While it may seem tempting, deep-frying a turkey is extremely difficult, and can even be deadly. If done incorrectly, the turkey can explode and burn your house down.

Southern holidays are incomplete without a deep-fried Cajun turkey. Lured in by the guarantee of savory, deliciously moist turkey meat, deep-frying this bird has become an increasingly popular tradition for the holidays. 

According to statistics, roughly five deaths, 60 injuries, 900 damaged homes, and $15-million in property damage occur each year due to people attempting to try this at home. Continue reading to learn just why deep-frying a turkey yourself is so dangerous.

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6 Reasons why you should forgo deep frying a turkey at home and let the pros handle it:

1. Putting a turkey in a deep fryer filled with boiling hot oil can create tremendous flames that stretch up to 10 feet high. Once the oil boils the water inside the turkey, it creates large amounts of steam, which in turn makes the oil boil over.
2. Cooking oil is easily spilled due to a pot that’s overfilled or a turkey that’s partly frozen. Even the smallest amount of cooking oil touching the burner can cause an enormous fire. Be sure to follow proper oil displacement protocol.
3. If you do not have thermostat controls, your deep fryer may overheat the oil to the point where it’s flammable (usually around 400-425 degrees).
4. Deep-fat turkey fryers are particularly dangerous because they are high-risk for tipping, spilling hot oil, and overheating; all of which leads to fires, burns, and other injuries.
5. The handles, lid, and sides of the pot get incredibly hot, causing harsh burns.
6. Deep-frying a turkey takes several days. Properly thawing the turkey in the fridge takes many days, and thawing it incorrectly or too quickly can cause salmonella.

These are only some of the reasons why it’s a good idea to let the pros handle your turkey this holiday season. I love a fried turkey and this year, I’m getting my fried turkey from Copeland’s. I’m also letting them handle the stuffing and dessert (cheesecake is my choice this year!.

Copeland’s, turkeys are fried in peanut oil as a healthier alternative.  You can order your turkey and schedule it to be picked up at a specific time, to guarantee it will be hot and fresh upon pickup. Order your deep-fried Cajun turkey online now!