This was easy and perfect. Deep-fried turkey cooks very quickly: About 35 to 45 minutes (or three to four minutes per pound). 1. Remove giblets and neck from the turkey. The turkey came out beautifully and was so moist, juicy and had an awesome flavor! Set a timer accordingly, and carefully lift the turkey out of the oil when it goes off. Take the temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer. Pat the turkey with paper towels to dry. Mix the brown sugar, parsley flakes, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cinnamon, pepper and ginger in a bowl. The cayenne and brown sugar were wonderful flavors to blend with the turkey. Fried Turkey Brined in Cayenne & Brown Sugar "We fried a turkey using this recipe for a get together with friends and we had a blast. Reserve in the refrigerator until ready to prepare the gravy. 3. If cooked the right way, a deep-fried turkey can make your Thanksgiving dinner even more impressive. For the turkey: 1 (15- to 18-pound) fresh turkey; Peanut oil for frying (about 4 gallons, see intro) Method. If present, remove and discard plastic leg holder and pop-up timer from the turkey. 2. Roast at 350 degrees until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, garlic powder and Creole seasoning. Rub and cook the turkey: Remove the bag of giblets and the neck from inside the turkey. Arrange the turkey on a rack in a baking pan. In a large stockpot or food-safe container, whisk brown sugar with mustard, salt and cayenne. Pat the brown sugar mixture evenly over the turkey. Gradually whisk in the cold water, thyme and garlic. Cut off the wing tips and plump little tail. Make the rub: Combine the rub ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.