Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for some, that means forgoing traditional oven-roasted turkey and deep-frying their bird instead. If you're planning to do it yourself, it's crucial to take precautions to avoid burns, fires and other serious accidents.
"I have never fried a turkey myself, but I've had fried turkey and it's delicious, so I don't fault people for wanting to do so," says Dr. Christopher Ziebell, an emergency medicine physician at Houston Methodist. "I think it's perfectly fine for people to fry their turkey at home, so long as they understand the risks and take appropriate precautions."
Dr. Ziebell notes that he sees patients involved in turkey frying incidents around Thanksgiving every year. "When things go wrong with deep-frying, they can go very wrong, very quickly," he adds.
Here's what you need to know about the risks of deep-frying a turkey, tips for preventing accidents and what to do if you experience a thermal, or heat-related, burn.
Why frying a turkey can be dangerous
One of the biggest dangers of frying a turkey is hot oil spills. It's easy to underestimate the amount of boil over that can happen as you place the turkey in the fryer.
One reason for this is volume displacement. The bigger the turkey, the more its addition to the fryer will raise the oil level. You'll need to be sure you've accounted for this, but that's not all that needs to be considered when frying.
"If the bird is wet or partially frozen, it can cause the oil to bubble up and over the top of the fryer and lead to serious burns," warns Dr. Ziebell. "The other thing I've seen is when a boil over of hot oil lands on something flammable and catches fire. I don't think people realize how dramatic an oil fire can be until it happens."
Fires involving hot oil are extremely dangerous. Smoke can damage the lungs. And if synthetic materials are around — plastic wrap or packaging removed before adding the bird, for instance — a fire can also produce dangerous fumes.
"When plastics burn off, they break down into toxins like cyanide and carbon monoxide," explains Dr. Ziebell. "These aren't things you want to be inhaling." He adds, though, that these risks are manageable with the proper safety steps.
Always fry outdoors
Avoid frying indoors or near any flammable surfaces.
A concrete patio or driveway are the safest places to fry. It's much better for hot oil to land on concrete rather than wooden decking or grass, for instance. Aim to keep your fryer in as open of an area as you can manage, without any plastics and other flammable items nearby.
"If hot oil spills over and onto something flammable, it can quickly ignite and cause a fire," Dr. Ziebell cautions. "That fire can then spread back to the fryer, igniting the entire amount of oil and causing a massive fire."
Make sure the turkey is fully thawed
Never put a frozen or partially frozen turkey in a deep fryer, since this can lead to a volatile reaction — and increase the risk of a dangerous boil over.
"Any water or ice on the bird will rapidly boil as it hits the intense heat of the hot oil," says Dr. Ziebell. "This creates a lot of steam very quickly, which then expands."
This expansion creates intense bubbling and splattering. The combination of rapidly expanding steam and splattering oil can result in a large amount of oil splashing out of the fryer, which can lead to serious burns and fires that easily spread if the fryer is close to flammable objects.
Even a thawed but damp turkey will cause some amount of bubbling. Slowly lowering the turkey into the fryer can help reduce the risk of splashing and spillover.
Protect your skin
Dress for the occasion. You definitely don't want to be barefoot while frying a turkey — or expose skin generally.
"Flip flops won't cut it," says Dr. Ziebell. "Wearing sturdy shoes, as well as long pants and long sleeves, can help protect your skin from any splashing that might occur."
Dr. Ziebell adds that If a big spill occurs, "get out of the path and remove any clothing saturated with oil before it burns your skin."
How to handle burns and other frying hazards
Even if you're taking proper precautions, accidents can still happen. It's important to know when a hot oil burn can be handled safely at home and when medical attention is required.
"Hot oil burns can run the full spectrum, from minor to severe," says Dr. Ziebell. "We've all had grease splatter onto our hands while frying bacon — that's a minor burn for which you usually don't need to come to the emergency room. But hot oil can also cause burns that are much more serious than that."
He notes that one thing people often don't appreciate is that, just like a sunburn, a thermal burn can worsen over time. "If a burn is worrying you, it's worrying me," adds Dr. Ziebell.
Head to the emergency room if a burn:
- Covers a large surface area — most of your leg, for example
- Blisters right away
- Is very painful
Another reason to go to the emergency room after a turkey frying mishap is if a fire caused you to inhale smoke or toxins released from burning plastic. If you're coughing or experiencing shortness of breath, seek medical attention. Burns inside your lungs can progress over time just like the ones on your skin, and they need urgent treatment.
"The bottom line is to err on the side of caution after an incident like this," says Dr. Ziebell. "When these issues turn ugly, they turn ugly fast. So fast that if you're not already at the hospital, it can be a real problem."
