Did Cajuns Really Invent Fried Turkey?

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL-FM) - For generations, Cajuns have been known for taking classic dishes and making them better...bolder flavors, more spices, and a whole lot more personality. So, it should come as no surprise that the tradition of frying turkeys started right here in South Louisiana.

The rest of America thought we were crazy, at least until they tasted it. Then they called us genius.

The Origins of Fried Turkey in Louisiana

Some reports trace the first fried turkeys back to Louisiana in the 1930s, long before the rest of the country had even considered dunking a bird in hot oil.

It wasn’t until the mid to late 1970s that the idea started spreading beyond Acadiana, as word got out about “those crazy Cajuns in South Louisiana” who were skipping the oven in favor of a deep fryer.

For most of us here in Acadiana, fried turkey isn’t just a Thanksgiving treat it’s a tradition passed down and perfected through the years.

Who Fried the First Turkey?

According to Vogue.com, Justin Wilson was the first person to publicly mention seeing someone deep-fry a turkey, way back in the 1930s.

Unfortunately, Wilson didn’t say exactly where in Acadiana he witnessed it, there’s pretty good evidence he saw it happen in South Louisiana.

By the late 1970s, as Wilson’s popularity grew, he was one of the only chefs in America known for frying turkeys, and from there, the tradition took off nationwide.

This being said, there's another, better documented account of frying turkeys that traces directly back to Church Point, Louisiana.

From seriouseats.com -

In December 1982, Gary Taylor, a United Press International reporter, filed a dispatch from Church Point, a small town of about 4,500 people in southwest Louisiana. 'A few daring cooks' he reported, 'have developed a new way to prepare a holiday turkey. They deep fry it—whole.'

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There's an article that also appeared in the Baton Rouge Times-Picayune the same year, specifically crediting a man named Charlie Gant for being the first person to fry a turkey.

There are also other news articles written in the late 70s and early 80s tracing fried turkey to Lafayette and New Iberia as well.