A Guided Holiday Recipe featuring High Performance Cookers
Randy Watson here with another backyard classic cooked on an HPC Outdoor Cooker (30qrt). Today, I’m walking you through exactly how I fry a Cajun deep-fried turkey; crispy skin, juicy inside, and packed with Louisiana flavor.
If you’ve never fried a turkey before, don’t let it scare you. With the right prep and a little patience, you’ll knock this out like a pro. Below is my full process; from brining, to injecting, to frying — plus a few of my personal tips you won’t find on a box.
Cajun Deep-Fried Turkey
(With Simple Brine)
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Rest Time: 30–45 minutes
Servings: 6–8
First Things First: Before we get into seasoning and frying, there are a few must-do steps that set you up for success. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed—inside and out—because ice and hot oil don’t play well together. Dry the skin thoroughly, including the cavity, since moisture causes splatter and keeps the skin from getting crisp. Set up your fryer outdoors on level ground, away from walls, cars, or anything with a roof overhead, and keep kids and pets well out of the cooking zone. Have a long-stem thermometer, high-heat gloves, and a fire extinguisher rated for grease nearby. Taking a few minutes to prep your bird, your workspace, and your safety setup is the key to a smooth, stress-free fry. Once these basics are squared away, the rest is all flavor.
If you’re unsure about sizing or cook times, be sure to check out the quick guide below before you start.
Prep & Ingredients
The Turkey
- 12–13 lb turkey, fully thawed (Remove giblets)
- Olive oil (for rub binder)
- 4–5 gallons peanut oil
2. Simple Turkey Brine 
Brine Ingredients:
- 1 gallon water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
- 2½ tsp dried rosemary
- 2½ tsp dried thyme
- 12 whole cloves
How to Make the Brine:
- Bring water to a boil.
- Stir in salt + sugar until dissolved.
- Add bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and cloves.
- Reduce heat and simmer.
- Let it cool completely before using.
How to Use It:
- Place the turkey in a large container (a clean bucket works).
- Pour in the brine. Add cold water if needed to fully submerge.
- Refrigerate 8–24 hours.
- Remove from brine, pat dry, and let air-dry for 1 hour before seasoning.
3. Cajun Rub 
Mix together:
- ¼ cup chili powder
- ¼ cup paprika
- ¼ cup black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- 1½ Tbsp onion powder
- 1½ Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp cayenne
4. Cajun Injection 
This is where Louisiana flavor shines.
Ingredients:
- 1 12-oz lager beer
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire
- ½ cup honey
- 1 Tbsp crab boil seasoning
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp Cajun rub
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, diced
How to Make It:
- Combine beer, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and honey in a saucepan.
- Add crab boil, vinegar, garlic, salt, rub, and bay leaves.
- Simmer until reduced by half.
- Remove from heat for 15 minutes.
- Whisk in butter until smooth.
- Strain well to avoid injector clogs.
Seasoning & Injecting the Turkey
- Pat the turkey bone-dry — including the cavity.
- Coat lightly in olive oil.
- Season generously with Cajun rub — don’t be shy.
- Inject the marinade all over:
- Deep into breasts
- Thighs
- Legs
- Several angles
Pro Tip: Inject slowly. Fast injections cause back-spray and uneven flavor. Refrigerate the turkey uncovered for 12–24 hours to tighten the skin.
Preparing Your Fryer
Before adding oil, we need to find the exact oil line. 
1. Measure Your Oil Line
- Place wrapped turkey in the pot
- Fill with water until covered
- Mark that level
- Empty water
- Dry the pot completely
Water + Oil = Dangerous. Never skip this.
2. Frying the Turkey 
- Fill peanut oil to the marked line
- Heat oil to 275°F
- Turn off the burner
- Slowly lower turkey using the hook
- Relight burner
- Bring oil to 325°F
- Maintain 325°F for 30–45 minutes
- Check breast temp at 25 min
- Pull at 160°F (it rises to 165°F while resting)
Rest & Carve
Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes, lightly tent with foil. 
- This helps the resting process.
Carve it up and enjoy that crispy skin and deep Cajun flavor!
And there you have it — a true Louisiana-style deep-fried turkey. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and packed with the kind of flavor that brings folks together. I hope this walkthrough gives you the confidence to try it yourself. From my backyard to yours, happy cooking and happy holidays.
- Randy Watson
How to Fry a Turkey with Randy Watson