As Thanksgiving approaches, many home cooks consider deep frying a turkey for the holiday feast. While fried turkey can be moist, juicy and delicious, attempting to deep fry a frozen bird can literally cause explosive disasters. In this article, we’ll explore why you should never put a frozen turkey in hot oil and how to deep fry safely.
The Cardinal Sin: Don’t Fry Frozen!
It may seem convenient to toss a rock-solid frozen turkey right into a pot of 350°F oil. However, this is incredibly dangerous and can lead to severe injuries. Here’s why you should never, ever deep fry a frozen turkey:
-
Oil and ice don’t mix! The ice crystals in a frozen turkey can violently explode when contacting piping hot oil. This can cause painful third degree burns.
-
A frozen turkey won’t cook evenly in hot oil. The outer surface will burn while the inside stays frozen solid.
-
Dense frozen meat + scorching oil = flare ups and fire, A frozen turkey can easily ignite into a giant grease fireball
-
Partially frozen turkeys contain ice crystals that can clog the injector. Oil can then leak through clogged holes and ignite.
In short, deep frying any frozen meat is a safety hazard waiting to happen. For optimal results, always fry thawed, bone-dry turkeys.
Frozen Turkey Deep Fry Failing Compilation
To illustrate why frozen birds and deep fryers are a recipe for disaster, let’s look at some cringe-worthy frozen turkey frying fails.
Erupting Hot Oil Geysers
What happens when ice crystals meet 350°F bubbling oil? A violent volcanic eruption of hot oil. Videos show cooks lowering frozen turkeys into pots, only to have fountains of hot oil spew 5-10 feet into the air and all over the yard.
Raging Grass Fires
Even more dangerous are the raging backyard grass fires caused by partially frozen or damp turkeys hitting the fry pot. As hot oil bubbles out and hits the propane flame, massive fireballs ignite surrounding areas
Burnt Outside, Raw Inside
The extreme heat only cooks the outermost layer of a frozen turkey, leaving the inside raw as the day it was bought. Biting into charred exterior coated in icy pink slime is not appetizing.
Equipment Destruction
The moisture from frozen birds also causes hot oil to overflow, creating a ripple effect of damage. Decks, siding, and more are wrecked in the resulting mess.
After viewing these cringe-worthy fails, it’s clear proper thawing is non-negotiable for frying success!
Tips for Safely Frying a Thawed Bird
Here are some tips for crispy fried turkey without the frozen bird explosions:
- Completely thaw turkey in the fridge (24 hours per 4-5 lbs)
- Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels
- Use a thermometer and maintain oil at 350-375°F
- Lower turkey slowly to prevent overflow
- Inject oils/seasonings instead of wet marinades
- Cook 15 minutes per pound
- Check internal temp (165°F breast, 180°F thighs)
- Let cooked turkey drain 15-20 minutes before carving
- Have a fire extinguisher on hand just in case
With proper thawing, drying, and safety measures, you can master the art of deep fried turkey. Never chance ruining the holiday with a frozen bird fail!
Delicious Fried Turkey Alternatives
If deep frying gives you anxiety, try these other tasty turkey cooking methods:
-
Oven Roasting – Crispy, golden brown skin and juicy meat.
-
Smoking – Infuse delicious smoky flavor by slowly smoking the turkey.
-
Grilling – Get crisp skin and moisture by indirect turkey grilling.
-
Air Frying – Air fry turkey pieces for crispy no-oil flavor.
-
Spatchcocking – Flatten out the turkey so it cooks fast and evenly.
Don’t become another viral turkey frying fail this Thanksgiving! With the right preparation, you can safely enjoy golden fried turkey perfection. Here’s wishing you a happy and fire-free holiday feast!
Never Deep-Fry A Frozen Turkey
FAQ
What happens if you drop a frozen turkey in a deep-fryer?
What can go wrong with deep frying a turkey?
How long to thaw turkey before deep frying?
Should you deep fry a frozen turkey?
Here’s the physics of why you must never deep fry a frozen turkey. Deep frying is a simple method for cooking with lots of benefits. Unlike the traditional oven-roasting, where heated air externally cooks whatever you put into the oven from the outside, deep fryers work by submerging your food into an extremely hot liquid: oil.
Is deep frying a Turkey dangerous?
But this method of cooking can be a very dangerous undertaking. Every fall, millions of dollars of damage, trips to the ER and even deaths result from attempts to deep-fry turkeys. The vast majority of these accidents happen because people put frozen turkeys into boiling oil.
Can You Thaw a frozen turkey before frying?
Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator in a pan or lined empty refrigerator drawer to catch any moisture. The turkey must be completely thawed to prevent the oil from boiling over during frying. A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey. 2 to 3 days before frying, dry brine the turkey.
Can you deep fry a thawed Turkey?
Yes, you can still deep fry a turkey for Thanksgiving. Yes, you can safely apply a dry rub. Yes, you can brine your turkey beforehand. And yes, you can safely deep fry an entire thawed turkey so long as you follow the proper procedure. Remember that you are dealing with extremely hot oil, and this can burn you severely.
How do you deep fry a Turkey in a deep fryer?
The amount of water that’s left in the pot you’ll be using to deep fry the turkey is the level to which you should fill the pot with oil once it’s been emptied and dried. Set up your deep fryer on level ground, outdoors, on concrete/pavement, and away from any potentially flammable materials. Heat the oil to the required temperature.
How do you Dry a Turkey before frying?
After unwrapping, pat the turkey very dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the turkey with kosher salt and then let it absorb the salt for at least 24 hours in the fridge. If space allows, leave the turkey uncovered, which helps dry the turkey even further. Pat the turkey dry again just before frying.