out very moist and tasty with dark, crispy skin. Of course, you can't deep fry an entire turkey on your stovetop; to try this technique you'll need to buy a deep fryer.

Once you buy your turkey deep fryer, be sure to read the instruction book carefully and follow all safety precautions. Then follow these instructions for the perfect deep fried meal!

Before You Cook Your Turkey

Select your turkey for deep frying. The best weight is between 10 to 20 pounds.
Completely thaw frozen turkey before frying. A 20-pound turkey takes about 4 full days to thaw in the refrigerator.
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity. Discard or use for giblet gravy or stuffing.
Place the turkey in the deep-fryer pot and fill with plain water until the water reaches about 1 inch below the top of the turkey. Remove the turkey and note where the water level reaches. This will be your oil level line. Dry the turkey and the pot.

Safety tips:

Read the instructions that come with your turkey fryer carefully before use.
Locate fryer outside away from roof overhangs.
Do not use on a deck, patio or in a garage.
Do not fill the pot with oil while it is sitting on the cooking stand.
Never leave the pot unattended.

Preparing Your Turkey

Your turkey should be dry and have an empty cavity (now that you've removed the neck and giblets). Now, it's time to prepare your turkey for cooking. You may want to use a seasoning rub for the turkey's skin, but you'll also want to inject the turkey with a spicy marinade to produce a very moist and tasty turkey.

Start by buying or preparing a marinade sauce and an injector. Injectors and various marinade sauces are available at most grocery stores in the herb and spices aisle (compare prices).
Be sure to inject marinade evenly, so every bite of the turkey will be equally tasty.
Let turkey marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, overnight for best flavor.
Do NOT leave the turkey on the counter after marinating and do not reuse any leftover marinade.

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Watch Now: Everything You Should Know About Injecting Your Turkey

Preparing Your Fryer

Once your turkey has finished marinating, it's time to prepare your fryer. Follow these steps for the tastiest and safest results.

Your turkey deep fryer comes with a turkey stand to insert into the body cavity of the turkey. Place the loop of the stand through the neck of the turkey and exit through the body cavity at the legs. Tie legs together with a piece of string.
Pour oil into the pot, using the water fill line. Use a high-quality cooking oil that has a high (450°F preferably) smoking point, such as canola or peanut oil.
Attach the thermometer included with your turkey fryer to the top of the pot with the clip.
Light the outdoor cooker, beginning with a low flame. Gradually increase the flame until the oil reaches a temperature between 325 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do NOT leave the cooker unattended. You might have to adjust the temperature control several times to keep the oil at the right temperature, especially if it is windy outside. It will take at least half an hour for the oil to reach the correct temperature.

Deep Frying

Now you're ready for the main event: cooking the turkey. Here's how:

Once the oil has reached the correct temperature (350 degrees for turkeys that are 10 to13 pounds, 325 for 14- to 20-pound turkeys) carefully lower the turkey into the boiling oil. Lower the turkey partially, then lift out, and repeat 3 or 4 times. This will help seal in the juices and keep the oil from boiling over. (This can be messy; oil can bubble out a bit. Wear gloves and try to stand back from the cooker.)
Once the turkey has been submerged in the hot oil, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per pound. Fry turkeys that are 10 to 13 pounds for 3 minutes per pound, and for turkeys from 14 to 20 pounds, cook for 3 1/2 minutes per pound. A 10-pound turkey will take about 30 minutes. A 20-pound turkey will require about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
Cook until the internal temperature reaches between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Do NOT use the lid while frying.

When It's Is Cooked

In addition to following the timing suggestions above, you'll know your turkey is done when it's very dark brown with crispy skin and moist meat. A properly fried turkey should not taste greasy.

This amazing deep fried turkey recipe is what turned me from a turkey hater to a TURKEY LOVER… My fried turkey turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful EVERY TIME (thanks to a simple fried turkey rub + peanut oil). AND the cooking time is trimmed to under an hour by using an electric indoor turkey fryer!

The Best Deep Fried Turkey Recipe

I have a confession to make… I’ve never really been a fan of turkey. Shocking, huh?! In fact, there have been many years when I’ve opted to make a spiral ham for Thanksgiving dinner instead.

BUT I have a husband and three boys that all happen to love turkey. So several years ago I decided to try frying a turkey.

And you know what? It was kinda life changing! I’d never eaten turkey that wasn’t dry and flavorless, so I feel obligated to share my discovery with the world.

This deep fried turkey recipe produces a perfectly deep-fried turkey with golden brown, crispy skin. We’re talking a Thanksgiving turkey with meat that’s tender, juicy, and flavorful EVERY TIME!!

Meanwhile, I have way more room in the oven for our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. AND the cooking time is trimmed to under an hour! #winning

I know, I know — we’ve all heard the horror stories about propane tank turkey fryers and scary grease fires. Many of these situations happen because of simple user error, like adding too much oil. Or poor decisions, like placing the fryer on a wooden deck.

But don’t worry! I’ve got a far better solution…

Frying Turkey In An Indoor Turkey Deep Fryer

Did you know that you can actually purchase an electric indoor turkey fryer?!? Yep, and they’re MUCH safer to use. So safe that you can fry a whole turkey right on your kitchen countertop!! Of course, it’s always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on hand for emergencies.

My original Butterball electric fryer (pictured above) is no longer sold. But there are two newer versions: one that can deep-fry turkey up to 12 pounds and one that fries turkeys up to 20 pounds.

I upgraded to the larger model a few years ago, and it’s the one I would recommend for most households. Finding 12-lb. and under turkeys can be a bit difficult, and the price difference is negligible!

Not to mention they’re useful for more than frying whole turkeys! You can fry almost anything in your electric turkey fryer… Use it for frying fish, chicken wings, French fries, or even donuts. And it also has a steaming feature, making it much more versatile than at first glance.

Key Ingredients For A Perfect Deep-Fried Turkey

Deep-frying turkey produces the most juicy turkey you will ever eat. But the trifecta of juicy meat, crispy skin, and loads of flavor requires more than just dropping a turkey in a couple gallons of hot oil…

Two elements take this deep-fried turkey recipe to the next level — my homemade seasoning for turkey and my choice of fry oil!

The Turkey Seasoning

The turkey rub recipe is super simple to throw together. It’s ideal for seasoning the turkey both inside AND out, which is key for creating loads of flavor!

The best part? This turkey seasoning recipe goes BIG on flavor with only 4 ingredients:

poultry seasoning
garlic powder
salt
ground black pepper

Around here, prepping for Thanksgiving starts well before the big day. So even though it’s a minimal timesaver, one thing I always do early in the week is mix up my deep fried turkey rub.

Whisk the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Then transfer the turkey dry rub to an airtight container. Store it with the rest of your spices until you’re ready to season and fry your turkey.

The Turkey Fryer Oil

Any common cooking oil can be used to deep fry turkey. But if you want the best-tasting fried bird, there’s a clear winner in this category. My preferred turkey fryer oil is peanut oil for its rich flavor and high smoke point. In my opinion, it’s simply the best oil to fry turkey.

The downside? Well, peanut oil doesn’t come cheap! And you’re gonna need about 2.5 gallons of oil to fill up the large turkey fryer…

PRO TIP: Save the original peanut oil container after filling your turkey fryer pot. When you’ve finished deep frying your turkey, allow the peanut oil to cool completely. Then filter the cooled oil through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth back into the bottle. By doing this, you can reuse it several more times!

How To Prepare A Turkey For Deep Frying

Using an electric turkey fryer to make deep fried turkey is an easy and mostly hands off method. To achieve the best results, it’s important to prepare the turkey well!

You CAN season and fry the turkey the same day. But for the most flavorful turkey, I recommend following these steps the day before you plan to deep fry.

Start with a fully thawed turkey: I cannot stress how important this is! Oil and water don’t mix, and neither do oil and ice. Depending on the size, a frozen turkey can take 4-5 days to thaw in the refrigerator. So be sure to move it early in the week to ensure it’s completely defrosted.
Rinse and dry: Remove the neck and giblets, as well as any plastic leg ties and/or the pop-up cooking indicator. Rinse the thawed bird with cold water inside and out, then set the turkey on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Pat it completely dry inside and out. If you’re using a fresh turkey, you can obviously skip the thawing part and proceed right to the rinsing step.
Trim the excess bits: Using a pair of sturdy poultry shears, trim any excess skin and fat from around the neck area. This will ensure that the hot peanut oil can easily fill the inside of the turkey.
Season turkey inside and out: Rub the seasoning into the turkey’s skin. Then sprinkle the remainder inside the body cavity.

Place the turkey in the refrigerator uncovered for 12-24 hours to allow the spices to infuse the meat.

How To Fry A Turkey In Peanut Oil

When you’re ready to fry your turkey, remove the turkey from the refrigerator. This will allow it to start to come to room temperature while the oil is heating up.

Fill the turkey fryer pot up to the maximum fill line with peanut oil. Then switch the fryer on, and heat the oil to 375 degrees. When the oil temperature reaches 375 degrees, transfer the prepared turkey to the fryer basket.

Wearing a pair of silicone mitts, very slowly lower turkey into the oil. Make sure it’s fully submerged and that the oil has filled the cavity. Sometimes the turkey will need to “burp” to get it to fill with oil. It’s handy to have a pair of rubber-tipped tongs that you can use to to gently nudge and tilt it until you’re sure it’s filled.

Calculate The Turkey Frying Time

You can determine how long to fry a turkey by multiplying the weight of the turkey in pounds by 3.5-4 minutes per pound. So if you have a 14 pound turkey, you should fry it for approximately 49-56 minutes. If you’re wondering how long do you deep fry a 20lb turkey, you’ll want to leave it in for 70-80 minutes. See the printable chart above for a quick estimate.

Fried turkey internal temperature

The easiest way to tell if your turkey is cooked through is by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. The recommended turkey internal temperature is 165 degrees.

When the turkey reaches the recommended temperature, put your silicone gloves back on. Carefully lift the fryer basket out of the oil, allowing the excess oil to drip back into the fryer.

Clip the basket on the draining holes to drip and rest in the basket for about 10 minutes. Then transfer the turkey to a platter lined with paper towels for an additional 10 minutes or so to soak up any excess oil.

Once the turkey is cool enough to handle, you can carve and serve it! I highly recommend using an electric knife for carving. It makes cutting precise slices effortless.

Safety Tips For Deep Frying Turkey

Using an indoor turkey fryer is far safer than an outdoor model. But you’ll still want to follow a few safety precautions when deep frying turkey.

A few we’ve already covered, such as making sure your turkey is completely thawed. Also, always use silicone gloves to protect your hands. And take care to go very slowly when lowering and lifting the turkey.

A few more I’d like to call out are:

Be sure to place the fryer on a flat surface with plenty of clearance around and above it. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for specifics on your model.
Don’t use an extension cord to plug the fryer in. Not only is it a trip hazard, but it can also cause the fryer to heat inconsistently.
Keep pets and children a safe distance away during and after use. The sides of the fryer will get extremely hot!
Once you’ve started heating the oil, don’t try to move the fryer.
And finally, don’t leave the fryer unattended.

My family thinks this is literally the BEST deep fried turkey recipe… They may be a little biased, but I hope yours enjoys it as much as mine!

If you’re curious what we serve alongside it, I’ve listed out my exact Thanksgiving menu. Or keep scrolling after the printable recipe for some of our favorite easy sides.

Continue to Content

The BEST Deep Fried Turkey Recipe

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 52 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

An amazing deep fried turkey recipe that turned me from a turkey hater to a TURKEY LOVER... This deep fried turkey turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful EVERY TIME (thanks to an easy fried turkey rub + peanut oil). AND the cooking time is trimmed to under an hour by using an electric turkey fryer!

Ingredients

for the fried turkey rub:

2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

for the fried turkey:

1 (13-14 lbs.) thawed whole turkey, neck and giblets discarded
2 gallons peanut oil

Instructions

Prepare The Fried Turkey Rub

Whisk together the poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Set the turkey seasoning aside while you prepare the turkey for frying.

How To Prepare A Turkey For Deep Frying

Rinse a fully thawed turkey inside and out with cold water, then allow all of the water to drain out. Place the turkey on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Thoroughly pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. If your turkey has plastic leg ties and/or a pop-up cooking indicator, be sure to remove them before frying!
Using a pair of sturdy poultry shears, trim any excess skin and fat from around the neck area. This will ensure that the hot peanut oil can easily fill the inside of the turkey.
Rub the turkey all over with the deep fried turkey rub, including the inside.
You can fry the turkey immediately, if desired. However, I recommend placing the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to allow the spices to infuse the meat.

How To Make A Juicy Deep Fried Turkey

Fill the fryer pot up to the maximum fill line with peanut oil. Remove your prepared turkey from the refrigerator to allow it to start to come to room temperature while they oil is heating up. Turn your electric turkey fryer on, and heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees.
When the temperature of the oil reaches 375 degrees, place turkey in the included basket. Very slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil, making sure to submerge it completely, and close the lid. I recommend wearing protective silicone gloves for this step. It’s also handy to have a pair of rubber-tipped tongs to gently nudge and tilt the turkey to make sure it’s filled with the peanut oil.
Calculate your cook time and set a timer. How long to fry a turkey is determined by multiplying the weight of your turkey in pounds by 3.5-4 minutes of cook time per pound. For example: if your turkey weighs 14lbs, you would cook it for approximately 49-56 minutes. You can be sure the turkey is fully cooked when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads at least 165 degrees.
When the turkey reaches the recommended internal temperature of 165 degrees, carefully lift the fryer basket out of the oil, allowing the excess oil to drip back into the fryer.
Clip the basket on the draining holes to drip and rest in the basket for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a platter lined with paper towels for an additional 10 minutes or so to soak up any excess oil.
Once the turkey is cool enough to handle, you can carve and serve it. I recommend using an electric knife for carving, which easily makes precise slices.

Notes

How To Cook A Deep Fried Turkey Breast

You can also deep fry a turkey breast in your electric turkey fryer! Follow the directions above to season the turkey breast. Turn on the turkey fryer, and preheat the peanut oil to 375 degrees. Situate the prepared turkey breast in the frying basket, and very lowly lower it into the hot oil. Once the turkey breast is submerged, lower the fryer temperature to 325 degrees. Cook for approximately 7 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer inserted in the breast reads at least 165 degrees.

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag it @unsophisticook and hashtag it #unsophisticook!

Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dishes

Our Favorite Turkey Side Dishes

Check out these EASY side dishes to complement your fried turkey! Each has a unique twist to make it a little new and different and/or to save time in the kitchen!

And who doesn’t want to be able to spend more time with family and friends outside of the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day?!?

Do you fry a turkey at 325 or 350?

For a deep fried turkey, the oil should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and the internal temperature of your turkey should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How much oil do I need to deep fry a 14 pound turkey?

14 Pound Turkey - Use 5 gallons of oil and cook for 47 minutes. 15 Pound Turkey - Use 5 gallons of oil and cook for 50 minutes. 20 Pound Turkey * - Use 5 to 6 gallons of oil and cook for 3 minutes per pound.

How long to deep fry a turkey at 350?

Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 35 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

How long do you cook a 14 lb turkey in a Butterball fryer?

Cook the turkey about 3 to 4 minutes per pound. The turkey is done when the dark meat is at an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F and all white meat is at an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F.