SOUTHERN COLORADO (KOAA) — We’re just days away from Thanksgiving, which means countless people will be cooking their birds in just a couple of days!
Many folks choose to deep fry that turkey, and deep fryers can be dangerous. The Colorado Springs Fire Department and News5 are watching out for your safety with how to properly fry your turkey this Thanksgiving.
Before you start, there are a few pointers to keep in mind. Never use a fryer indoors, and don’t fry when it’s raining or snowing. Also, keep the kids and pets away from the fryer.
Peanut oil works the best for frying because it maintains temperature evenly.
Step 1: Set up the stand in a level area and make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy nearby. Be sure to pat down your turkey beforehand. You want it COMPLETELY dry before you place it in the oil.
Step 2: The biggest mistake folks make is overfilling the oil. If you overfill the fryer, the oil will spill over and catch fire when you add the bird.
Try this instead! Put your bird in the tank, empty it, fill it with water, and then remove the bird. Once the turkey is covered, you can take it out and dry it off. The water line is how much oil you should use. Also, never try and fry a frozen bird. The ice will make the oil pop and cause a fire.
Step 3: It’s important you cook your bird at the right temperature. If it’s too cold, the oil absorbs. But if it’s too hot, you could burn the bird. 350 degrees is the perfect temperature.
Once you reach it, you can start the frying process. Now, how long should you leave the turkey in for? You want to cook the bird three to four minutes per pound. For an 11-pound bird, that’s about 45 minutes. Keep in mind, this could change depending on how cold it is outside.
Step 4: Take a meat thermometer and insert it into the deepest part of the turkey to check if it’s ready. Once you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, you’re good to go!
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