Deep frying Thanksgiving Turkey - help please?

[Claire]

Speaking of Thanksgiving problems ... does anyone else have some issues. This year I seem to have managed to invite the two women I know who rarely eat, and a vegetarian. It really isn't a problem; I'll just make my traditional meal, ask everyone to bring a dish (potluck is an easy out for this kind of thing, at least everyone has something they will eat). It just cracks me up, though, that I'll have people at the table pushing food around politely. Usually what I have is people chowing down, going back for more, and taking home leftovers and wishing for more. The vegetarian friend only recently started that regime, so don't know what his reasons are or what kind of vegetarian he is. But, in fact, I'm not changing anything and they're all really happy to have been invited. What I usually do is tell people what I'm making, then ask them to bring a dish to fill in their traditional/dietary restrictions blanks.

 

[Barbara L]

I'd go one better. I wouldn't use a frozen bird for this, at all. I don't think you can dry them out well enough. And almost no one defrosts them thoroughly enough to be safe for frying. Buy a fresh turkey.

I agree. Many times I have thought my turkey or chicken should be defrosted and there are still frozen chunks of ice inside.

Barbara

 

[Janet H]

Alton Brown did a whole show on frying turkey (good eats) the entire show is loaded on youtube in 3 parts. Get your hubby to watch - it's a pretty funny and covers safety issues. Here's part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E270Qx5OpxU

 

[letscook]

I would have a second turkey in the oven just in case.
Call it the Duel of the Turkeys
And see which one comes out the best.
If he is such a hazard, I would have it set up away from and buildings, a water hose ready and keep the area around him wet down , proper ultensils , a big cantainer of water and Ice, a bag of flour (helps to put out oil fire) and the fire dept number and phone with it on speed dial.

 

[Hammster]

If he is such a hazard, I would have it set up away from and buildings, a water hose ready....

Absolutely don't have a water hose ready. Oil and water don't mix. You hit flaming oil with water and you will spread that flaming oil all over the place. Have a rated fire extinguisher ready and know how to use it.

So long as he's careful you will have a great turkey dinner.

 

[Selkie]

... a water hose ready and keep the area around him wet down , proper ultensils , a big cantainer of water and Ice, a bag of flour (helps to put out oil fire) and the fire dept number and phone with it on speed dial.

Water and oil don't mix!!! Water on an oil or grease fire will launch a fireball 30'-60' (feet) into the air!!! Wetting down the area around the fryer will only increase the hazard by making the ground slippery! And NO, don't use flour!!! A cloud of flour has the explosive power of dynamite!!! For in the kitchen, a box of baking soda can be used to extinguish a skillet fire, but outdoors with more than a gallon of oil, only a chemical fire extinguisher can be trusted.

 

[Alix]

*Admin Note:

This thread has been edited for content. Please stay on topic and remember to be respectful. Thanks everyone.*

 

[roadfix]

I've never cooked turkey in my life. I build a wood fired brick pizza oven out in the patio over the summer and my wife freaked out when I suggested that I might just roast our T-Giving turkey in the oven. ...:p...

 

[letscook]

Hammer and selkie
I realize water and oil don't mix - if you read my post again You will see I said to keep the area around him wet down and a bag of flour for oil fire. Flour will put out an oil fire. Years ago my hubbie decided to fry chix wings and added the wings to the oil and it went over the top and started a fire - I grabbed the flour canister and started throwing flour, it put it out and no damage but one messy kitchen. Ill take the mess to clean up anytime then fire damage.
Ice water for burns.

 

[Selkie]

And as I said before, wetting the ground only makes a dangerous situation even more dangerous. A wet ground does nothing to subdue nor prevent from spreading an oil fire, except make it likely that people will slip and fall while trying to get away.

As for throwing flour on a fire, watch what happens when you do:
Flour Fire - AOL Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szoju3DQ14Q&feature=related

Wikipedia:
Elevator explosions

Given a large enough suspension of combustible flour or grain dust in the air, a significant explosion can occur. A famous historical example of the destructive power of grain explosions is the 1878 explosion of the Washburn "A"Mill in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which killed eighteen, leveled two nearby mills, damaged many others and caused a destructive fire that gutted much of the nearby milling district. (The Washburn "A" mill was later rebuilt and continued to be used until it was shut down in 1965.) Another example occurred in 1998, when the DeBruce grain elevator in Wichita, Kansas exploded and killed seven people.
Almost any finely-divided organic substance becomes an explosive material when dispersed as an air suspension; hence, a very fine flour is dangerously explosive in air suspension.

But if you don't believe me, I urge you to go talk to a fireman... please!!

 

[Hammster]

A small kitchen oil fire is nothing compared to the conflagration created when gallons of oil spill onto a large flame such as that from a turkey fryer. Flour would be like trying to hold back the ocean with a broom. And as Selkie mentioned, it's very explosive in an environment like that.
Water - no reason to wet down the ground. That is just inviting a slip hazard. A 12-15 lb turkey on that thing you need to lower it into the oil is a bit of a handling chore in the best of conditions. Adding the risk of slip and fall isn't a good idea. And if there is a water hose at the ready, one will likely reach for it first to try and put out the fire.
Don't tempt fate with either of those items and just have a rated fire extinguisher at the ready. Technically all one needs is one rated "B" for liquids, but an all purpose ABC will work just fine.

 

[GB]

Please make sure to listen to Selkies advice and do NOT use flour or wet the area around the fryer. Both of those practices are extremely dangerous and could result in death.

This is a great post. It is a number of years old, but the information is still great. Take a look. The 10 Commandments When Frying Turkey.

Don't talk your husband out of doing it. Do make sure he is educated in proper technique and safety first though. Make sure to cook it away from the house. Make sure you have safety equipment close by (fire extinguisher rated for oil fires, heavy heatproof gloves, proper clothing that is not loose fitting, phone to call 911, etc.). Even the smallest drop of water can cause serious problems so make sure the turkey is dry dry dry before it goes in the fryer. GO SLOW. Do NOT drop it into the pot. Lower it very very slowly. The oil will bubble up as soon as the turkey hits the oil. Put it in slowly so oil does not splash out. Do NOT be drunk when doing this. Thanksgiving is a great time to knock back a few, but you do not want to be tipsy when doing this. If you are not OK to drive a car then you are not OK to fry a turkey.

 

[letscook]

Geesch !!! Calm down !! ok let me clarify -
I did not mean or say to wet whole yard down so it turns into a slip and slide. I meant if your lawn is dry, "being the time of the year" wet your lawn well in advance before you start so that it isn't as dry and possiable start a fire. if you wet it down well in advance the ground will absorb the water and make the lawn safe. Especially if you have leaves around. And the flour works if you don't dump the whole dang bag at once creating a dust storm turning into a dust explosion. A little common sense is needed. A fire extinguiser is the best. But if you didn't have one it is another idea or even baking soda etc. Now everyone calm down and just use common sense!

 

[GB]

Im sorry letscook, but your advice is still wrong and potentially very very dangerous. Wetting the lawn will NOT do anything to keep the fire from spreading. It will actually promote the fire to spread. You are suggesting practices that can get people hurt or even killed which is why people are responding to you as they are. Oil and water do not mix. If you try then they combine violently spreading the fire, not extinguishing it. And if you have ever seen a fire from a turkey fryer then you will know that there is no way you would be able to get close enough to use just a little.

 

[letscook]

Enough! Geesch !! I don't speak just to speak. I have alot of trees and leaves . I am not saying to put out an oil fire with water that is as dumb as dumb can get. again I am talking about preventive measure for a grass fire of leaf fire if you are doing it on your lawn -- a driveway is the best place . I am saying wet down your lawn WELL in advance to wet ground not soak it so you have puddles Like i said i have alot of trees and leaves, we try to have them all raked up prior but some are still falling. so HOURS- hours before cooking the turkey we wet the ground let is SOAK in -SOAK in and then we have made preventive measure not to set any leaves or lawn on fire.
the ground is not slippery - we have a fire extinguser on hand also. You have a burner under the pot that has a fire going. Heat to dry leaves /lawn not a good thing.
This is a friendly forum lets keep this way and drop the dang whole subject.
I also do not want anyone hurt or intend to make light of deepfrying.
Lets settle this once and for all -I have done many turkeys without any problems as I read the booklet that came with our cooker and we take precautions.
So I suggest to anyone that want to do this - READ your Hand book and the saftey suggestion in the book. Purchase a fire extinguser prior to cooking your bird.
On a another note I rather have my thanksgivng turkey done in the oven and deep fried turkey at another time of the year.