How to Deep Fry a Turkey (Without Burning Down Your House)

It is tradition on Thanksgiving to eat turkey, along with many other delicious things.  Most people cook their turkeys in the oven, and some decide to deep fry theirs.  Each year, people all over the country deep fry their thanksgiving birds, and many end up burning down their house.  In fact roughly 4300 homes are burned down each year (hopefully they had proper homeowner’s insurance).  If you are looking to deep fry your turkey this Thanksgiving, make sure you know how to do so properly.
I’ve never tried deep fried turkey, but was told it is delicious.  A very useful tip for deep frying a turkey would be to put your fryer outside, away from the house and anything that may easily catch on fire.  More often than not, those who end up burning their house down have their fryer either in their garage or too close to their home.
Having the fryer away from the house is smart in case something goes wrong and there happens to be a small fire.  It would be easier to control a fire that is in the open compared to one in a closed area such as a garage or on a deck.
When preparing the fryer, it is very important to make sure there is no water in the pan, and that you use the recommended amount of oil.  Keeping the oil at a safe level will keep it inside the fryer and prevent it from spilling over.  The last thing you want is to spill hot cooking oil.  The recommended level should be about 5 or 6 inches below the top of the pan without the turkey in.
Before putting the turkey in the fryer, the cooking oil must reach 350 degrees.  Once you check with a thermometer, you should prepare the turkey to go in.  You must make sure that the turkey is completely dry of any water because water and oil don’t mix, especially when it is hot.
A great idea would be to use a metal handle to aid in lowering the turkey into the fryer.  This will allow you to drop the turkey in safely without getting your hands too close to the hot oil.   It is important to make sure that the handle is strong enough to hold the weight of the turkey without bending.
Right before you drop the turkey in, (with the metal handle I told you about) it is suggested to turn the burner for the fryer off then back on again once the turkey is fully submerged in the oil.  When you drop the turkey in, the oil will cool down quickly, so putting the burner back on will bring the temperature up to an optimal level.
Once you have the turkey in the oil, you should cook it for 3-4 minutes per pound.  When it is all done, you will have a nice brown bird ready to eat.  Deep frying a turkey can be great as long as you are cautious and know what you are doing.  It is very easy for something to go wrong during this process, so please take your time and be careful.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Ion Insurance!