It happens every year, somewhere. Someone tries to deep fry a turkey and ends up eating Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of the American Red Cross after they watch their house burn down. It is going to happen this year, too; maybe not in Southern Maryland, but somewhere.
However, with a few precautions, a deep fried turkey is worth the effort.
Deep-fried turkey is a delicacy that has its origins in the south. There are those that have enjoyed the absolutely scrumptious taste of a deep fried bird and have brought the grand southern tradition northward and westward.
After doing a little research, TheBAYNET.com presents some tips on how to accomplish this culinary marvel and not burn down the house.
For a deep frying turkey experience that is fun, safe and delicious follow these guidelines:
Make sure the turkey is the right size: The best for deep-frying is an eight to 10 pound turkey, or individual parts of the turkey – drumsticks, breasts, wings, and so on. The largest turkey should be no more than 14 pounds. There are a number of reasons for the size restriction.
1. To cover a bird larger than 14 pounds will take an inordinate amount of oil and a huge fry-pot.
2. Lifting a heavier bird in and out of blistering hot oil is dangerous. If the bird should slip and fall back into the pot when lifting, the splashed hot oil can cause severe burns and even death.
3. The larger the bird, the longer it takes to cook. Extra cooking time may dry out the meat in some areas and the whole concept of a juicy turkey dinner is lost.
Use the right kind of cooking oil: Peanut, refined canola, corn oil and sunflower oils have a higher smoke point than other oils and are safer to use. For those concerned about saturated fat, Canola oil is low in saturated fats and can be blended with peanut oil to reduce fat and cholesterol.
Learn to filter the oil: Once a turkey has been fried in one of the recommended oils and the oil has cooled, it may filtered for reuse. According to the Texas Peanut Producers Board, oil may be used three or four times if it is properly filtered and stored between uses. The best method for filtering is to allow the oil to cool overnight in the covered fry-pot. Then pour the oil through a fine strainer or fine-mesh cheese cloth into a clean container which will fit into a refrigerator. Once filtered, cover the oil tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to use again.
Oils that smoke when reheated should be discarded.
The number one safety tip to remember, when deep frying a turkey, is to keep the fry-pot away from flammable surfaces. Spills and splashes are inevitable during the raising and lowering process when cooking. Those charged with cooking the bird should also not put more than half the level of the pot worth the oil in the fry-pot. Any more will cause hot oil to bubble beyond the top which may catch fire. Cooking oil is highly flammable.
Finally, when deep frying, the cook should take the necessary precautions with hot mitts and clothing to ensure they are not burned with splashing oil and that their clothes are not loose and hanging over the hot fry-pot.