Cooking a turkey in a deep fryer without causing a dangerous fire is on the menu this holiday.
Family and holiday traditions often come together on Thanksgiving, and one of those may be cooking traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Turkey is usually the main dish. Nowadays, those holiday recipes and traditions might include deep-frying a turkey because of the flavor and juiciness.
People who are cooking for the holidays should be careful when using a turkey fryer because accidents can happen and hurt people badly. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), these deep fryers harm 60 people each year, kill 5 people, and damage property worth over $15 million.
The Hidden Dangers of Deep Frying a Thanksgiving Turkey
As a Southern tradition, deep frying turkeys has become increasingly popular across America over the last few decades Who doesn’t love a golden, crispy-skinned turkey in half the time it takes to roast one? But is this cooking method actually safe for home cooks?
The truth is that deep frying turkeys poses serious fire and burn risks that many people underestimate. In this article, I’ll go over why using a turkey fryer is so dangerous and share tips for safer frying.
What Makes Turkey Fryers So Risky?
There are several inherent hazards to deep frying an entire turkey that can lead to devastating accidents:
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Hot oil – Frying uses 3-5 gallons of oil heated to 350°F Any contact with skin causes severe burns Oil is the #1 cause of cooking fires,
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Frozen turkeys – Putting even a partially frozen turkey into scalding oil leads to explosive spatter as ice instantly turns to steam.
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Overfilling – Too much oil causes overflow when the turkey is lowered. This can ignite easily.
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Overheating – Unregulated fryers can hit the smoke point at which oil combusts. This is very hard to extinguish.
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Splattering – Moisture on the turkey results in splattering hot oil, risking skin grafts.
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Tip-overs – A tipped fryer dumps hundreds of degrees of oil across a wide area.
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Heavy lid – The steel lid alone weighs over 10 pounds. Dropping this on yourself leads to grave injuries.
Even indoors, a small turkey fryer fire can engulf a house in minutes. The NFPA does not recommend deep frying for even seasoned cooks given the severity of accidents.
Painful Burn Injuries
The CDC reports that 40% of contact burns requiring hospitalization are caused by cooking oil. Hot oil can instantly cause full thickness 3rd degree burns down to the bone.
The dangers don’t end after cooking either. The oil retains heat for hours afterwards. Serious injuries occur when cooks dispose of used oil improperly.
Similarly, touching the steel cook pot or lid which exceeds 300°F even after frying leads to severe hand burns and potential skin grafting.
Property Damage
On average, more than $15 million in property damage results annually from turkey fryer blazes. This is usually caused by tip overs, overfilling, or overheating which ignites the entire oil volume.
These fires spread rapidly and can engulf nearby buildings within minutes. Home insurance claims spike every Thanksgiving weekend.
Deaths and Injuries
According to the NFPA, about 60 serious burn injuries and 5 deaths occur on average every year due to turkey fryer accidents.
Any contact between skin and hot oil causes immediate severe burns and immense pain. Overfilling the pot leads to immersion injuries which can cover large parts of the body.
Sadly, many of the victims are eager amateur cooks overconfident in their deep frying abilities.
Safer Turkey Frying Tips
Deep frying turkeys is inherently dangerous with a narrow safety margin. However, these tips can reduce your risk:
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Use an electric fryer, not propane. The thermostat prevents overheating oil.
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Fry outdoors 10 feet from buildings with a fire extinguisher on hand.
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Never fry on wooden decks. Use concrete or gravel surfaces.
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Completely thaw and dry turkey before frying to prevent splatter.
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Avoid overfilling the fryer more than halfway.
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Lower and remove turkey slowly with long cooking gloves.
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Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
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Monitor temperature constantly to prevent overheating.
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Let used oil cool entirely before disposing.
Is a deep fried turkey worth the risks? Many experts would say no. Air frying and roasting give similar flavors much more safely. But if you deep fry, extreme caution is an absolute must. The safety margin is razor thin with no room for error.
Stay Safe When Cooking Your Holiday Turkey
As delicious as golden deep fried turkey may be, safety has to come first. The risks inherent to deep frying turkeys are just too high for most home cooks. Here are some much safer cooking methods to explore:
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Roast your turkey for fuller flavor with less risk
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Air fry for crispy skin without gallons of hot oil
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Smoke your turkey on a grill or smoker for a new experience
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Fry just turkey pieces to minimize the oil amount
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Visit a professional turkey frying service and leave it to the experts!
While I love a good Southern tradition, avoiding the emergency room is even better. With so many safer and tastier options available today, deep frying an entire turkey just isn’t worth playing with fire in my opinion.
Stick to safer cooking methods this holiday season and still enjoy delicious turkey with all the sides! Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours.
Tips to help prevent deep fried turkey accidents
- Never leave fryers unattended.
- Exterior fryers should be kept away from buildings, wooden decks, and trees to keep everyone safe.
- Never use fryers in garages.
- Make sure the fryer is on a flat surface and don’t move it while it’s working.
- Be cautious of the weather. Avoid operating a fryer in the rain or snow.
- There should be 2 feet between the burner and tank.
- Follow the manufacturers instructions to avoid overfilling with cooking oil.
- Choose the proper size turkey. Typically, a bird thats 8 to 10 pounds works well.
- Never attempt to deep fry a frozen turkey. When ice or water gets into hot oil, it can cause flare-ups. Before putting the turkey in the fryer, make sure it has been properly defrosted and is completely dry by following the directions on the label.
- Also, skip stuffing the turkey before frying.
- Consider using a fryer with temperature controls. Continuously check the oil temperature carefully. When cooking oil is heated past its smoke point, it can catch fire. Turn off the fryer if you see smoke coming from the oil.
- Before putting the turkey in the oil, turn off the burner. Once the turkey is submerged, turn the burner back on.
- Wear protective cooking gear. Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes and oven mitts to keep your hands and arms safe.
- Keep safety gear close at hand, like an “ABC” or grease-rated fire extinguisher. DO NOT use a garden hose or water on a fire that has to do with turkey fryers. Remember that an oil or grease fire in a turkey fryer can spread with water.
- Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
- When it’s done, turn off the heat and carefully take the pot off the stove. Put the pot on a flat surface and cover it. Let the oil cool overnight before getting rid of it.
- Opt for an oil-less or air fryer. Instead of oil, these use infrared heat to cook the turkey.
The NFPA says that in 2021, local fire departments responded to about 1,160 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day, which is the busiest day of the year for them. Stay safe with these turkey fryer safety tips if you want to deep-fry your holiday bird. This will help keep you, your guests, and your home safe from fire.
Also, before you start making the turkey and side dishes, read these Thanksgiving food safety tips to make sure your family has a safe and fun holiday.
What are the dangers of deep frying a turkey?
FAQ
How many people get injured from deep-frying turkeys?
Are turkey deep fryers dangerous?
How do you deep fry a turkey without it exploding?
How unhealthy is a fried turkey?
Is deep frying a Turkey dangerous?
Firefighters and government agencies are warning against the hazards of deep-frying turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in its annual warning, told Americans to “cook your turkey, not your home” in a video posted online showing how the practice can set off fires.
Is deep frying butter safe?
Deep frying butter is safe, but as other sorts of fat, it’s recommended not consume it every day. What is more, when people are warming butter, the level of oxidation is always increasing and the result is that this kind of food become unhealthy.
Is deep frying a Turkey worth it?
Well, your house burned down. But, boy, was that deep-fried turkey tasty. Totally worth it, right? Yeah, that’s not the type of trade-off you should be willing to make this Thanksgiving, no matter how much you may like the super crispy meat that can result when you deep fry a turkey. Or how much you dislike your house.
Can you deep fry a Turkey?
That’s why you should take precautions when trying to deep fry a turkey. Before you even attempt such an undertaking, make sure you are in a location that doesn’t have anything flammable nearby. Your walk-in closet, a Victoria’s Secret store or a gas station, for example, would be very bad places to deep-fry a turkey.
Is it safe to fry a Turkey with oil?
Some experts say the risk is from frying great enough that consumers should never even attempt to fry a turkey using oil. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests that consumers use electric turkey fryers, infrared fryers or air fryers instead. “Turkey fryers that use cooking oil are not safe,” an NFPA bulletin said.
Can you eat deep fried turkey this Thanksgiving?
In the words of Guns N’ Roses, show just a little patience. Patience is what’s needed, in general, if you want to enjoy some deep-fried turkey this Thanksgiving. Before you go deep, make sure that follow all of the aforementioned precautions. You and your home will be thankful that you did.