Experience dual‑method perfection with this Smoked‑Fried Turkey—first smoked low and slow to infuse deep, smoky flavor, then finished with a hot-oil fry for mouthwatering, crispy skin. This hybrid approach turns Thanksgiving or holiday turkey into a dramatic, flavor-packed masterpiece.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Ultimate texture: rich, smoky bark with crisp, crackly fried skin
- Deep flavor: smoke infusion meets seasoned rub and buttery injection
- Dramatic presentation that tastes amazing and looks professional
- Balanced juiciness: smoky moisture inside with frying finish that seals in juices
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
14
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Calories
251
The turkey is initially smoked at low heat to develop bark and aroma, then carefully fried at high heat for a few minutes per pound to create golden, crackling skin and juicy interior. The result is both tender and crunchy—a show-stopping centerpiece.
Ingredients
- 14 lb turkey
-
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All-Purpose Seasoning
- 6-7 gallons frying oil
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
-
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine
-
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic, grated fine on microplane
-
ATBBQ Smoked and Fried Turkey Kit #1
For the injection:
Get the kit for this recipe
Directions
Before your start, Make sure you have the proper amount of oil for frying. The oil needs to cover the bird fully, but shouldn’t be less that 6” from the top of the pot when the turkey is submerged. You can do a displacement test by placing your turkey in the pot (even still inside its packaging) and cover with water. Remove the turkey. Dump the water. Mark the water line with tape. Dry out the pot. Fill the pot with oil up to the fill line, then remove the tape before heating the oil.
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 150ºF, set up for smoking with the second shelf removed.
- Make sure your turkey is fully thawed.
- Combine the injection ingredients in a marinade shaker (or blender) and blend until well combined and creamy. Load the marinade into a pistol grip injector and inject all over the bird, especially the breasts. Use all but about one tablespoon of the injection.
- Loosen the skin from the breasts by sliding your gloved hand under the skin. Pull back the skin and season underneath with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All-Purpose Seasoning.
- Use the remaining tablespoon of injection to rub all over the skin of the turkey. Season the turkey all over: on the skin and inside the cavity.
- Transfer the turkey to the main cooking grate of the smoker. Smoke for 1.5 - 2 hours.
- As soon as the turkey is on the smoker, begin preparing the fryer. Make sure your turkey fryer is on firm, level ground and not inside your garage! Allow at least one hour to bring the oil up to temperature.
- Set up a FireBoard 2 Wireless Thermometer with two temperature probes. Lower one probe into the oil and clip it to the rim of the pot with a binder clip. This will allow you to monitor the oil temperature from the app, on your phone.
- Warm the oil over high heat until the oil reads about 350ºF. Turn down the flame, but continue to bring the oil temperature up to 375ºF, adjusting the flame to maintain 375ºF. The Bayou Classic has a safety switch that causes the flame to turn off after 15 minutes unless you press the button. So, set a timer for 14 minutes to press the button throughout the process.
- When you are ready to fry the turkey, remove it from the smoker and place it on the turkey stand. Place the second temperature probe in the deepest part of the breast to monitor the internal temperature.
Turn off the flame below the turkey before submerging.
- Using the provided hook, and wearing long leather gloves, lower the bird very slowly, inching it down into the hot oil until fully submerged. If the oil begins boiling up too vigorously, pull the bird back out of the oil and little and let the bubbling calm down before beginning to lower the bird again.
- When the turkey is safely submerged in the oil, relight the flame beneath the pot and turn to high heat.
- Once the turkey is submerged in the frying oil, keep an eye on the temperature. Plan for the temperature to drop to roughly 325ºF. Adjust the flame to maintain an oil temperature of 325ºF for the remainder of the cook.
- A 15 pound turkey will take about 2 minutes per pound to cook, roughly 30 minutes.
- Cook the turkey until the thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast meat reads 145ºF - 150ºF. Remove the turkey from the hot oil and let cool over a sheet pan. During this time, the internal temperature will rise to a level that is safe for consumption, but stop cooking before the white meat dries out.
Recipe Note
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this method safe for home cooks?
Yes — when following safety precautions: fry outdoors, monitor oil temperature, and use proper equipment.
Can I skip frying and just smoke?
Absolutely — it can be fully smoked with excellent results. Frying is optional for added crunch.
What oil should I use for frying?
Choose a high smoke-point oil such as peanut, canola, or refined vegetable oil for best safety and crispness.
What internal temperature should the turkey actually reach before it's safe to eat?
This recipe pulls the turkey at 145-150°F and states that resting will bring it up to a safe temperature. USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F. Rather than relying on carryover heat alone to close that gap, it's safest to verify with a thermometer that the deepest part of the breast has actually reached 165°F before serving.
How should I store leftovers?
Refrigerate sliced or whole turkey in airtight containers for 3-4 days, or freeze up to 6 months. Reheat gently to maintain crisp skin.
Can I cook this indoors?
We rate this a 2 out of 5. Can be done inside, but loses key flavor or texture, and frying indoors is not recommended for safety reasons regardless.
Recipe Highlights
The smoke-then-fry method: Smoking first builds bark and flavor, while the final fry delivers the crisp skin that smoking alone can't achieve.
Butter-based injection: Injecting a seasoned butter mixture throughout the bird, especially the breasts, adds moisture from the inside out before either cooking stage begins.
Careful oil temperature monitoring: Using a dual-probe thermometer to track both oil and meat temperature throughout the fry keeps the process safer and more precise.
The displacement test: Measuring oil volume with the turkey in the pot beforehand prevents dangerous overflow once the bird is actually submerged in hot oil.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 251
- Carbs
- grams
- Protein
- 33 grams
- Fat
- 12 grams
- Sodium
- 126 milligrams
- Cholesterol
- 103 milligrams
