Who says Thanksgiving is only for turkeys? Kirchhoff also cooks up pork loins (and adds a gorgeous cranberry glaze) and artisan baker Josh Ryan prepares an amazingly beautiful Turkey Herbs de Provence.
You gotta love Louie Kirchhoff. His family’s Kirchhoff’s Bakery & Deli has rocked Second Street since 1873. And his Buzzard Brothers booth at BBQ on the River is an award-winner every year.But come holiday time, you gotta give thanks for him even more. For a mere $38, he’ll whip up a perfectly deep-fried turkey for your Thanksgiving table. Imagine enjoying cocktail hour instead of kitchen hour!
Kirchhoff and Richard Flowers have sold Cajun-inspired deep-fried turkeys for the past 11 years. Flowers got the idea from former Westvaco co-workers transplanted from New Orleans many moons ago. He shared the steps with Kirchhoff, they set up some outdoor gas cookers and the two were in the bird business.
The secret, Kirchhoff says, is all in the technique. “When we first started, we burned up a few and we got some raw, and then we finally hit on the right technique,” he says. “The birds have to be at room temperature and the peanut oil should boil at a constant 350 degrees.”
That’s it? That’s the secret? “Yes.”
So there you have it. The real secret, though, might be how to keep your sense of humor from flying the coop after frying 86 birds over a two-day period. Kirchhoff and Flowers seem to do just fine, though, filling customer orders from Paducah to Metropolis.
So is Kirchhoff keeping any for his own table? “I’m going to St. Louis and staying at the Chase Park Plaza,” he says. “I’m going to let them feed me!”
OK, but it won’t taste as good!
Here’s how Kirchhoff and Flowers perfectly deep-fry our de-feathered friends:
Step 1: Kirchhoff rubs his salt, cayenne pepper and all spice mixture into each 13-pound, room temperature Tom Turkey.
Step 2: Kirchhoff and Flowers prepare Tom for his peanut-oil plunge.
Step 3: They keep the peanut oil boiling at a consistent 350 degrees.
Step 4: In he goes, five minutes per pound.
Step 5: Out he comes.
Step 6: Kirchhoff ensures each Tom is toasted all the way through.
Step 7: Voilá! Dinner! And the next day’s lunch! And dinner again! And lunch again!
Step 8: Tom gets wrapped and ready to roll!
