In Beaufort SC, Thanksgiving day usually means three things: Family, football and, most importantly…good food. If you’re lucky enough to celebrate Thanksgiving in the Lowcountry, then you know you’re in for a treat with a table full of sweet potato casserole, collard greens, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, mac & cheese, cornbread or oyster dressing and plenty of pumpkin and pecan pie.
But, the holiday wouldn’t be the same without the one tasty main course: the turkey. We don’t call it Turkey Day for nothing and the bird is definitely the star of the Thanksgiving table; not just here in Beaufort SC, but all over.
While a simple baked turkey would be enough for most, many folks in these parts prefer to prepare it outside in a deep fryer because the skin comes out crispy and the meat is always tender and juicy. If anybody has mastered the art of deep-frying food, it’s most certainly us folks who live in the South.
While it could be a bit of a messy process, deep-frying your Thanksgiving turkey will also leave you with a sense of culinary accomplishment, just like that first time you felt you were a serious grill-master when your steaks came out perfect.
Begin by covering a completely defrosted turkey in saran wrap to avoid any extra mess.
Then, inject your turkey with your favorite marinade for some super-flavorful meat.
Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the turkey, quite liberally, with your favorite seasoning.
Refrigerate it for at least one hour before putting it into the turkey fryer.
When the turkey is ready, place it on the hook and fry it in the peanut oil you’ve been preheating at 350˚ for approximately 3 ½ minutes per pound. Peanut oil is the best oil for deep frying turkey because its high flash point makes it less likely to catch on fire, it’s low in saturated fat, the higher smoke point ensures good flavor and it’s cholesterol free.
Keep a meat thermometer handy because your turkey should reach an internal temperature of 180˚ in the thigh meat and 165˚ in the breast meat.
Once the turkey is a nice, mouthwatering golden brown color, remove it and place it on a large platter, letting it rest for about 15 minutes.
And, ta-da! It’s time to carve it up and and serve it to your hungry guests….making sure that everybody at your table is thankful for your cooking.
To learn more about deep-frying your turkey, visit the National Turkey Federation at www.eatturkey.org.
We hope you enjoy your Beaufort SC Thanksgiving.
See more about Lowcountry Cuisine here.
