For the risk takers out there who bypass the oven to fry your turkey, please understand the hazards associated. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) discourages the use of turkey fryers that use cooking oil even by those who are well-informed. However, if you are planning on using an outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryer, make sure to follow these easy precautions:
- Turkey fryers should only be used outdoors. Never use it on a wooden deck or in your garage.
- Maintain fryer temperatures according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
- Many fryers can tip over easily; keep children and pets away from the area while cooking.
- Don’t overfill the fryer with oil. Measure out the proper amount of oil before placing the turkey in the fryer. This can be done by filling the pot with water and then inserting the still packaged turkey in the pot. This will give you a reference point for how much oil is needed once the turkey is inserted. Remember to completely dry the turkey and the pot before filling with oil.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dried off before placing it into the pot.
- When using an open flame turkey fryer shut off the flame once the oil is fully heated. Once the flame is off, insert the turkey into the pot and then turn the flame back on. If the oil from the pot comes in contact with the open flame a very violent reaction will occur.