Fried turkey photo via Mot the barber on Flickr.
I love a nice fried turkey around the holidays. They cook quickly when fried and retain much of their natural moisture. If you plan on frying your own turkey this year, then turkey fryer safety is not something you can ignore. Here are some tips to make sure that can enjoy that tasty turkey at your holiday meal without worrying about burning down your house:
Do Not Overfill: This is one of the most important turkey fryer safety tips. You should never overfill your pot with oil. An overflowing pot of boiling oil can splash and burn anyone who is standing near the turkey fryer. In addition to that when the overflowing oil is exposed to the flames of the burner it can quite easily ignite and start a fire. Oil fires can be extremely dangerous.
Defrost your Turkey: Never place a frozen turkey directly into a fryer! Always be sure to completely defrost your turkey. Bits of ice can cause the oil to bubble and overflow. Little frozen bits exploding in hot oil is never a good thing.
Dry your Turkey: As with the ice, any excess fluids can be dangerous. After you have defrosted the turkey, be sure to drain the turkey entirely and then hand dry it with paper towels.
Fire Extinguisher: Oil fires can not be easily extinguished by water. Have a fire extinguisher on hand and ready to go.
Cook Outside: Always cook your turkey outside. If the worst comes to pass and your oil overflows and or catches on fire, it would be much better to have a scorched area in your lawn than to have your house burned down.
Clear the Area: Also be sure to clear anything flammable away from your cooking area. As well make sure that there are no overhangs, branches or anything else directly above your turkey fryer. Cook on the ground or on a concrete pad. Do not cook on a wooden deck or platform
Oil-less Turkey Fryer: Getting rid of the oil also gets rid of most of your risk. Charbroil makes an oil-less turkey fryer that uses infrared heat to quickly cook your turkey without the danger of oil splatters and overflows. If fried turkey is something you do every year then an oil-less turkey fryer is a smart buy.
Have you ever fried a turkey? Did you follow these turkey fryer safety tips? Let us know in the comments!
