How to Not Blow Yourself Up When Frying a Turkey

By Food & Wine

Updated November 23, 2015

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and for many of us that means it’s turkey time. There are many beautiful ways to prepare a bird, dressing it just so. But for all you adrenaline junkies, there is but one way to cook a turkey: Deep fry it. Turkey frying produces a bird that’s juicy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside, and it comes complete with a significantly elevated danger level. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, fryers result in 1000 emergency fire calls every year and $15 million worth of damage. So we reached out to the U.S. Fire Administration—a division of FEMA—to find out what we should and shouldn’t do when it comes to deep-frying a bird.

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DO: Thaw the bird out completely

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

Yes, it will take a while, especially if you need a turkey big enough to feed all your sister’s kids, but even a partially frozen bird can cause oil to splatter when it’s put in the pot.

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DO: Watch the turkey fry

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

Unattended pots can tip over and then you’ll have 300+ degree oil spilled all over your yard.

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DO: Use a fryer with a thermostat control

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

Without a thermostat, fryers can overheat the oil to the point of starting a fire.

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DON'T: Let any of the oil touch the burner

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

Even a tiny bit can ignite and much more than your turkey ablaze.

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DON'T: Touch the sides of the pot

Credit: © Lars Kenseth

They’re dangerously hot. So are the handles and lid.

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DON'T: Think you’re too cool for a fire extinguisher

You aren’t. You got your cranberry sauce out of a can. You aren’t that cool. And remember: You should never use water to put out a grease fire. It actually makes the fire spread.

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Happy frying

Download the whole graphic here.All illustrations by Lars Kenseth. Find more of his work here.

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