Top 10 Safety Tips (& Video) for Deep-Frying a Turkey

Deep-frying a turkey is perhaps the best--and certainly the most dangerous--cooking method for juicy, succulent and flavorful turkey.  If you plan on deep-frying a turkey this Thanksgiving, here are my Top Ten safety tips to ensure a safe and fire-free Thanksgiving:

1.  ALWAYS use a real outdoor deep-fryer such as the Bayou Classic Bayou Classic Fryers With Rack 32 Quart Stainless Steel Turkey Fryer, with the right tools for lifting/immersing the turkey into the oil and a deep-frying thermometer.  Don't improvise or attempt to build your own fryer.  And for heaven's sakes, read the instruction manual and actually follow it.

2.  NEVER deep-fry a turkey indoors, or in your garage.  That's just asking for trouble.

3.  DON'T set up your deep-fryer on a wooden deck, or near anything flammable.  You want a flat, fireproof surface like a concrete sidewalk or paved driveway.

4.  DON'T overfill the fryer with oil, or else it will splash or spill over when you add the turkey, causing a grease fire.  That would be disastrous.

5.  DON'T try to fry a turkey that weighs over 12 lbs, because it will end up burnt on the outside before the inside has time to fully cook.  Nobody likes charred or raw turkey.

6.  NEVER fry a stuffed turkey--no one likes salmonella--and don't forget to remove the giblets and any plastic trussing or pop-up doodad before frying (no one likes melted plastic, either).

7.  NEVER fry a frozen turkey.  It will explode.  People will get hurt. 

8.  NEVER let the temperature of the oil get above 350°F.  Oil can ignite at 375°F.  That's no fun.

9.  ALWAYS have a grease-fire-approved fire extinguisher handy (never use water to try to extinguish a grease fire).  Kitty litter is also useful to absorb any spilled oil.

10.  NEVER leave the fryer unattended, and keep kids and pets away.  Deep-friers tip over with frightening ease.

But why listen to me, when you can listen to William Shatner instead?




Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company