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Bourjaily: The Turkey Fryer of Death!

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November 25, 2009

Bourjaily: The Turkey Fryer of Death!

By Philip Bourjaily

We sometimes deal with edible birds in this space -- ducks, pheasants, crows, turkeys and so on – and today’s post has a Thanksgiving theme.  Some of you, I’m guessing, may be planning to fry turkeys you killed during the fall for your holiday dinner. In the interest of keeping you intact for the rest of hunting season, the Gun Nut brings you this cautionary yet highly entertaining video as a public service.

As the video makes clear, there lies within every turkey fryer the potential for a really big oil explosion, which is why frying should only be done outside, not in the garage and never on a wooden deck. Fryers hold up to five gallons of oil heated to 350 degrees or more.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, which hates turkey fryers:

“Cooking oil is combustible, and if it is heated beyond its cooking temperature, its vapors can ignite. This is a fire danger separate from the burn danger inherent in the hot oil. Overheating can occur if temperature controls, which are designed to shut off the fryer if the oil overheats, are defective, or if the appliance has no temperature controls.”

Overfill your fryer  and slosh some oil over the side when you add the turkey, as they do here in this (ahem) carefully controlled demonstration, and the result can be dramatic.

Obviously the oil has been heated far above 350 degrees to insure ignition  -- in fact, it’s already on fire -- so the demonstration is slightly rigged. However you only have to search “turkey fryer fires” on Youtube to find countless clips of genuine turkey fryer accidents.

This was done for a Florida morning radio show. Fester, the DJ in the blue t-shirt screaming about redemption, apparently tried the same demonstration in 2006 and failed miserably. Here he makes up for it with a very impressive fireball. Enjoy, be careful if you’re frying dinner, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Comments (32)

Top Rated
All Comments
from babsfish4life wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Deep frying a Crow? Is there anybody on this website that has eaten a crow. Not to interested in eating something that eats trash and roadkill, only motivation to eat one is my hatred to that bird. My town is infested. Pretty cool video though.

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from 60256 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I'm sorry, but this video is awesome.

Nate

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from RJ Arena wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

The problem frying turkeys is that people do two things wrong, they over fill the fryer with oil(so when the bird is lowered in the oil overflows) and the bird is wet. Two good sources of information I will suggest- for doing it right, Alton Brown. For doing it wrong, Myth Busters.
I like fried birds crisp skin and juicy meat- not greasy at all.

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

These guys give flash frying a brand new meaning!

WOW!!!!!!!!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Fisher Boy wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

this is similar to what I've seen on shirts, it's all fun and games 'till a turkey explodes in the deep fryer, then it's hilarious.

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from coho310 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Well, I knew cooking Thanksgiving dinner is stressful, but I wouldn't guess life-threatening. I'm lucky all I really do is watch football a safe distance from the kitchen while others are on the front lines.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Ralph the Rifleman wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

GOOD GOD! That would ruin your holiday!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from bigjake wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

looks a little too familiar...

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

When step-dad first started doing the "deep-fry" bird we had been having a few "barley-pop's" and the "instructions" were "lost".
Long story short, as mom runs out yelling, "THE PORCH IS ON FIRE !" Step-dad say's I can see that, I'm right here ya' know !
He then turns to me and said (calmly) "I/(we) was going to have to re-build it soon anyway" (!)

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from fliphuntr14 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

i have seen this before only in a kitchen of a restaurant i worked at and the foam fire extinguisher covered the whole kitchen when the fire detector went of it was scary that would definitely be a problem at many houses and how many people have the proper extinguishing equipment to put a fire out like that on hand.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from JohnR wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

+1 to RJ Arena.
Learn how to do it correctly and it is a safe and fast (albeit expensive) way to cook a turkey.
Peanut Oil..........$30.00
Propane.............$20.00
Turkey..............$12.00
Cost of meal........$62.00
Now if you and a couple of buddies get together and fry 3 or 4 turkeys, it becomes more cost effective. They sure do taste good though!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Mythbusters demonstrated why never to use a frozen bird, the explosion was impressive!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I would put these idiots in the same class as re-loaders who think adding powder adds bullet speed. Done right, frying turkeys is as safe as any other method of cooking. One trick is to fill your pot with water prior to cooking, immerse the bird, and mark the fill level BEFORE pouring in the peanut oil! Avoids overflow, and saves on oil. Obviously this demonstration was rigged, no one but a damyankee would drop a bird into oil that was flaming.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Robert Ewing wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Yankees have kitchens and keep their funiture indoors.
"Happy Thanksgiving"

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from jtboles wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

That was cool it would bite the big one if it happened any where near any ones house.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

A safe way to go is to only fill the cooker about 1/2 full of oil, put a DRY thawed bird in there and slowly add more oil if needed and turn the heat up after yo have done that.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from ss2 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

GOOD, i hope these accidents harm u, u ANIMAL MURDERERS

-6 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Let's all join in giving "-"s to ss2,(who seems to only understand the "cap lock "key) and plainly doesn't have a clue.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from rabbitpolice88 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

meat eater and proud of it!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Robert Ewing wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Safe yes , but adding oil would lower the temp.If you have the proper amount of oil[as crm3006 suggested] at the right temperature,you can sear the skin and cook a [pat dry and room temp] thawed bird,while maintaining the moisture and flavor.
Over filling and over heating the oil is how that DJ in Florida [Thats mostly south of I-10 by the way]did it.

Hey ss2, that tofu turkey keeping you up late?

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Robert Ewing-
I didn't catch the Florida part, was just going by the (obviously demented) DJ's accent. Anyway, Florida is so full of damyankeys that we have just about disowned the state, anyway. Who but a damyankee could fail in setting up a fake disaster, then crow about it being successful, and scream about "redemption" three years later? Happy Thanksgiving weekend, and may all your birds turn out tender and juicy!
crm

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Fryed turkey is good,but I think smoked turkey is also good.The main thing to me though is a juicy one.I don't like dry turkey.By the way,my dad told me when I was a kid that there was a foreign country where people were starving while cows were freely walking around them.He said that they worshiped the cows instead of eating them.I think that maybe ss2 is from that country.Something is wrong when animals have become more inportant than people.This is also happening in this country through animal rights orginizations like petra.If these people could they would take the meat off your table and guns out of your gun case.Some of these people are now trying to stop fishing because they say that the hooks hurt the fish.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Hey ss2,I just met you on this particular post,but I told my wife that you probably voted for Obama and I see from a newer blog that I was right.I also read where you refer to GOD in some of your posts.The way you talk you either don't know GOD very well or you worship a false god.The GOD I know killed the first animal in the book of Genesis to clothe Adam and Eve after they had sinned.HE also allowed certain animals that the Jews could eat--cow,deer and certain fouls of the air.I think that turkey would be included.Swine,hare and maybe squirrel were excluded.Since we are now under Grace instead of the Law,we can now eat the excluded ones even though they are not as healthy.Hunting is the traditional way of putting meat on the table.It puts us in touch with our ancestors who had to live off the land whether animal or vegetable.There is nothing wrong with enjoying providing for your family the old traditional way.We might have to go back to it if Obama destroys the economy.After Obama gets through there might only be rocks left to throw at the deer and turkey--if he don't outlaw rocks also.Hope you had a happy thanksgiving--I know that I did.I had turkey and dressing!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Louie wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Very well said green pond mike.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from jamesti wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

so when do we get to sample that turkey? hey ss2, wanna go fishin?

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

ss2

Ranking:

Points: -80

Poetic Justice, keep it going!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from ss2 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Moishe please think of another comeback it was on another one 2. and yes jamesti i will go fishing with u

-3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I always like to wrap my turkey in Bacon. The breast meat is tender and jucy that way and the bacon fuses to the turkey skin becoming crispy and delicious. MMMM Bacon. My neighbor shot a pheasant t'other day (I try but I am such a lousy wing shot) and give it to us for supper, so I (after plucking) wrapped it in bacon as well (stuffed it with wild rice and oyster mushrooms). Olympian Gods it was good!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Try shooting Skeet & Trap, it will definately help your wing shooting Bella .

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from yohan wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

And there he goes again ole 41/2 " pp
Why dont you (PLEASE ) come to Chi ,. so I can have one of my boys take you deep water fishing on the lake , U loud mouth phony little pr!@k .

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Well, well, well-
Here's old yo yo yuk yuk, back out from under his rock and obviously deep into his Hoppe's #9 and airplane glue cocktail. Gonna let that big Norwegian mouth overload your little gnat sized butt in the pink tutu one of these days, yo.
Just a thought, if you are such a bada##, why do you need boys? When you send boys to do a man's job, you may come up shy a few boys.
Have a nice day, and crawl back under your rock.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Winchester 92 wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Imagine that confined in a small kitchen? Bummer

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Thanks for the warning about those things. I had seen the title along with a picture of a fire on another site and thought that it was a freak accident--little did I know that it was quite common. Those things probably came with warnings and directions, but not many people read them.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from yohan wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Like I said you little popcorn fart ,.. put up or shut up.
which trailer park in texas is it ?

-1 Good Comment? | | Report
from elmer f. wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

the old saying " you HAVE to be smarter than the equipment you are opperating" seems to apply here very well. i can not imagine anyone trying to deep fry a turkey INSIDE their home. but then again, there are people that walk in front of busses, drive into the paths of semi-trucks and trains, and shoot themselves while cleaning their own gun everyday, so why SHOULD something this dumb suprise me?!?

+1 Good Comment? | | Report

Post a Comment

from babsfish4life wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Deep frying a Crow? Is there anybody on this website that has eaten a crow. Not to interested in eating something that eats trash and roadkill, only motivation to eat one is my hatred to that bird. My town is infested. Pretty cool video though.

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from bigjake wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

looks a little too familiar...

+5 Good Comment? | | Report
from 60256 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I'm sorry, but this video is awesome.

Nate

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from RJ Arena wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

The problem frying turkeys is that people do two things wrong, they over fill the fryer with oil(so when the bird is lowered in the oil overflows) and the bird is wet. Two good sources of information I will suggest- for doing it right, Alton Brown. For doing it wrong, Myth Busters.
I like fried birds crisp skin and juicy meat- not greasy at all.

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Fisher Boy wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

this is similar to what I've seen on shirts, it's all fun and games 'till a turkey explodes in the deep fryer, then it's hilarious.

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from rabbitpolice88 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

meat eater and proud of it!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Robert Ewing wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Safe yes , but adding oil would lower the temp.If you have the proper amount of oil[as crm3006 suggested] at the right temperature,you can sear the skin and cook a [pat dry and room temp] thawed bird,while maintaining the moisture and flavor.
Over filling and over heating the oil is how that DJ in Florida [Thats mostly south of I-10 by the way]did it.

Hey ss2, that tofu turkey keeping you up late?

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Hey ss2,I just met you on this particular post,but I told my wife that you probably voted for Obama and I see from a newer blog that I was right.I also read where you refer to GOD in some of your posts.The way you talk you either don't know GOD very well or you worship a false god.The GOD I know killed the first animal in the book of Genesis to clothe Adam and Eve after they had sinned.HE also allowed certain animals that the Jews could eat--cow,deer and certain fouls of the air.I think that turkey would be included.Swine,hare and maybe squirrel were excluded.Since we are now under Grace instead of the Law,we can now eat the excluded ones even though they are not as healthy.Hunting is the traditional way of putting meat on the table.It puts us in touch with our ancestors who had to live off the land whether animal or vegetable.There is nothing wrong with enjoying providing for your family the old traditional way.We might have to go back to it if Obama destroys the economy.After Obama gets through there might only be rocks left to throw at the deer and turkey--if he don't outlaw rocks also.Hope you had a happy thanksgiving--I know that I did.I had turkey and dressing!

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from jamesti wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

so when do we get to sample that turkey? hey ss2, wanna go fishin?

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

These guys give flash frying a brand new meaning!

WOW!!!!!!!!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from coho310 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Well, I knew cooking Thanksgiving dinner is stressful, but I wouldn't guess life-threatening. I'm lucky all I really do is watch football a safe distance from the kitchen while others are on the front lines.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Ralph the Rifleman wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

GOOD GOD! That would ruin your holiday!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

When step-dad first started doing the "deep-fry" bird we had been having a few "barley-pop's" and the "instructions" were "lost".
Long story short, as mom runs out yelling, "THE PORCH IS ON FIRE !" Step-dad say's I can see that, I'm right here ya' know !
He then turns to me and said (calmly) "I/(we) was going to have to re-build it soon anyway" (!)

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from fliphuntr14 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

i have seen this before only in a kitchen of a restaurant i worked at and the foam fire extinguisher covered the whole kitchen when the fire detector went of it was scary that would definitely be a problem at many houses and how many people have the proper extinguishing equipment to put a fire out like that on hand.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from JohnR wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

+1 to RJ Arena.
Learn how to do it correctly and it is a safe and fast (albeit expensive) way to cook a turkey.
Peanut Oil..........$30.00
Propane.............$20.00
Turkey..............$12.00
Cost of meal........$62.00
Now if you and a couple of buddies get together and fry 3 or 4 turkeys, it becomes more cost effective. They sure do taste good though!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Mythbusters demonstrated why never to use a frozen bird, the explosion was impressive!

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I would put these idiots in the same class as re-loaders who think adding powder adds bullet speed. Done right, frying turkeys is as safe as any other method of cooking. One trick is to fill your pot with water prior to cooking, immerse the bird, and mark the fill level BEFORE pouring in the peanut oil! Avoids overflow, and saves on oil. Obviously this demonstration was rigged, no one but a damyankee would drop a bird into oil that was flaming.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from jtboles wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

That was cool it would bite the big one if it happened any where near any ones house.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Fryed turkey is good,but I think smoked turkey is also good.The main thing to me though is a juicy one.I don't like dry turkey.By the way,my dad told me when I was a kid that there was a foreign country where people were starving while cows were freely walking around them.He said that they worshiped the cows instead of eating them.I think that maybe ss2 is from that country.Something is wrong when animals have become more inportant than people.This is also happening in this country through animal rights orginizations like petra.If these people could they would take the meat off your table and guns out of your gun case.Some of these people are now trying to stop fishing because they say that the hooks hurt the fish.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Louie wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Very well said green pond mike.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

A safe way to go is to only fill the cooker about 1/2 full of oil, put a DRY thawed bird in there and slowly add more oil if needed and turn the heat up after yo have done that.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Let's all join in giving "-"s to ss2,(who seems to only understand the "cap lock "key) and plainly doesn't have a clue.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

ss2

Ranking:

Points: -80

Poetic Justice, keep it going!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Try shooting Skeet & Trap, it will definately help your wing shooting Bella .

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Well, well, well-
Here's old yo yo yuk yuk, back out from under his rock and obviously deep into his Hoppe's #9 and airplane glue cocktail. Gonna let that big Norwegian mouth overload your little gnat sized butt in the pink tutu one of these days, yo.
Just a thought, if you are such a bada##, why do you need boys? When you send boys to do a man's job, you may come up shy a few boys.
Have a nice day, and crawl back under your rock.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Robert Ewing wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Yankees have kitchens and keep their funiture indoors.
"Happy Thanksgiving"

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from crm3006 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Robert Ewing-
I didn't catch the Florida part, was just going by the (obviously demented) DJ's accent. Anyway, Florida is so full of damyankeys that we have just about disowned the state, anyway. Who but a damyankee could fail in setting up a fake disaster, then crow about it being successful, and scream about "redemption" three years later? Happy Thanksgiving weekend, and may all your birds turn out tender and juicy!
crm

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Bella wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

I always like to wrap my turkey in Bacon. The breast meat is tender and jucy that way and the bacon fuses to the turkey skin becoming crispy and delicious. MMMM Bacon. My neighbor shot a pheasant t'other day (I try but I am such a lousy wing shot) and give it to us for supper, so I (after plucking) wrapped it in bacon as well (stuffed it with wild rice and oyster mushrooms). Olympian Gods it was good!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Winchester 92 wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Imagine that confined in a small kitchen? Bummer

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from elmer f. wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

the old saying " you HAVE to be smarter than the equipment you are opperating" seems to apply here very well. i can not imagine anyone trying to deep fry a turkey INSIDE their home. but then again, there are people that walk in front of busses, drive into the paths of semi-trucks and trains, and shoot themselves while cleaning their own gun everyday, so why SHOULD something this dumb suprise me?!?

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from yohan wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

And there he goes again ole 41/2 " pp
Why dont you (PLEASE ) come to Chi ,. so I can have one of my boys take you deep water fishing on the lake , U loud mouth phony little pr!@k .

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from green pond mike wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Thanks for the warning about those things. I had seen the title along with a picture of a fire on another site and thought that it was a freak accident--little did I know that it was quite common. Those things probably came with warnings and directions, but not many people read them.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from yohan wrote 2 years 24 weeks ago

Like I said you little popcorn fart ,.. put up or shut up.
which trailer park in texas is it ?

-1 Good Comment? | | Report
from ss2 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

Moishe please think of another comeback it was on another one 2. and yes jamesti i will go fishing with u

-3 Good Comment? | | Report
from ss2 wrote 2 years 25 weeks ago

GOOD, i hope these accidents harm u, u ANIMAL MURDERERS

-6 Good Comment? | | Report

Post a Comment

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