Food Safety Hot Topics
Turkey frying requires lots of attention to safety
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Deep-frying turkey has joined roasting as a Thanksgiving
tradition for many people, but requires a great deal of attention, not just to
ensure a good tasting product, but to guard against burns and fires, says Lisa
Gilmore, a Garland County agent with the University of Arkansas Cooperative
Extension Service.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 112
fires or burns attributed to improper use of turkey fryers since 2000.
Gilmore, who regularly advocates a low-fat, high-nutrition diet says, “while
I’m admittedly not a turkey-frying fan -- immersing a bird into a vat of fat --
I am abandoning my instinct to promote a baked turkey,” she said. “A positive to
frying a turkey is the oven is left available to cook other dishes. And frying
results in a tasty turkey. However, frying is not completely care-free - much
care must be taken to assure a safe product.”
The first step is to start with a completely thawed, unstuffed bird and dry
bird.
Secondly, be sure the container you fry in is large enough to hold the turkey
with enough oil to cover it.
To determine how much oil is needed, place the turkey in the kettle and cover
with water 1 to 2 inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and measure the
distance from the top of the pot to the water line. The oil should be filled to
the same level.
Heat the oil to 350 F. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour for the oil to heat. Use a
candy thermometer to determine the temperature of the oil. Peanut oil is usually
preferred for this process because it does well at high temperatures.
When the oil reaches 350 F, carefully lower the turkey in to the pot. It
takes three to five minutes per pound for the turkey to cook. The skin will be
dark brown to almost black. When the turkey begins to float it’s considered
done.
To make sure the bird has reached the appropriate temperature, remove the
turkey from the oil and insert a thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh.
If the thermometer does not read 165 F, return the turkey to the oil for
additional cooking. Once the turkey is finished cooking, and the meat rests, it
can be sliced and served. Your Thanksgiving guests will enjoy this traditional
bird prepared in a nontraditional way.
For more information about food safety, visit
www.uaex.edu. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A
Division of Agriculture.
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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