Origin Of The “Cajun” Deep Fried Turkey
While preparing for this year’s Thanksgiving fest, where I’ll be serving delicious Deep Fried turkey, I became interested in the origin of the succulent treat.
What is deep fried turkey?
“Frying whole turkeys is sort of the Southern version of making fondue. You have a lot of your friends over, you poke around in a pot of hot oil with some sticks, and then you pull out your dinner. Justin Wilson, of Cajun fame, recalls first seeing a turkey fry in Louisiana in the 1930s.”—Something Different: Deep-Fried Turkey, Beverly Bundy, St. Louis Dispatch, November 24, 1997 (Food p. 4)
What is a deep fried turkey you ask? Injected with marinade and cooked in 350 degreeF peanut or other vegetable oil, deep-fried turkey is anything but greasy. The deep-frying process seals in the juices creating flavorful meat and tasty golden brown skin. Incredibly juicy on the interior and wonderfully crispy on the exterior, the explosion of flavor and contrasting textures has made it a favorite for barbecues, block parties, tailgating, holiday feasts and informal wedding receptions.
It seems I first heard about deep frying turkey about 15 years ago, then suddenly everyone and their brother was doing it. So what sparked this sudden phenomenon?
Roots in the Southern United States
Deep frying turkey has it’s origins in the Southern United States, namely Louisiana. I have heard there are a few restaurants in Southern Louisiana that became popular by injecting whole birds with a creole style marinade then dropping them in hot peanut oil. There had to be something bigger though to get the word out, Regional restaurants just do not have the reach to change a deep rooted tradition such as oven baked turkey.
I thought maybe it was the new accessibility of large deep fryers such as the original Kamp Kooker marketed by Home Depot, or was it a favorite of celebrity chefs such as Emeril?
Why is it called Cajun if it’s not?
I started doing a little research on the internet, and although I only spent a few hours, it seems 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 suppers, etc.) in the early years of the twentieth century.
Commonly thought of as a cajun tradition, I could find no direct ties to the acadien-cajun culture. In fact I found food historians generally agree that fried turkeys trace their roots to Bayou (Louisiana/Texas) creole cuisine. Recipes then migrated from Louisiana/Texas to Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia (peanut oil), and Washington D.C. before it forked northward toward Seattle and Vancouver.
The power of Martha Stewart
So here seems to be the magic bullet. I did find where Martha Stewart is given credit for taking the recipe to mainstream America in the early 90′s:
“Fried turkey has been all the rage at least for the last decade in New Orleans, and long before that it was a tradition in the bayou and throughout the South. Like many a vainglorious culinary mania before it, the national renown of fried turkeys can be traced directly to Martha Stewart, who plucked them from regional obscurity and put them in her magazine in 1996. ” —It’s Treacherous, But Oh So Tasty; Fried-Turkey Fans Take the Risk, Annie Gowen, Washington Post, November 22, 2001 (p. B1)
If this is the case, it seems Martha may have created an entire industry. A typical setup including all the turkey fryer accessories can easily run $200-$300. I would say those folks and the peanut oil folks owe Martha a big thanks.
Send me your thoughts
Leave your comments, I would love to learn more about the origins of deep fried turkey, where it came from and what made it so popular.
Holidays to Turkey – Perfect for Hiking Holiday Lovers
Over the last few years, Turkey has emerged as one of the hottest and most popular tourist destinations in the world. In todayâ??s world, it is one of the finest tourist destinations that have diverse things to offer starting from the breathtaking scenic beauty with crystal clear waters, pine covered mountain and sunny beaches to famous archaeological and historical sites.
Turkey has a very uneven and diverse terrain consisting of mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Surrounded by the seas on three sides, mainly the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea, this country features numerous shores that are laced with beaches, cove, ports, islands and peninsulas. The country is known for its Mediterranean climate, which makes it more ideal destination to enjoy a pleasant stay. The 365 days of sunshine along with vibrant spring season make this place as one of the ideal choices for holiday.
Turkey is one of the few travel destinations that can offer you ample of options to enjoy various outdoor and various adventure activities. As a vacationer, you can enjoy different outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, mountain biking and different water sports like swimming, boating, surfing and much more. Adding to this, you can also enjoy the trill of adventure sport like hot air balloon flight. However, if we look at the current scenario, hiking is one of the key outdoor activities and adventure sports of Turkey that has pulled the attention of numerous vacationers from all across the world. In fact, these days many local tour operators in Turkey are offering various hiking tour programs for local and international vacationers.
Today while spending your holiday in Turkey you can enjoy hiking at the number of marked hiking trails. If you are one of those hiking lovers, here is a list of different spots in Turkey where you can enjoy one of its own kinds of hiking experience:
â?¢ The Lycian way is Kate Clow’s 500-km marked trail starting from Fethive/Oludeniz to Antalya through the Teke Peninsula.
â?¢ St Paul Trail- This trail follows the Lycian way marked from the St Paul Trail north from Perge and Aspendos to Yalvac on the Anatolian plateau, Cappadocia.
One of the great pleasures that you can enjoy while hiking through these trails are visiting different classical sites that feature stunning views. Every trail offers a unique hiking experience. In fact, the best part of hiking through these trails is you get the chance to discover some of the most amazing views that are worth being captured in your camera.
As you hike in the foothills and ridges of the Kaçkar and Güngörmez ranges, you can view tiny alpine flowers that have emerged from the melting snow- snow cock and black grouse. Adding to this, hiking through the Cappadocia valley, you can also enjoy the unique formations shaped by the eruptions of three volcanoes- Mount Erciyes (3,917m), Mount Hasan (3,263m) and Mount Melendiz (2,963m). The most striking part of this valley is earlier it was used to hide the first churches of Cappadocia carved into fairy chimneys and caves.
The Rose Valley located between Goreme and Cavusin villages is another option if you love hiking. This valley is divided into many smaller valleys namely – Gulludere, Kizilcukur, Meskendir and Zindanonu valleys and famous for its rose-colored rock that varies in intensity depending on time of day, season and weather conditions. During the hike, you can visit several cave churches, cave tunnels and cave houses. Apart from this, the stunning & lush Ihlara Valley boasts the deepest gorge in Asia Minor and can be considered as the perfect hiking option. The key feature that makes hiking through the Ihlara valleys unique is the Melendiz River which runs from the bottom of the valley in the village of Ihlara and paints the gorge in beautiful shades of blue and green.
Today no doubt, Turkey is an exciting country filled with many different options where you can easily enjoy hiking. All you require is making the right selection of hiking spot that can meet your requirements and budget-limit.