Do You Season the Oil When Frying a Turkey?

Deep frying a turkey is a quick and delicious way to cook a moist, juicy bird with crispy skin. But there’s some debate around whether or not you should season the oil used for frying the turkey. Here’s a look at the dos and don’ts of seasoning turkey fry oil.

Should You Season the Oil?

There are good arguments on both sides of this debate. Some experienced fryers say you absolutely should season your fry oil, while others argue against it.

The Case for Seasoning the Oil

• Seasoning the oil adds flavor to the turkey as it fries, infusing the meat with spices, herbs, garlic, etc. This can really boost the flavor

• It’s an easy way to add flavor, instead of having to rub the turkey inside and out. Just stir some seasoning into the oil and you’re set.

• Many fried turkey recipes call for seasoned oil. Cajun turkey is a popular example using a blend of paprika, garlic cayenne, and other spices.

The Case Against Seasoning the Oil

• The high heat can burn some seasonings, leaving a bitter taste. Delicate herbs could burn quickly.

• It’s harder to strain and reuse seasoned oil. The particles left from herbs and spices will burn next time.

• If you want to use the drippings to make gravy, seasoned oil can add unwanted flavors.

• The turkey may end up spicy or highly flavored. Better to control flavor with a rub or marinade instead.

• If frying multiple turkeys, reuse of seasoned oil becomes problematic.

Best Practices for Seasoning Fry Oil

If you do opt to season your turkey fry oil, keep these tips in mind:

• Use dried herbs and spices instead of fresh. Dried seasonings hold up better to frying heat. Fresh herbs can burn quickly.

• Avoid delicate herbs like parsley, basil, dill. Heartier herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano work better.

• Skip wet ingredients like lemon or garlic. The water content causes spattering, and they’ll likely burn.

• Use whole spices instead of ground. The oils in whole spices like peppercorns and bay leaves help them withstand heat.

• Limit the amount of seasoning. Just 1-2 tablespoons per 4-5 gallons of oil provides subtle flavor.

• Add the spices just before frying, once oil reaches temperature. Don’t let them sit in hot oil too long.

• Consider infusing just a quart or two of oil with seasoning. Use this portion to periodically spoon over the cooking turkey for flavor.

Other Turkey Fry Seasoning Tips

Aside from the question of seasoning the fry oil itself, here are some other flavor tips:

• Marinate the turkey – Soak it overnight in a marinade for lots of flavor. Pat turkey very dry before frying.

• Rub the turkey – Apply a dry or wet rub under and on the skin before frying.

• Inject the turkey – Use a flavor injector tool to pump a marinade deep into the turkey meat.

• Stuff aromatics – Place herbs, citrus, onions, garlic in the cavity for extra flavor.

• Garnish the turkey – Sprinkle with fresh herbs after cooking for color and flavor.

• Make flavored gravy – Use drippings for gravy but balance with wines, stocks, etc.

So in the end, should you season the actual fry oil? The choice is yours, depending on your preferences for reuse of oil, gravy making, and how much flavor control you want. But by using the other seasoning methods above, you can infuse plenty of flavor into your fried turkey without seasoning the fry oil at all.