The Dry Run: How To Deep Fry The Turkey Without Burning Down The House

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and you’ve decided that you’re finally ready to try out a deep-fried turkey. You’ve had it before, but you’ve never made it yourself. As this year’s host, you want to make a Thanksgiving dinner that’ll be talked about until well after the holidays. Would you like some advice? Don’t make the bulk of the conversation about how the pot exploded and burned down more than half of your garage. It’s not just your [homeowners insurance rates](https://coverhound.com/homeowners-insurance) that’ll go up, it’s the color in your cheeks and your blood pressure, too.

**It’s Butterball Season**
If you’re new to being a holiday host and have never cooked a big meal before, it’s best to make some preparations for the big day. Doing a dry run will treat your family to what’s in store and give you an idea of what to expect for meal prep and cook times. Remember, no one likes a soggy green bean casserole.

As you have decided to deep fry a turkey this year, you need to make sure you have your safety measures dialed in. Every year, novice turkey deep fryers cause [$15 million](http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/11/22/dangers-deep-fried-turkey/) worth of damage to their property because they did not follow proper safety protocol. While homeowners insurance does cover fire damage, your rates will definitely rise should the fire have been caused by a deep fryer. Want to make sure you don’t land yourself in hot water (or in this case boiling oil)? Read up on the turkey frying dos and don’ts below.

**DO:** Read ALL cooking instructions before deep frying the turkey. The instructions will tell you if you have the right cooking equipment to deep fry the turkey safely.

**DO:** Keep a fire extinguisher at hand. In case flames should erupt from the pot, keep a grease fire-rated extinguisher near you so that you douse the flames and keep them from spreading to your house and your guests.

**DO:** Use an oil with a [high smoke point](https://zuzkalight.com/nutrition/smoke-points-for-cooking-oils-and-their-benefits/). Cooking oil can reach toxic levels if overheated. The last thing you want to do is leave your guests sick. Oils with a high smoke point include: coconut oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, grape seed oil, and extra-virgin olive oil. Before selecting one of these oils, make sure you know the food allergies of your guests. If one of your party has a peanut allergy, you won’t want to deep fry the turkey in peanut oil.

**DON’T:** Deep fry a frozen turkey. When water hits hot oil, it causes a small reaction. When a frozen 25lb. turkey hits a boiling vat of oil, it causes an explosion. Make sure the turkey is completely unthawed before lowering it into the vat of oil. Trust us, you’ll be grateful you did.

**DON’T:** Deep fry inside the house. If the oil should be too hot and a child or pet runs around the kitchen corner and knocks it over, the oil could cause them (and others) serious burns and result in a dangerous house fire. Performing the deep fry outside will give you more space to react to a negative situation and cause less structural (and human) damage.

**DON’T:** Deep fry the turkey around your guests, especially children. A long-standing tradition on Thanksgiving Day is to play a game of tag football. The last thing you’ll want is for your nephew to go for a long pass and come crashing down into the deep fryer.

**DON’T:** Set the oil at too high a temperature. Cooking oil can catch on fire at [375 degrees](http://www.thekitchn.com/kitchen-safety-how-to-put-out-138233) once it is introduced to animal fat. Measure the temperature of the oil using a clip thermometer and make sure the temperature remains consistent throughout the cooking process.

Thanksgiving is about enjoying good food and making lasting memories. Don’t let a house fire ruin your holiday cheer. To get homeowners insurance rates that reflect your extreme care, [visit CoverHound](https://coverhound.com/homeowners-insurance) today.