It’s time to talk turkey and have a great family fun ‘n’ feast on everyone’s second favourite October holiday (sorry, Thanksgiving, but Halloween’s got you beat).
Over the years we’ve developed many ways to prepare this delectable bird. From bringing in restaurant-style Turkey, cooking the Turkey Frozen, Grilling the bird, Roasting it, or “DEEP FRYING” the Turkey- YUM! No matter how you decide to prepare your feathered fowl – the important thing is to do it with caution.
During the holiday months insurance claims due to house fires drastically increase! The most common mistakes that people make are carelessness with the holiday lights and improper use of deep fryers that can cause fires (electrical/grease). It is a horrible feeling to lose everything you own in a house fire, especially during the holidays.
Here are some great tips to make your deep frying safer:
- 8-10 pound turkeys work best for deep-fryers.
- Use peanut oil, canola oil or sunflower oil.
- When the turkey is thawed, place it in the empty fryer pot and add water to test the minimum 3-5 inches the oil should be from the top of the pot. Remove the turkey and make sure it dries completely. Drain and dry the pot thoroughly.
- Add oil to the fryer to the level you measured earlier. The correct amount will ensure no hot oil spills over the brim of the fryer pot.
- Heat the oil to 365-375 degrees, which usually takes one hour.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dried. Partially-frozen turkeys easily trigger spillovers and fires.
- Makes sure the wrapper, innards, wire or plastic trusses and pop-up timer are removed from the bird. Cut off the wing tips up to the first joint and remove the tail.
- You cannot fry stuffed Turkey- Do NOT Try!
- Once the oil is heated, slowly lower the turkey into the pot. Take extra care to avoid tipping the fryer or spilling the oil.
- Whole turkeys take 3 minutes per pound to cook, so allow a half hour for a 10-pound bird.
- Keep an eye on the fryer the entire time, guarding against pets or children.
- Carefully remove the turkey to avoid spilling. The oil can be used for multiple birds. Allow it to cool before disposing.
- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby in case of flames. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
We hope this information will be helpful for you and you enjoy safe holidays. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Armour Insurance Brokers!
