Anyone Else Do This When Frying a Turkey?

fnbish · 11-27-2012, 01:43 PM

Thanksgiving has of course passed, but after frying my turkey on turkey day I still plan on frying about 3-4 more before the year is out since you can get turkey cheap.

Being safe when frying is very important and the videos online of fire department setting turkeys/oil ablaze are quite entertaining and enlightening/educational for those who haven't fried a turkey. Though those videos typically show doing every step 100% wrong to really emphasize what can happen when frying goes wrong.

We all well know of the typical safety recommendations when frying like........not overheating oil, not putting in too much oil, not putting in a frozen or even partially frozen turkey, etc.

What I haven't seen any site mention doing and is something I always have done simply because it made sense to me as a last point of fail safe......So does anyone else turn off the burner/fire before they drop the turkey in??

If a person does put too much oil in or the bird is a little frozen and it spills over and hits the flame (which is where all the fireballs come from) if the flame is off then it can't happen. For me when the drop happens the flame/gas goes off, drop the bird in slowly, wait till the lid is back on and no confirmed oil bubble over, then I start the fire back up.

Anyways just thought I would share. And here are some pics of my Thanksgiving turkey I did at my folks.

Drop with no flame

After turkey is safely in I relight

Peeking

Done

chad · 11-27-2012, 01:53 PM

I don't, but only because I am real sure my turkey is thawed and dried out. Also, I make real sure I'm under my max weight and have an "X" etched into the pot as a fill line. As the old saying goes "this ain't my first rodeo!"
Turning off the flame for initial entry is not a bad idea at all.
Good job on that bird.

DownHomeQue · 11-27-2012, 01:53 PM

I'm not a big Turkey Fryer.. but i have never thought of that...great idea.. lessons the risk immensly.. but sense the burner where the flame comes from is still really hot.. its a small chance that it could catch on fire anyway though with spillover.. but the chance goes down dramatically when you turn it off... Definitely will do from this day on...

Tonybel · 11-27-2012, 02:02 PM

Nice looking bird. Thanks for the tips.

pmanzi · 11-27-2012, 02:12 PM

I use the Alton Brown method, works great.

fnbish · 11-27-2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmanzi

I use the Alton Brown method, works great.

Ha. Awesome! See I don't have great mechanical skills and if I made that it would probably make it more dangerous

.

caseydog · 11-27-2012, 02:25 PM

Yes, I and most people I know turn the burner off to lower the bird into the oil. After the bird is safely in the oil, we re-light the burner. It only takes a few seconds, so why would anyone NOT do it?

CD

aawa · 11-27-2012, 02:52 PM

I do that every time as well. The 30 seconds max you spend relighting the flame can save a major catastrophe.

NickTheGreat · 11-27-2012, 04:00 PM

That seems like a good tip. I plan to get a cheap one and try frying my first one here sometime

tb80 · 11-27-2012, 04:36 PM

I do the same thing. Much safer that way. No flame, no fire.

BobM · 11-27-2012, 05:32 PM

I always turn the burner off when I put in the turkey.

frognot · 11-27-2012, 05:40 PM

Good safety tip. Thanks!

Toast · 11-27-2012, 06:49 PM

I am sorry to be the one who differs here but it is not necessary to turn the burner off.

If it's your first bird or so, Yes take every precaution. It looks like the bird in the pic above is being lowered in "Legs Up". Should be Breast up with cavity pointing away from the one dipping it and no one allowed to stand in front of it.

Just my .02.

lowbass · 11-27-2012, 06:51 PM

Good tip. I've only done turkey breasts in my deep fryer cause the full birds we buy for big family dinners are always to large to fit in the deep fryer.

code3rrt · 11-27-2012, 06:57 PM

Great safety tip, Thanks!

11-27-2012, 01:43 PM	#1
fnbish is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-10-11 Location: Buford, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Anyone Else Do This When Frying a Turkey? Thanksgiving has of course passed, but after frying my turkey on turkey day I still plan on frying about 3-4 more before the year is out since you can get turkey cheap. Being safe when frying is very important and the videos online of fire department setting turkeys/oil ablaze are quite entertaining and enlightening/educational for those who haven't fried a turkey. Though those videos typically show doing every step 100% wrong to really emphasize what can happen when frying goes wrong. We all well know of the typical safety recommendations when frying like........not overheating oil, not putting in too much oil, not putting in a frozen or even partially frozen turkey, etc. What I haven't seen any site mention doing and is something I always have done simply because it made sense to me as a last point of fail safe......So does anyone else turn off the burner/fire before they drop the turkey in?? If a person does put too much oil in or the bird is a little frozen and it spills over and hits the flame (which is where all the fireballs come from) if the flame is off then it can't happen. For me when the drop happens the flame/gas goes off, drop the bird in slowly, wait till the lid is back on and no confirmed oil bubble over, then I start the fire back up. Anyways just thought I would share. And here are some pics of my Thanksgiving turkey I did at my folks. Drop with no flame After turkey is safely in I relight Peeking Done __________________ -Jason 22.5 WSM Backwoods G2 Party Backwoods G2 Chubby Big Green Egg XL Weber 18.5 Kettle "Tenacious Q" Competition Team Follow Tenacious Q on Facebook!! KCBS CBJ

11-27-2012, 01:53 PM	#2
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't, but only because I am real sure my turkey is thawed and dried out. Also, I make real sure I'm under my max weight and have an "X" etched into the pot as a fill line. As the old saying goes "this ain't my first rodeo!" Turning off the flame for initial entry is not a bad idea at all. Good job on that bird. __________________ Dave Southern Brethren BBQ Competition Team "It's all about getting paid!" - Myron Mixon "I love being hated in my hometown!" - David Hair KingFisher Gator Rotisserie cooker, WSM, Stainless 5 burner with IR gas grill, Turkey Fryer, Weber JD Commemorative grill, slightly used Bandera chamber for future use as a cold smoker, Masterbuilt 40" insulated ELECTRIC smoker

11-27-2012, 02:02 PM	#4
Tonybel Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-29-12 Location: Southern California Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nice looking bird. Thanks for the tips. __________________ WSM 18.5 , Weber one touch Gold 22.5, Charbroil Gas Grill, Blue Performer , Smokey Joe

11-27-2012, 02:25 PM	#7
caseydog somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-08-10 Location: Dallas, TX Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Yes, I and most people I know turn the burner off to lower the bird into the oil. After the bird is safely in the oil, we re-light the burner. It only takes a few seconds, so why would anyone NOT do it? CD __________________ 1995 Red Weber 22.5 Master's Touch with Cajun Bandit Rotisserie mod, 18.5 WSM with iQue 110, 18.5 OTG, Copper Smokey Joe Gold with Mini-WSM mod, Black Smokey Joe Platinum (Jumbo Joe) IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller. From hero to ZERO in just one week! Are you ready for a THROWDOWN?

11-27-2012, 02:52 PM	#8
aawa is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-03-12 Location: Virginia Beach Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I do that every time as well. The 30 seconds max you spend relighting the flame can save a major catastrophe. __________________ Weber Mini WSM x2 Weber 22.5in OTG x2 Weber Touch and Go Performer *Sublime Smoke UDS* Maverick ET-732 World's Fastest Blue Thermapen *

11-27-2012, 01:53 PM	#3
DownHomeQue Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-11-12 Location: Jonesboro. AR Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm not a big Turkey Fryer.. but i have never thought of that...great idea.. lessons the risk immensly.. but sense the burner where the flame comes from is still really hot.. its a small chance that it could catch on fire anyway though with spillover.. but the chance goes down dramatically when you turn it off... Definitely will do from this day on...

11-27-2012, 04:00 PM	#9
NickTheGreat is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-08-12 Location: Iowa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	That seems like a good tip. I plan to get a cheap one and try frying my first one here sometime __________________ 18.5" WSM ; Weber E-330 ; Weber Q200 (tailgating) . . . Guess I'm a Weber fanboy!

11-27-2012, 04:36 PM	#10
tb80 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 03-26-12 Location: San Antonio tx Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I do the same thing. Much safer that way. No flame, no fire.

11-27-2012, 05:32 PM	#11
BobM is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-16-12 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always turn the burner off when I put in the turkey. __________________ "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin \| Weber 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM, 22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG, Genesis S-330 \| \| BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi \| Maverick ET-732 \|

11-27-2012, 05:40 PM	#12
frognot Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-22-04 Location: Allen, Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Good safety tip. Thanks! __________________ Large Big Green Egg WSM Weber One Touch Gold Weber Summit Gold Super Fast, Super Accurate Orange Therma-Pen Retired: NB Bandera (2003-2009) that introduced me to y'all crazy farkers "If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it." deguerre Thanks to N8man & NorthwestBBQ for the custom avatars! (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") "Hang in there Dan Chambers!"

11-27-2012, 06:49 PM	#13
Toast Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, LA Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I am sorry to be the one who differs here but it is not necessary to turn the burner off. If it's your first bird or so, Yes take every precaution. It looks like the bird in the pic above is being lowered in "Legs Up". Should be Breast up with cavity pointing away from the one dipping it and no one allowed to stand in front of it. Just my .02. __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM Weber Spirit S-320 Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Weber GA Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Maverick ET-732 Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen

11-27-2012, 06:51 PM	#14
lowbass Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-31-12 Location: indianapolis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Good tip. I've only done turkey breasts in my deep fryer cause the full birds we buy for big family dinners are always to large to fit in the deep fryer.

11-27-2012, 06:57 PM	#15
code3rrt is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-09-12 Location: Spokane Valley, Washington Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Great safety tip, Thanks! __________________ KC Weber Performer with rotisserie ring, 22.5OTS, Maverick 732, Weber Smokey Joe,PBC Smokenator/Hoovergrill, variety of microbrews, Gin and tonic, variety of lighters.