Deep-frying a Thanksgiving turkey has been a popular Southern tradition for decades and has gained widespread popularity in recent years – and if you’ve ever had a deep-fried turkey, it’s no surprise. The crispy, golden-brown skin combined with the savory, moist meat makes a Thanksgiving Day meal you won’t soon forget.
However, if not done correctly, this cooking method can create an equally unforgettable disaster resulting in property damage and burn injuries. This article will delve into the dangers of deep-frying turkeys, examine the associated risks, and discuss some southern-style safety tips for turkey frying.
As Thanksgiving approaches, many home cooks look forward to deep-frying a turkey for the holiday feast. Lowered into a pot of 350°F oil, the turkey emerges juicy, golden brown and delicious. However, this cooking method comes with a major danger – if the turkey is even partially frozen, it can violently explode when submerged in the hot oil.
These explosive turkey disasters resulting in injuries, fires and destroyed kitchens sadly occur every Thanksgiving. So why does it happen, and how can we deep fry turkeys safely? Let’s explore the science behind these frightening mishaps.
The Densities of Oil and Water are Key
According to chemists, the core reason frozen turkeys explode in deep fryers relates to differences in density between oil and water Density refers to how much a certain volume of a substance weighs For instance, a cup of water is denser and weighs more than a cup of oil.
This is because water molecules pack tightly together, while oil molecules do not. Also, water contains oxygen atoms which are heavier than the carbon atoms comprising oil. So equal volumes of water have more total atoms and heavier atoms, than oil. Therefore water sinks below less dense oil when they are combined.
Ice Causes Problems
The problem arises from the large amount of frozen ice inside a turkey. Meat can be up to 75% water by weight, which converts to solid ice when frozen over time.
Oil used for deep frying reaches temperatures around 350°F. This heat quickly melts the turkey’s surface ice in contact with the oil, turning it to liquid water. This water being denser than oil will sink to the bottom of the pot.
Liquid Turns to Gas
Here is where things get volatile. The sinking water at the bottom of the pot continues absorbing heat from the oil, eventually causing it to boil and turn into steam.
When water turns to steam gas, its volume rapidly expands over 1,700 times! This incredibly balloons the volume of the water derived from the turkey’s ice.
Density Plummets
This huge increase in volume significantly decreases the overall density of the gasified water. The density changes from greater than oil to only a tiny fraction of the oil’s density. This transforms the water to an extremely low density gas bubble wanting to zoom upwards through the oil.
Expansion Erupts
Combining this drastically plunging density with the massive gain in volume creates an incredibly volatile situation. As the water vapor bubbles explode in size, they rapidly surge up through the hot oil, expanding and accelerating.
This violent expansion ejects the boiling oil with immense force, causing eruptions and explosions of hot oil overflowing the pot and onto the surrounding environment. The result is a dangerous blast zone.
Oil Ignites Easily
To make matters even worse, the spewing hot oil can easily ignite when contacting an open flame from the burner below the pot. Because oils are hydrocarbon molecules, they readily combust.
Once the initial sparks begin, flames quickly spread to the rest of the escaping oil. This can cause uncontrolled explosions of fire in all directions, leading to severe burns and property destruction.
How to Fry Safely
Now that we understand why frozen turkeys and oil are a dangerous mix, how can we enjoy deep fried turkey without catastrophe? Here are some tips for safely frying:
- Thaw turkey completely before frying
- Remove giblets and neck from cavities
- Dry turkey thoroughly with paper towels
- Calculate oil amount based on turkey size
- Use propane burner outdoors
- Turn off burner when lowering turkey in oil
- Monitor oil temperature carefully
- Fry small turkeys cut in halves
- Have fire extinguisher nearby
With proper precautions, you can savor delicious deep-fried turkey without the explosive disasters. But never, ever drop a partially frozen turkey into hot oil unless you want a Thanksgiving tragedy! Follow safe methods to serve up fried turkey that is moist and golden brown without burning the house down.
Overflowing and Boiling Oil
Frozen turkeys explode due to how water and oil react to heat. Water’s boiling point is 212°F, and cooking oil is around 350°F. So, when a frozen turkey is added to a pot of boiling oil, the ice within it will instantly vaporize into steam. This steam will rapidly expand, multiplying in volume and increasing the internal pressure inside the fryer. The result of this expansion of gases and pressure is a torrential overflow of oil and steam called a Burning Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE). The steam and oil vapor overflowing from the fryer are extremely hot and can cause severe burns if exposed to the skin or eyes.
As oil reaches a high temperature, typically over 450°F, it will begin to smoke and potentially catch fire. This critical temperature is called an oil’s “smoke point.” Each oil has a different smoke point, with animal fats like lard having lower ones than plant-based oils. If your fryer lacks thermostat controls, the oil within can easily become too hot, reaching its smoke point, and catching fire.
If the oil spills from the lid of the fryer and hits the flames below, it will combust. The flames will snake up the side of the fryer, igniting the rest of the oil as it goes. This chain reaction can result in the entire fryer catching on fire and exploding into large pillars of flame. In extreme cases, these explosions can be as large as 10 feet high. These oil fires can melt siding and ignite wooden decks, sheds, and eaves.
Extremely Hot Handles and Lid
Even if the oil does not overflow, the deep fryer’s handles, lid, and sides can become extremely hot. Handling these fryer parts without pot holders can result in serious burns.
Orange County firefighters demonstrate the fiery outcome of adding a frozen turkey to a deep fryer
FAQ
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