Everyone knows that fried wild turkey nuggets and fried wild turkey sandwiches are delicious. And deep-fried turkeys are extremely popular for Thanksgiving dinner. Why not combine the two? We inject the wild turkey breast with a turkey stock and butter-based mixture to maximize juiciness before frying. The hot oil seals the surface of the meat and traps moisture inside to prevent the turkey from drying out.

An outdoor fish fryer is the perfect way to cut down on smoke and oil splatter in the kitchen.

For the injection, we used some of our slow cooker wild turkey stock as the base. If you haven’t made your own stock, you can substitute chicken stock from your local market. Use a plastic or metal marinade injector to add the liquid, injecting in several locations throughout the breast meat for even distribution. You can add the injection up to several hours in advance of the actual cook.

An outdoor fish or turkey fryer is the perfect cooking vessel for this recipe. That way, even if you splash oil out of the pot, cleanup isn’t a big deal. As with all outdoor deep-frying, locate the pot away from the house or combustible materials and keep a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.

When it comes to oil, choose one with a high smoke point for this recipe. Vegetable, peanut, soybean, or restaurant-style deep-fry oil are all good choices. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure your oil is between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit before slowly lowering in the turkey breast. Cook time will vary based on the size of your turkey breast. Figure 4 to 5 minutes per pound. I cooked a 3-pound breast for 14 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 160 to 165 degrees.

Don’t worry if the exterior of your fried turkey breast is dark. It isn’t burned; that’s just the seasoning. The exterior of the breast should be crispy and delicious, the interior juicy and tender when sliced.

The hot oil quickly seals the surface, trapping the moisture from the injection inside.