Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey Could be a Fire Hazard If Not Careful!

11/9/2022 (Permalink)

Turkey frying is faster and creates a moist, delicious turkey if done right. Follow these fire safety tips to ensure a smooth Thanksgiving Dinner!

Deep-frying a turkey can bring amazing results: a glistening bird with golden-brown skin that’s cooked perfectly in minutes. But anyone who has watched an online video in which a deep-fried turkey goes up in flames should understand that the technique is no joke. Done right, you could be filling your plate in an hour. Done wrong, you could be eating out of the vending machine at the Emergency Room.

5 DANGERS OF DEEP FRYING A TURKEY

1. Turkey fryers can easily tip over, spilling hot cooking oil over a large area or surface
2. An over-filled cooking pot can cause cooking oil to spill or splatter when the turkey is placed in the pot.
3. Even a small amount of cooking oil spilling on a hot burner can cause a large fire.
4. Without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat cooking oil to the point of igniting a fire.
5. The sides of the cooking pot, lid, and pot handles can get dangerously hot.

TIPS FOR AMAZING RESULTS

1. Test to see how much oil you truly need. Do not fill the pot with oil yet. Using cold water, measure how much liquid should be put in the pot to cover the turkey without overflowing onto the burner.
2. Only fry a turkey OUTSIDE. Turkey frying should only be done outdoors, on a flat and level surface—not in an enclosed area (like a kitchen or garage) or on a wooden structure (like a deck)! Also, remember that oil is hard to clean off concrete. Make sure to clear the area of children, pets, and especially intoxicated relatives.
3. Use a fresh bird, or fully thaw a frozen one. The minute any moisture from the turkey hits hot oil, the oil will start to splatter and can cause a spillover effect, starting a fire.
4. Forget about the stuffing. You’ll have to keep the stuffing on the side when frying a turkey. Also, remember to remove the giblets from the bird’s cavity before frying.
5. Lower the bird slowly into the oil. Do not drop the turkey into the deep fryer.
6. Do not move the pot. Adjusting a vat of hot oil is incredibly dangerous.
7. Stay nearby. Never leave the turkey unattended. It can only take a moment for something to go wrong.
8. Don’t start enjoying your adult beverages until after the oil has cooled. Better to be alert until the bird is cooked.
9. Wait to carve.  To help retain the hot juices, let the cooked turkey rest for at least 30 minutes.
10. Keep heavy blankets nearby for emergencies. Water will not extinguish an oil fire; it will only spread the ignited oil. A wool blanket will help put out flare-ups.

Following all of these tips will keep you and your loved ones safe!  

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