CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 ROBERT FREEMAN
G-3 Air, U.S. Army South
Fort Sam Houston, Texas
There I was, about to deep fry my very first Thanksgiving turkey. At first, I wasn’t sure this was a challenge I wanted to tackle. I changed my mind, however, when a friend told me how much better a fried turkey tasted compared to an oven-roasted bird. That’s all the convincing I needed. Unfortunately, I made a couple of rookie turkey fryer mistakes.
I have been practicing safety for as long as I can remember. I pride myself on being a pretty good cook and usually pay attention to what I’m doing in hopes that my kids will see my safety efforts and learn to avoid common mistakes. So prior to the big day, I did a little research on how to fry a turkey. I even asked my friend for some tips, to which I paid close attention. But there were a few important points he omitted. Here’s what happened.
I thought I was doing everything right, such as making sure the turkey was completely thawed and its cavity free of hanging ice. I also ensured I was using the proper personal protective equipment by breaking out my gloves and wearing shoes instead of flip-flops. I even put on goggles to avoid splashing oil. But I made two critical mistakes, and I’m fortunate I did not burn down the house.
My first mistake was I’d set up the turkey fryer in the garage. I figured the cement surface would be a good, stable place to cook. I still might have avoided a near disaster, however, if it wasn’t for my second mistake. I failed to take into account how high the oil would rise once I dropped the turkey into the pot.
As I lowered the turkey into the hot oil, it began to bubble up really high. It eventually overflowed and spilled out onto the garage floor. As luck would have it, I had a bucket of sand in the garage that I had planned on using for a landscaping project. I quickly threw the sand on the spilled oil and kept it from spreading to the rest of the garage.
After dinner (yes, the turkey survived), I brought my kids outside to show them what I had done. I explained that although individuals do make mistakes, accidents can be avoided by planning ahead. In this case, I got complacent and let down my guard. To avoid a similar incident from occurring in the future, I built a turkey frying pit in the backyard and surrounded it with sand to catch any spillage. As you can see, I learned from my mistakes. I hope you will too.
Delicious, Not Disastrous
Deep frying a turkey can be dangerous, especially for first-timers. A lot of things can go wrong with a fryer filled with hot oil. If you’re looking to try your hand at deep frying a turkey this Thanksgiving, here are a few safety and cooking tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and www.turkeydeepfryersinfo.com that can help make your holiday meal delicious, not disastrous:
- Select a cooking vessel large enough to completely submerge the turkey in oil without it spilling over. The oil should cover the turkey by 1 to 2 inches. To determine the amount of oil needed, do a preliminary test using water. Place the turkey in the cooking utensil and add enough water to completely submerse it. Then remove the turkey and measure the amount of water. This is the amount of oil needed.
- Choose a safe location outdoors. The turkey fryer needs to be outside on a flat surface. Do not deep fry a turkey in a garage or covered carport.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher (rated for grease fires) nearby. Large oven mitts or fireplace gloves must also be worn. Always wear eye protection, although full-face protection would be even better. Do not allow guests, especially children and pets, near the turkey fryer.
- When lowering the turkey into the oil, turn off the flame. Slowly and carefully lower the turkey into the hot oil. Constantly monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer during cooking. Never leave the hot oil unattended and allow about three to five minutes per pound cooking time. After removing the turkey from the pot, drain the oil from the cavity. Check the temperature of the turkey with a food thermometer. The turkey is safely cooked when the food thermometer reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
- If the turkey is not done, immediately return it to the hot oil for additional cooking. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oil and place it on a sturdy tray lined with paper towels. The skin can be golden to dark brown to almost black. Let it rest about 20 minutes before carving.