That’s the message the Consumer Product Safety Commission is sending this Thanksgiving. To make its point even stronger, the agency shared a scary video of what happens when you mess up when you fry a turkey.
Many people thought it was fun to make small-scale disaster movies, and the CPSC agreed as the video got a lot of views on social media.
The space agency said, “You know when we do stuff in space in the U.S. and the rocket takes off, the satellite goes into orbit, or the helicopter flies over Mars and everyone cheers because it all worked out as planned and no one got hurt.” Its a lot like that. “.
The CPSC warns people who want to fry a turkey this year that they could severely damage their home if they do any of the following:
Its also crucial to carefully read and follow the instructions that come with your fryer, the CPSC says. And heaven forbid, do not set up a fryer inside your home.
Fried turkey has become a popular alternative to traditional oven-roasted turkey, promising a juicy, crispy, and flavorful bird in just minutes. However, deep-frying a whole turkey also comes with serious safety risks. In this article, we’ll explore why frying turkey can be so hazardous if precautions aren’t taken
The Rise of Fried Turkey
Turkey frying didn’t become popular in the U.S. until the 1990s and early 2000s. The method involves submerging the turkey in a huge pot of hot oil, allowing it to cook quickly from all sides. Frying only takes about 3-5 minutes per pound, compared to over 15 minutes per pound for roasting. The end result is a turkey with crispy, browned skin and moist, tender meat.
As fried turkey grew in popularity, so did unfortunate accidents The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and fire departments now warn about the inherent dangers of deep-frying an entire turkey at home
What Makes Frying So Risky
There are a few key reasons why deep-frying a turkey can easily go wrong:
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Extremely high temperatures – Frying oil is heated to 350-450°F, close to the smoke point. This leaves little room for error before the oil catches fire.
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A lot of hot oil – Fryers require gallons of oil to safely cook a turkey, increasing the quantities involved.
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Open flame – Outdoor propane turkey fryers use exposed gas burners, adding open fire to the setup.
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Frozen turkeys – A frozen or partially frozen turkey produces explosive steam when submerged in hot oil.
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Overflows – Too much oil or a tipped pot causes spillovers that can ignite.
Even a small mistake with any of these elements can instantly create a large, dangerous fire. The risks simply outweigh the rewards for most home cooks.
Common Frying Accidents
According to the CPSC, the most common frying mishaps include:
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Overfilling the fryer – Too much oil causes it to spill over when the turkey is added. This can ignite on the flames below.
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Frying a frozen turkey – As mentioned, frozen turkeys explode violently when hitting the hot oil. Parts of the hunter’s garage were destroyed in the CPSC video demonstrating this.
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Placing the fryer too close to combustibles – Decks, garages, and homes can easily catch fire if oil overflows or explodes outward.
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Leaving the fryer unattended – Fires spread rapidly from turkey fryers. By the time you notice, it may be too late.
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Tip-overs – Knocking over the enormous pot of hot oil creates an immediate fire hazard.
Sadly, many turkey frying injuries and accidents happen every Thanksgiving as home cooks underestimate the risks.
Injuries and Damage
According to the National Fire Protection Association, turkey frying leads to dozens of fires, injuries, and millions in property damage every year. Reported incidents include:
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Over 1,600 cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day alone, three times the daily average. Half are due to fryers.
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Over 50% of fryer fires damage the home exterior or entire structure.
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60% of fryer fire injuries are thermal burns, requiring extensive medical treatment.
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An estimated $15 million in property damage caused annually by turkey fryer fires and explosions.
And these are only the reported incidents each year. Many more likely go unreported or result in close calls rather than actual damage.
How to Fry a Turkey Safely
The safest option is to forego frying altogether and choose a different cooking method. Roasting or smoking a turkey provides similar crisp skin and tender meat when done properly.
If you insist on frying, extreme caution must be used:
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Use an outdoor propane fryer, not inside turkey fryers.
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Place it far away from combustibles, on a flat surface.
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Thaw and dry the turkey completely first.
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Use narrow vessels to slowly lower turkey in and out.
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Monitor the oil temperature with a thermometer.
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Use the correct oil amount – cover turkey by 1-2 inches.
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Stay by the fryer the entire time. Have a fire extinguisher on hand.
Again, there is no guaranteed safe way for amateurs to deep fry turkeys at home. Your best bets are to pursue alternate cooking methods or purchase fried turkeys prepared by grocery stores and restaurants. Avoid ending up as another cautionary statistic this holiday season.
Why do some turkeys basically explode?
The CPSC’s new video shows what look like normal turkeys starting fires in different home settings. The fires start when oil splashes over the edge of the pot and a gas burner below lights it on fire. The video is like other work the agency has done in the past. For example, it uses dummies to show what can go wrong when fireworks are not handled properly.
But birds arent bottle rockets. So why are these turkeys blowing up?
“The reason frozen turkeys explode, at its core, has to do with differences in density,” chemist Kristine Nolin wrote for The Conversation, saying the high proportion of ice inside frozen turkeys can fuel explosions.
Because its less viscous, water might seem less dense than oil; its not. In a pot of hot oil, water from the turkey falls to the bottom. But the extreme heat also converts the water into its gas phase: steam.
“The water molecules then rapidly spread far apart from one another and the volume expands by 1,700 times,” Nolin said, noting that the waters density is suddenly much lower than the oil above it.
Add the rapid change in density and expanding volume together, she said, “and you get an explosion. Even worse is when oil that has been moved starts to burn and spreads flames around the fryer, as seen in the CPSC video.
So, why do people still deep-fry turkeys?
Millions of people in the U.S. love fried turkey because it’s juicy and only takes a few minutes per pound to cook. S. since the technique started to become popular more than 20 years ago.
As the CPSC video shows, one of the biggest risks of working with very hot oil and an open flame is that it can be hard to fix mistakes once you know you’ve done them.
One tried-and-true way to make sure the oil level in your fryer pot is just right is to measure it with water first, making sure the water level is about 1 to 2 inches above the bird.
“Remove the turkey and note the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water,” the National Turkey Federation says. “Pour out the water and dry the pot thoroughly” before refilling the pot with oil to the proper level.
If you decide to measure the oil this way, do it before the turkey is marinated or breaded.
Also, because water and hot oil can be dangerous, make sure the turkey is completely thawed, drained, and patted dry before you put it in the fry pot.
What are the dangers of deep frying a turkey?
FAQ
How do you deep fry a turkey without it exploding?
Why does deep-frying a turkey cause a fire?
How unhealthy is a fried turkey?
How do you stay safe when frying a turkey?
Is frying a Turkey dangerous?
That’s the Thanksgiving message being sent by the Consumer Product Safety Commission — and to emphasize the warning, the agency shared an alarming video showing the cataclysmically explosive results of making mistakes when frying a turkey. Cook the turkey, not your home. Because it’s less viscous, water might seem less dense than oil; it’s not.
Why is meat unhealthy for you?
Meat is actually healthy. What can sometimes make its daily consumption inadvisable are those meats or cuts that have a high percentage of fat. However, they are a great source of proteins of high biological value, iron and B complex vitamins.
What happens if you deep fry a Turkey?
Deep-fried turkeys cause an average of five deaths, 60 injuries and over $15 million in property damage every year, according to the New York City Fire Department. When done improperly, deep frying can lead to exploding birds, oil burns and dangerous fires.
Can frying turkeys explode?
Frying turkeys can explode. Here’s how to avoid that | News | WLIW-FM Become a member of WLIW ( $5 monthly or $60 annually) and get access to WLIW Passport as our thanks for your support. Members get extended access to PBS video on demand and more. Members get extended access to PBS video on demand and more.
What happens if you fry a Turkey in hot oil?
In a pot of hot oil, water from the turkey falls to the bottom. But the extreme heat also converts the water into its gas phase: steam. Add the rapid change in density and expanding volume together, she said, “and you get an explosion.” And things get worse when, as in the CPSC footage, displaced oil is ignited and spreads flames around the fryer.
Is it safe to fry a Turkey with oil?
Some experts say the risk is from frying great enough that consumers should never even attempt to fry a turkey using oil. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests that consumers use electric turkey fryers, infrared fryers or air fryers instead. “Turkey fryers that use cooking oil are not safe,” an NFPA bulletin said.