Several Chanukahs ago my husband came home with an electric deep fryer large enough to accommodate a 12-pound turkey. I’d heard of suburban folks frying turkeys in their garages, but because we live in a Manhattan apartment I was less than thrilled with the gigantic appliance, which I had no room to store.
That first Chanukah, however, I acquiesced to deep-frying a turkey, which turned out to be more delicious than you can imagine. The bird was moist on the inside and crisp on the outside, an achievement that anyone who has roasted a turkey can tell you is no easy feat.
Surprisingly, the bird didn’t taste greasy. Better yet, the preparation time was reduced from several hours to 45 minutes.
Since then, fried turkey has become one of our most treasured holiday traditions. Of course, on the first night of Chanukah we fill four skillets with latkes. Nothing is crunchier than grated potatoes browned in spattering oil. But on another night of this eight-day holiday, we invite a crowd and deep-fry a turkey. As we light the colorful Chanukah candles, our apartment fills with the scent of serious searing. Watching the candles twinkle, our family and friends can’t wait to gobble the turkey.
Deep-fried turkey is a fitting way to celebrate Chanukah, the festival of oil, because its preparation requires several gallons of oil.
During the Maccabees’ time, cheese pancakes were a popular fried food. Latkes weren’t added to the Chanukah repertoire until centuries later.
Jews from various countries now fry many kinds of foods, including donuts, fritters and pancakes.
My husband’s family hailed from the Jewish community of Trieste, Italy, so every Chanukah we also deep-fry rice balls. An Italian delicacy, these crunchy balls held together with ricotta cheese are sensational as hors d’oeuvres or a side dish.
While fooling around in my kitchen, I’ve successfully fried some unexpected foods from Jewish cuisine into a whole new identity.
Chopped fish, eggs and matzah meal are usually mixed together to form patties that are simmered in broth to produce gefilte fish. But instead of boiling these large oval patties, I roll the batter into small balls and deep-fry them. After one taste, you’ll never settle for bland gefilte fish again.
On the theory that you can fry anything, I suggest widening your Chanukah repertoire.
In spite of these other delicacies, I have to admit that I wait all year for Chanukah because of the crackling texture of potato pancakes. But I find I can eat latkes for only so many days in a row before seeking other foods to fry.
Getting started:
While some people fry turkeys by rigging up garbage cans on barbecue grills or above open fires, this is a dangerous practice. A safer route is to purchase a deep fryer from a reputable company, such as Masterbuilt.
When deep-frying, you must use fresh (not frozen) turkeys.
Use an oil with a high smoking point (preferably 450 degrees). Aficionados recommend peanut oil, as it imparts the most marvelous flavor. However, corn oil, safflower oil and canola oil are also fine.
Non-kosher turkeys must be brined before deep-frying them. However, kosher turkeys should not be brined because they have already been salted.
Deep-Fried Turkey
1/2 pound kosher salt
1 lb. dark brown sugar
6 quarts hot water
24 ice cubes
12-lb. turkey
Brining bag or tall kitchen trash bag
In a large bowl, stir salt and sugar in hot water until dissolved. Add ice cubes to cool the brine. If it’s still warm, chill in the refrigerator. When cooled, pour brine into a brining bag, or line a pot deep enough to hold a turkey with an unused tall kitchen trash bag. The brining bag is stiff enough to hold its shape, but the trash bag must be kept inside the large pot during brining.
Place the turkey into the bag and seal it. To keep the turkey submerged, cover the outside of the bag with weights, such as unopened cans of food. Do not brine the turkey in the deep fryer. Refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours.
Thoroughly rinse off the brine before deep-frying the turkey. Pat the turkey dry completely with paper towels because water can cause a flare-up when exposed to hot oil.
Before deep-frying the turkey, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for technique, timing, safety and amount of oil needed.