Deep Frying Thanksgiving Turkey Tasty But Tricky

Are you thinking about deep frying your Thanksgiving turkey this year? Some say it is the best way to cook turkey, but it's not without risk.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires and that when you fry foods, the risk of a cooking fire increases.

The agency recommends only frying a turkey outdoors, and doing so on a sturdy, level surface "well away from things that can burn."

You should have a 3-foot kid- and pet-free zone around your turkey fryer to protect against burn injuries.

The pot must have the correct amount of oil needed, and the turkey should be completely thawed before it is fried.

Burns can be caused from the pot, lid and handles of a turkey fryer, so make sure you use long cooking gloves that protect your hands and arms.

The Culinary Institute of America, which is in Hyde Park, New York, has a video with Chef Barbara Alexander showing the proper way to deep fry a turkey. However, the institute cautions that before you begin, keep in mind that deep frying a turkey can be very dangerous. Improper frying techniques can cause fires as well as severe burns, so you should proceed with extreme caution and preparation.

And if you are still thinking about trying to fry your turkey, watch this informative — and scary — video from Underwriter Laboratories Inc. on the danger of turkey fryers.

The organization tested turkey fryers, and the video shows some of the hazards of cooking a turkey in this manner.

Of course, lowering by hand is not your only option. Chef and avid DIY-er Alton Brown designed a turkey-frying derrick that uses a rope-and-pulley system to gently submerge the turkey without putting humans in the danger zone. However, that might be a tad too much to pull off on a couple days' notice.