When you hear about deep frying a turkey for the first time, you might ask yourself, “Who in the world would deep fry a good turkey?” But when the bird emerges from its 350°F peanut oil bath, the golden brown color of the skin puts the saliva glands into full production. If you are a first-timer, your first bite will be nothing short of a revelation. You will likely find yourself asking, “Who in the world would roast a good turkey?”

“The concept of deep-fried turkey has gotten wide appeal across the country,” says Sherrie Rosenblatt of the National Turkey Federation.

According to Herb Seigler, vice president of marketing for Ventura Foods’ (parent company of LouAna^® peanut oil) Consumer Products Group, in the last two years alone the number of households that have tasted fried turkey has increased 10 percent to 49 percent nationwide. By region, 50–55 percent of households in the South have tasted fried turkey followed by 35 percent of Northwestern, 18­–20 percent of Western, and 15 percent of Northeastern households.

Popular culture is setting the trend but very few restaurateurs have yet to capitalize on it. “I’ve wondered why more restaurants aren’t serving it,” Seigler muses.

Perhaps the answer lies in the care required to prepare and fry a bird.

First and foremost, one needs either a large propane fryer or electric fryer and enough peanut oil to fry a 10­­–14 pound bird. “Peanut oil has become the oil of choice for frying turkeys because of its durability for frying multiple turkeys, its nice, nutty flavor, and its high flash point,” Chef Patrick Mould, owner of the Louisiana School of Cooking, explains.

Of crucial importance is the cooking temperature of the oil. It must be maintained at 350°F throughout the cooking process. The correct temperature, Mould says, sears in the marinade and sears out the oil. Too low and the turkey will soak up the oil, too high and you’re inviting the local firehouse to dinner.

Rather than the three-and-a-half to four hours it might take to roast a turkey in the oven, frying a turkey can take just 45 minutes for a 12–14 pound bird. The end product is a turkey that will eliminate any pre-conceived notions about deep frying a bird.

“Some people think it’s like fried chicken and it’s not,” says Aricka Westbrooks, founder and owner of Jive Turkey, a Brooklyn-based eatery that specializes in the fried fowl.

“It is really a very flavorful, moist way of doing turkey,” Mould says. “People are really amazed it’s not greasy.”

And it compares favorably to roasted turkey for those counting calories. A six-ounce portion of fried turkey with the skin has around 13.5 grams of fat compared to a similar portion of roasted turkey with 12 grams of fat.