Deep-frying your Thanksgiving turkey? Here's how to avoid disaster (2024)

FAQs

Deep-frying your Thanksgiving turkey? Here's how to avoid disaster? ›

If you are considering deep-frying this year, do not forget to thaw and dry your turkey before placing it in the pot. Failure to do so may lead to an explosive disaster.

If you are considering deep-frying this year, do not forget to thaw and dry your turkey before placing it in the pot. Failure to do so may lead to an explosive disaster.

There are more cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year. According to a story published by The Atlantic, more than a third of the fires start in a garage or patio. Each year, fire departments respond to more than 1,000 fires related to deep fryers.

Make sure your turkey is fully thawed without frost on it before you fry it. Without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire. If your turkey fryer does not have a thermostat, use a kitchen thermometer that attaches to the side of the pot.

The oil may be stored in the refrigerator for several months or until signs of deterioration begin. Cover the oil and refrigerate it to prevent it from becoming rancid. According to the Texas Peanut Producers Board, peanut oil may be used three or four times to fry turkeys before signs of deterioration begin.

"The reason frozen turkeys explode, at its core, has to do with differences in density," chemist Kristine Nolin wrote for The Conversation, saying the high proportion of ice inside frozen turkeys can fuel explosions. Because it's less viscous, water might seem less dense than oil; it's not.

Brines add a lot of flavor but they don't penetrate as deep as an injection. Moisture. The injection penetrates deep inside the meat, ensuring a juicy bite. The injection is also a crutch from overcooking, so you will still have a juicy bird even if you cook it a bit too long!

Keep children and pets away from the fryer to prevent tipping, even after the turkey is done. The oil is dangerously hot for hours. Use your safety tools: Oven mitts, gloves, and safety goggles. Stand upwind of the propane tank and fryer so heat blows away from you.

Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire. Check the temperature often with a cooking thermometer so the oil won't overheat. The pot, lid and handles of a turkey fryer can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries. Use long cooking gloves that protect hands and arms when you handle these items.

Fire blanket or lid

If it catches fire, you only have a few minutes to put it out. This is why you should always have a lid or fire blanket handy when you intend to deep fry food. If you discover the fire quickly, you can cover it with a lid or fire blanket to smother the flames.

What is the best oil to deep fry a turkey in? ›

Tip: Peanut oil is the most popular type of oil used for deep frying a turkey, but any oil with a smoking point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit will work. Try safflower oil or corn oil if you don't like peanut oil or are accommodating a peanut allergy.

How Long to Deep Fry a Turkey. Fry your turkey for about 3.5 minutes per pound. For a 10-pound turkey, you'll fry for about 35 minutes. A meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F.

Big jugs of oil can leak and make waste facilities despise you and your greasy ways. 1) Allow the oil to cool down post-meal. 2) Then, pour it into an unbreakable, sealable container. 3) Seal the lid tightly and throw it away with the rest of your trash.

Inject the bird with flavored butter. There's a reason a lot of turkey fryers come with large syringes for injecting the birds. “It's about layering in flavors,” Alexander says, and the butter “ups the moisture factor as well.”

Do not use a pot lid when frying your turkey. If a fire starts, do not spray water onto it, as this could splash and spread the burning oil. Never leave your pot, fryer or hot oil unattended. Allow your oil to cool completely before disposal.

Frying a whole turkey in hot oil can be dangerous, and caution must be observed. Thousands of fires and injuries occur every year due to turkey fryer fires. Hot oil is highly combustible, and the pot of hot oil will be sitting directly over an open flame.