Thanksgiving is a holiday full of tasty treats, but the star is typically a nice juicy turkey! Every family has their preference of how to prepare their turkey; whether it be roasted, smoked or one of the more popular options – fried!

Although deep frying a turkey will give you that deliciously crisp skin, moist meat and fabulous flavor, it is one of the most dangerous methods of cooking a turkey. Not only does the piping hot oil pose a fire risk, it poses a huge personal injury risk as well.

According to FEMA there were approximately 2,300 fires reported on Thanksgiving Day between 2017 - 2019. These fires caused an estimated annual average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries and $26 million in property loss.

Keep these potential dangers in mind and keep an eye on what you fry:

5 Dangers of Deep Frying

1. Oil Spills – Turkey fryers can easily tip over spreading hot oil throughout a large area. If some of this oil happens to spill onto the burner, you could face a widespread fire that is very difficult to extinguish on your own.
2. Overfilling Oil – Filling the fryer with excess oil will also cause an oil spill once the turkey is placed inside of the unit, posing a similar fire hazard as danger #1.
3. Oil Splatters – Similar to placing hot water on a frozen windshield, placing a frozen turkey into piping hot oil will cause the hot oil to splatter everywhere; yet another fire hazard.
4. Overheating – Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire if the oil gets too hot.
5. Burn Injuries – The pot, handles and lid of a turkey fryer can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries if being handled with bare hands.

Deep Frying Safety

• Always use deep fryers outdoors on a solid level surface, keeping it a safe distance from your home and flammable materials.
• Never use a fryer in a garage or enclosed space, under a patio cover or on a wooden deck.
• Do not overfill your fryer with oil. Determine the correct amount of oil needed by first placing the turkey in the pot with water.
• Thaw your turkey before you fry it. A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter. Thaw your turkey completely in your refrigerator prior to Thanksgiving following these USDA guidelines:
  • 4 to 12 pounds: one to three days
  • 12 to 16 pounds: three to four days
  • 16 to 20 pounds: four to five days
  • 20 to 24 pounds: five to six days
• Never leave the fryer unattended as they can easily overheat and start a fire. Check the temperature often using a cooking thermometer to ensure the oil doesn’t overheat.
• Create a 3-foot “kid-and pet-free zone” around your fryer,
• Always use long cooking gloves or high-quality oven mitts and wear long sleeves. Fryers can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries.
• Keep all-purpose fire extinguishers nearby.
• If a turkey fryer fire occurs, call 911 immediately.

Make it yet another Thanksgiving to remember, not one you’d want to forget because of a horrible accident. Always use caution when operating turkey fryers. 

(Blog updated 11/2024)