I decided to change it up for Thanksgiving this year. I’m sure you’ve heard of fried turkey, but what about chicken-fried turkey? I treat a cut-up turkey as I would chicken and give the turkey pieces a fried chicken coating. It’s a nice change-up from roasted or fried turkey, and everyone loves it, especially when served with my spicy homemade cranberry sauce with a little heat from jalapeños.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings (2 cups cranberry sauce) |
Ingredients
- One 10- to 12-pound turkey, cut into serving-size pieces (see Cook’s Note)
- 4 cups whole buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons Miss Brown’s House Seasoning, recipe follows
- Canola oil, for frying
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- One 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen, thawed cranberries
- 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest plus juice from 1 orange (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- One 3-inch jalapeño pepper, minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the chicken-fried turkey: Place the turkey pieces in a large bowl. Stir together the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons House Seasoning in a medium bowl. Pour the buttermilk over the turkey, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- For the spicy cranberry sauce: Combine the cranberries, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt, jalapeño and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens and the cranberries have popped, 15 to 20 minutes.
- For the chicken-fried turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pour enough oil to reach 3 inches up the sides of a tall stockpot or Dutch oven and heat to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the flour with the poultry seasoning, salt and the remaining 1/4 cup House Seasoning in a shallow dish.
- Remove the turkey pieces from the marinade and discard the marinade. Dredge the turkey in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Fry the turkey in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack-lined baking sheet and bake until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F (avoiding bone), 20 to 30 minutes longer. Serve the turkey with the spicy cranberry sauce.
- Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 1802 |
| Total Fat | 131 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 69 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Protein | 86 g |
| Cholesterol | 266 mg |
| Sodium | 1899 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 1802 |
| Total Fat | 131 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 69 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Protein | 86 g |
| Cholesterol | 266 mg |
| Sodium | 1899 mg |