Deep-Fried Turkey Can Be Delicious, Dangerous

Thursday, November 27, 2003

By Makeba Scott Hunter

Fox

WASHINGTON - The makers of deep-fat fryers have a message for ambitious chefs
this Thanksgiving: Turkeys don't burn houses down, people do.

As the trend toward fried - instead of roasted - turkey has grown, so has the
concern over the possible dangers of deep-fat fryers.

Allstate Insurance said 15 homes burned to the ground around the country last
Thanksgiving as a result of the improper use of turkey fryers. The
product-testing company Underwriters Laboratory Inc. (search) refuses to certify
as safe any turkey fryer model currently on the market.

In 1999, the last year figures were available, the National Fire Protection
Association (search) reported that 500 fires involving a deep-fat fryer took
place around the nation, resulting in over $6.8 million dollars in damage.

But defenders say the fryers are as safe as any appliance, if used properly.

"Anything, if you don't follow the directions, can be unsafe," said Johnny
McKinion, general manager of Bayou Classic (search), which manufactures several
deep-fat fryers.

"If you don't follow the directions for driving your car or for a chain saw are
you going to get hurt? Sure you are," McKinion said. "But if you follow the
directions on all of my cookers, they're as safe as anything else."

And, generally speaking, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office agrees.

"Just like with any other home appliance, the most important piece of equipment
that comes with the fryer are the instructions," said Deputy State Fire Marshal
W. Faron Taylor.

"When the instructions are followed, the chances of having a fire or burn injury
or both are reduced almost 100 percent," Taylor said. "It is when people do not
follow the instructions, do not attend to the cooking, don't set equipment up
right or in the right location - it is then that we see problems."

But the instructions alone are not enough of a safeguard, say testers at
Underwriters Laboratories.

"The numbers (for turkey-fryer fires) are not going down but going up," said
Barbara Guthrie, the director of consumer affairs at Underwriters. "At present,
we do not believe that there are any sufficient standards that address the
safety concerns."

Guthrie said those concerns begin with 5 gallons of scalding 700-degree grease
precariously perched over an open flame. And many fryers are unstable -
especially the tripod models - which leads to a high incidence of tipping.

When the oil meets the fire, Guthrie said, the fryers instantly become a
"vertical flame thrower."

The Underwriters Web site features a video of a turkey fryer filled with hot oil
that overflows. When the grease hits the flame, the fryer turns into a volcano
of smoke and fire in just seconds.

"We don't believe the taste is worth risking your home, your life or the life of
your children," said Guthrie.

Maryland does not keep fryer-specific data, Taylor said. But he noted that
cooking fires and kitchen fires are the No. 1 cause of fire in the state, and on
days like Thanksgiving when everyone is in the kitchen - or over the fryer - the
problems can greatly increase.

If people insist upon frying up a turkey this Thanksgiving, Underwriters
suggests that they always fry outside on a flat surface, always tend to the
fryer, don't overfill it and make sure the turkey is completely thawed before
immersing it.

McKinion said he doubts folks will stop frying turkeys. It has been a tradition
in the South for a long time, he said, and his sales in the West and Northeast
have increased in recent years. And he thinks people are discovering that the
fryer is not just for Thanksgiving anymore.

"They can also deep fry ham, prime rib and pork loin," he said.

"=> Vox Populi ©" > wrote in message
...
> Americans too stupid to safely cook a turkey ...!

Oh, the Turkey's done just fine.
We're cookin' Iraq now, and will have Syria and Iran for next year's
Thanksgiving. I'd like to have Syria fried and Iran slow-broiled.

TK9

"TonyaK911" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
>
> "=> Vox Populi ©" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Americans too stupid to safely cook a turkey ...!
>
> Oh, the Turkey's done just fine.
> We're cookin' Iraq now, and will have Syria and Iran for next year's
> Thanksgiving. I'd like to have Syria fried and Iran slow-broiled.

Could we put a portion of BACON bits on that please!

Mmmmmm, good!


>
> TK9
>
>

"TonyaK911" > writes:

>Oh, the Turkey's done just fine.
>We're cookin' Iraq now, and will have Syria and Iran for next year's
>Thanksgiving. I'd like to have Syria fried and Iran slow-broiled.

And the Saudis fricasseed... in fact every last douche bag moslem shit on a
stick.






---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

"Del Travis" > wrote in message
s.com...
>
> "TonyaK911" > wrote in message
> hlink.net...
> >
> > "=> Vox Populi ©" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Americans too stupid to safely cook a turkey ...!
> >
> > Oh, the Turkey's done just fine.
> > We're cookin' Iraq now, and will have Syria and Iran for next year's
> > Thanksgiving. I'd like to have Syria fried and Iran slow-broiled.
>
> Could we put a portion of BACON bits on that please!
>
> Mmmmmm, good!

Sure. Go for it, Del. You don't even have to ask Syria's and Iran's
permission for that.
My dogs love it cooked this way as well.

TK9

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 11:19:45 -0700, "=> Vox Populi ©" >
wrote:

>Deep-Fried Turkey Can Be Delicious, Dangerous
>
>Thursday, November 27, 2003
>
>By Makeba Scott Hunter
>
>Fox
>
>WASHINGTON - The makers of deep-fat fryers have a message for ambitious chefs
>this Thanksgiving: Turkeys don't burn houses down, people do.
>
>As the trend toward fried - instead of roasted - turkey has grown, so has the
>concern over the possible dangers of deep-fat fryers.
Deep-frying a turkey reminds me of an episode of "The King of Queens,"
in which the title character, Doug, eats at a restaurant called "Ed's
U-Fry-It" where the customers can have anything deep fried. When he
mentioned to his wife the deep-fried pound cake he had, she said "You
ate there AGAIN?" He replied "Yes, I'm on the frequent frier
program."

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 11:19:45 -0700, "=> Vox Populi ©" >
wrote:

>Deep-Fried Turkey Can Be Delicious, Dangerous
<snip article>

I don't think "stupid" is quite correct. "Unfamiliar with the
process," more likely. A vat of near-boiling oil isn't in the same
class as an oven or BBQ grill. As the article says, deep-frying
turkeys is a new experience for many. Does anyone remember the first
time a (small) pot of oil foamed and overflowed when wet foods were
added?

Katra-inka writes:
>
>I own my own 3 bedroom home on a 1/4 acre hill(billy) country lot

Whoop-dee-doo! Braggin' or complainin'?

The 700' paved driveway to my barn encompasses more than 1/4 acre... and my big
ole barn can easily swallow your double wide 6X over and twice again in the
hayloft... but so what... what's really important is that my IQ is divisible by
your IQ 6X over.

What a stupid woman... you epitomize trailer trash! When I call you trailer
trash I ain't speaking of your materiality, I'm tawkin of your mentality... and
right here you've on your own accord proven emphatically that I'm correct...
the breadth your mentality can fit 6X over on the head of a pin.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...=Trailer+Trash

Trailer Trash

Intelligence of a broke down camero, ain't goin nowhere(double negative, cinder
blocks might fall, and the bar is lowered once again). Think NASCAR is a real
sport. Beer comes in "BEER" cans. Pabst Blue Ribbon is a holiday special.

People that think that Wal-mart is disneyland.

A poor person who lives in a trailer. Most likely the person is from the
southern or midwestern United States.

Watch the trailer trash battle against the ghetto homies on the next Jerry
Springer episode.
---

No matter where you live, Katra-inka, you will always be trash.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

PENMART01 wrote:
>
<snipped>
>
> A poor person who lives in a trailer. Most likely the person is from the
> southern or midwestern United States.
>
> Watch the trailer trash battle against the ghetto homies on the next Jerry
> Springer episode.
> ---
>
> No matter where you live, Katra-inka, you will always be trash.
>
> Sheldon
> ````````````

Sheldong, you are SO pathetic!
You are one of those delightful folks that are so down and out that they
have to insult others to feel good about themselves... ;-)

Hope you are having fun?

Oh, be sure to wipe off your keyboard when you are done typing one
handed... Sticky keys cause typo's.

K.

--
>^,,^< Cats-haven Hobby Farm >^,,^< >^,,^<

"There are millions of intelligent species in the universe, and they are
all owned by cats" -- Asimov

Custom handcrafts, Sterling silver beaded jewelry
http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAP...s&userid=katra

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:59:58 GMT, Frogleg
> wrote:

> Does anyone remember the first
> time a (small) pot of oil foamed and overflowed when wet foods were
> added?

No, but I do remember heating oil too hot and then throwing
it in the toilet (hot oil, cold water).... which resulted in
2nd & 3rd degree burns and much pain.

I was 17 at the time and can say without a doubt that was
the stupidist kitchen trick I've ever done.

PENMART01 wrote:
> Katra-inka writes:
>>
>> I own my own 3 bedroom home on a 1/4 acre hill(billy) country lot
>
> Whoop-dee-doo! Braggin' or complainin'?
>
> The 700' paved driveway to my barn encompasses more than 1/4 acre...
> and my big ole barn can easily swallow your double wide 6X over and
> twice again in the hayloft...

Whoa - you got a trailer park in your barn??!?
Hope you got tornado insurance on that puppy.
Ken.