The latest trend in preparing a turkey is deep frying. However, if you don’t take precautions, you may end up with an injury or fire. The Naperville Fire Department offers you the following cooking/safety tips when deep fried turkey is on the menu:
SafetyTips:
- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.
- Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.
- Never leave the fryer unattended. If you don’t watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
- To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don’t mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire.
- The National Turkey Federation recommends refrigerator thawing and to allow 24 hours for every five pounds of bird thawed in the refrigerator.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
Deep Fried Turkey Cooking Tips:
- Only deep fry smaller turkeys—up to 12 pounds.
- Use oils with high smoke points such as peanut, canola and safflower.
- To determine how much oil you’ll need, put the turkey in the basket and place in the pot. Add water until it reaches one to two inches above the turkey. Lift the turkey out, and use a ruler to measure the distance from the water to the top of the fryer. Pour out the water and dry the fryer completely.
- Before frying, pat the turkey dry with paper towels to keep the hot oil from spattering and popping.
- Slowly lower the turkey into the oil, and maintain an oil temp of 350ºF. Fry turkey for three to four minutes per pound or about 35 to 42 minutes for a 10- to 12-pound turkey.
Hopefully these tips will be useful for you as you prepare for the holiday festivities. Also, remember to test your smoke detectors every month! On behalf of The Naperville Fire Department, here’s wishing you and yours a very safe and happy holiday season!
