Frying Turkey in the Backcountry — Friendsgiving Style

Every year, we host a Friendsgiving in the backcountry with some of our closest friends — and every year, it’s the same challenge: make your favorite Thanksgiving side dish without an oven, using only your camping kitchen.

It’s chaotic. It’s creative. And it’s one of our absolute favorite traditions.

While everyone else brings mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, or pie hacks they’ve figured out for camp life, we take on the turkeys — two of them, to be exact.

🏕 How We Discovered Frying Turkey

Years ago, when we were still hosting Thanksgiving at home, neither of us were excited about getting up at 5 a.m. to spend the entire day roasting a bird in the oven. That’s when we stumbled across a YouTube video on frying turkey. It looked faster, juicier, and — let’s be honest — way more fun.

Turns out, frying turkey isn’t just a kitchen shortcut — it’s an adventure meal in itself.

Now, frying turkey has become a part of our outdoor Friendsgiving, and honestly, it’s hard to imagine doing it any other way.

🦃 Tips for Frying Turkey at Camp

There are a few things you absolutely need to know before you start:

• Level your pot — Always make sure the fryer is on a flat, stable surface and not near anything flammable. We set ours up well away from tents, vehicles, or dry grass.

• Choose the right size turkey — Don’t try to jam a monster bird into your pot. A 12–14 lb turkey works perfectly.

• Never fry frozen — Seriously. Science + hot oil + ice = disaster. (If you don’t believe me, just YouTube “frying frozen turkey fail” — it’s… dramatic.)

• Pick the right oil — Peanut oil is our go-to because of its high smoke point and clean flavor.

🥘 Our Turkey Setup

Before we head into the backcountry, we make sure to:

• Thaw the turkey completely (we’ve discovered it fits perfectly in our electric cooler — wrapped in foil and sealed in a trash bag to prevent a mess).

• Season it generously — We love cajun seasoning. It sounds weird, but it doesn’t add spiciness — just layers of rich, smoky flavor.

At camp, we get the oil heated, slowly lower the bird in, and let the magic happen.

There’s just something about that crisp, golden skin and juicy inside — plus, with the fresh autumn air, it’s truly a match made in heaven.

By the time the turkeys are ready, the table is filled with everyone’s camp-kitchen masterpieces. It’s chaotic, messy, and far from picture-perfect — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

✨ Why It’s Worth It

If you want a showstopper for your next Friendsgiving or fall camping trip, consider frying a turkey. With the right prep and safety measures, you’ll serve up one of the most flavorful, memorable meals you’ve ever had in the wild.

Trust us — you’ll never look at a roasted turkey the same way again.