As I was preparing for this year’s Thanksgiving festival, where I will be serving a delicious fried turkey, I became interested in the origin of the succulent treat.

What is fried turkey?

“Frying whole turkeys is kind of the southern version of making fondue. You invite a lot of your friends over, rummage around in a pot of hot oil with a few sticks, and then bring out your dinner.” Justin Wilson, famous for Cajun food, remembers first seeing a fried turkey in Louisiana in the 1930s.” — Something Different: Deep-Fried Turkey, Beverly Bundy, St. Louis OfficeNovember 24, 1997 (Food p. 4)

What is a deep fried turkey you ask? Injected with marinade and cooked in peanut or other vegetable oil to 350 degrees F, fried turkey is anything but greasy. The frying process seals in the juices creating flavorful meat and flavorful, golden skin. Incredibly juicy on the inside and wonderfully crunchy on the outside, the burst of flavor and contrasting textures have made it a favorite for barbecues, block parties, tailgating, holiday banquets and informal wedding receptions.

Seems like I first heard about frying turkey about 15 years ago, then suddenly everyone and their brother was doing it. So what caused this sudden phenomenon?

Roots in the southern United States

Fried turkey has its origins in the southern United States, namely Louisiana. I’ve heard there are some restaurants in south Louisiana that have become popular by injecting whole birds with a Creole-style marinade and then dipping them in hot peanut oil. However, there had to be something bigger to get the word out, regional restaurants just don’t have the reach to upend a tradition as ingrained as baked turkey.

I thought maybe it was the new accessibility of deep fryers like the original Kamp Kooker marketed by Home Depot, or was it a favorite of celebrity chefs like Emeril?

Why is it called Cajun if it isn’t?

I started doing some research on the internet and even though I only spent a few hours, it seems that no exact year, restaurant or person is connected to this particular style of cooking turkey. There is evidence that fried turkeys were cooked outdoors for large popular events (family reunions, charity dinners, church dinners, etc.) in the early years of the 20th century.

Commonly regarded as a Cajun tradition, I was unable to find any direct links to Acadian-Cajun culture. In fact, I found that food historians generally agree that fried turkeys have their roots in Bayou (Louisiana/Texas) Creole cooking. The recipes then migrated from Louisiana/Texas to Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia (peanut oil) and Washington DC before branching north to Seattle and Vancouver.

The power of Martha Stewart

So here seems to be the magic bullet. I found where Martha Stewart is credited for bringing the recipe to mainstream America in the early 90s:

“Fried turkey has been in vogue for at least the last decade in New Orleans, and long before that it was a tradition in the bayou and throughout the South. Like many vainglorious culinary fads before it, the national renown of fried turkeys may to be traced directly back to Martha Stewart, who brought them out of regional obscurity and into her magazine in 1996. “—It’s treacherous, but so tasty; Fried turkey fans take the risk, Annie Gowen, Washington Post, November 22, 2001 (p. B1)

If this is the case, it seems that Martha may have created an entire industry. A typical setup that includes all the turkey fryer accessories can easily cost $200-$300. I would say those people and the peanut oil people owe Martha a big thank you.