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How to Safely Deep-Fry Your Thanksgiving Turkey and Avoid Common Dangerous Mistakes

If deep-frying your turkey is in your future, then here are a few things to consider.

Maybe you hunted your wild turkey a few days before Thanksgiving Day or maybe you just picked one up at the grocery store this year. Nonetheless, you have your bird and you’re ready to cook it. Deep-frying a turkey is a serious matter and can cause serious injury and damage if not done right.

Take this video shared by “The Sun” on Twitter for example. Thanksgiving Day is actually one of the busiest days for firefighters because of turkey frying accidents.

In order to avoid a major accident on Thanksgiving Day, use these steps below as a guideline for safely deep-fry your turkey.

1. Make a Plan for Turkey Day

Making a plan and even rehearsing for the big day is crucial. This means walking through each step, from turning on the deep fryer to figuring out how much oil to use.

The most catastrophic thing that can happen is filling your deep fryer too full of oil and then dropping the turkey into the fryer. This will cause a huge fireball.

2. Setting Up the Deep Fryer for the Turkey

The location of the deep fryer is key to having a safe day. Do not set up the fryer inside the home, and do not use it on the deck. Furthermore, do not set it up near power lines or trees, or anything flammable.

3. Filling the Fryer

Knowing where to fill the oil to in the pot is very important. Determine what type of oil you want to use, like peanut oil. Consider canola oil as an alternative if a guest is allergic to peanuts.

Be sure to check the fill line. If you’re pot doesn’t have a fill line, fill it up with water, then place the turkey in the pot. This will help you see how much oil to put in the pot. Mark that level with tape but be sure to remove it before you begin it fry.

Empty the water from the pot, fill it with oil, and again, make sure to remove the tape. Consider the weight of your turkey, and how much oil it will displace.

4. Preparing to Cook the Bird

Now it’s time to start cooking. Set the temperature to 350-degrees and follow all directions. Or, think of cooking time as 3-and-a-half minutes per pound of turkey.

Oil and water do not mix, so be sure to fully defrost the turkey. Cold turkey is not a good turkey in this case. Make sure your bird is thoroughly defrosted and then dried after cleaning. Do not put the turkey in the deep fryer wet.

Additionally, keep a lid on the pot while the turkey is cooking, especially if the forecast calls for rain.

5. Designated Chef

It’s also a good idea to have only one person in charge of the bird while it’s in the deep fryer. Keep dogs and kids away from the process.

Furthermore, do not use stuffing in the bird when deep frying. This will throw the temperature off balance. It’s recommended that a marinade is used ahead of time, not right before the turkey goes in the oil.

6. Additional Tips

These are a few things to remember when preparing your meal on Thanksgiving.

  • Do not leave items cooking unattended.
  • Do not wear loose clothing.
  • Don’t drink and cook – save the alcohol for the meal.

Following this advice should result in a disaster-free day, and a warm home-cooked meal for the family to enjoy.

[H/T: FOX 29]