There are plenty of ways to cook a turkey.
You can roast your Thanksgiving bird in the oven the traditional way, smoke it in the smoker or toss it (very gently) on the old grill. You can even microwave it, but that is something we don’t necessarily recommended unless there are no other options and in that case, we suggest buying an oven.
But over the years, deep frying a turkey has become increasingly popular. It cooks your bird in a shorter amount of time and gives you that ultimate crispy skin. It sure can be delicious, but also comes with some risk.
“There are a lot safer ways to cook a turkey,” said Concord Fire Chief Dan Andrus.
Andrus cautions the public about the dangers of using a deep fryer to cook your Thanksgiving protein. With gallons of hot oil and an exposed flame, one false move can quickly turn a holiday celebration into a serious situation.
“It’s amazing how much damage one turkey fryer can cause,” said Andrus. “I have only seen one (fire caused by a turkey fryer), but we get reports every year about some very devastating fires.”
While Andrus would rather people don’t use them at all, he understands that some prefer it. So he just wants to make sure that the necessary precautions are followed. Although it may seem like common sense, make sure to never use it inside. Outside is the only proper place for a turkey deep fryer, and at a safe distance from your house, deck and garage. If you want to stay warm, then either use your oven or wear a large snow suit like the kid from A Christmas Story.
And make sure to place your frying apparatus in a spot that is free of flammable materials, like leaves and tree branches, and don’t use cardboard underneath it.
“What they’re doing is adding more fuel to a potential fire,” said Andrus. “It really is a recipe for disaster.”
And when you decide to (very, very gently) place the turkey – which needs to be completely thawed and dry – in the hot oil, don’t plan on going anywhere for a while. Andrus explained that there should always be someone watching the turkey. It is not safe to drop it and leave. It can only take a second for things to go wrong.
Wearing long pants, sleeves and gloves are also recommended because there is a lot of opportunity for splatter and 350 degree oil can cause serious burns in an instant.
“Just be very aware of the splattering,” said Andrus. “You’re dealing with something that can cause lifetime scars.”
When you finally have that beautifully crispy turkey set for Thanksgiving dinner, the job is not over. It will take quite some time for the oil to cool down, so don’t forget to keep an eye on it. Each turkey fryer should come with manufacturer instructions, and it’s important to follow them.
We all want a safe and happy holiday season. And if you take the proper precautions, you can avoid having to see Andrus and the rest of the Concord Fire Department strolling around your property Thanksgiving night.
A chef’s perspective
We all want to cook like a professional when the family comes over for Thanksgiving.
The last thing you want is to have people go home hungry from a holiday gathering that is all about consuming as much food as humanly possible. That would be slightly embarrassing.
So while we all would like to be compared to the great Gordon Ramsay, we also have to be honest with ourselves. And in the end, your family will be the judge of where your skills lie.
But in Scott Jones’s house, there is no question as to how delicious the meal will be. While Jones, the executive chef at the Concord Food Co-op, would rather have someone else do all the cooking, he understands it comes with the territory. That’s just how it goes for the chefs of the world. Everyone wants to eat your food.
“I don’t want to cook. I have little interest in it,” admitted Jones. “But it becomes the expectation a lot of the times.”
And Jones’s family is no different. So each year, or at least for the last 15 or so, Jones has made his – wait for it – legendary turkey pinwheel.
“Making a turkey dinner can be stressful,” said Jones. “This takes all the thought out of it and it keeps coming out good every year.”
He starts by deboning and removing all the meat the night before. Using butcher’s twine, Jones adds stuffing to make the pinwheel. It only takes about two hours to cook, so there is no need to get up when it’s still dark just to get the bird in the oven. He has even called his mom during his yearly Thanksgiving morning hunting trip to get it started so it is ready when he returns.
“It doesn’t take me very long. I can debone the turkey in less than 15 minutes,” said Jones.
Jones uses the turkey stock to make the gravy and has a few side dishes that he prepares just about every year, and mostly by request. His farmer’s peas, made with ham, celery, onions, heavy cream, and of course, peas, is his mom’s favorite.
“It’s a very homestyle kind of comfort dish,” said Jones. “And she asks for me to make it every year.”
Outside of the occasional use of celery root in the mashed potatoes, Jones is pretty traditional with his meal. They always have two kinds of stuffings, as well as squash and a ham.
“We’re pretty traditional in our house,” said Jones.
But by the time it gets to Thanksgiving day, Jones has already put together enough of the holiday meals to last a life time. At the Co-op, he spends the beginning of the holiday week preparing more than 50 full meals for customers, along with all the sides that can be bought by the pound.
“Anything that you want, but don’t want to make at home, we’ll have it,” said Jones.
So if you’re looking for something tasty to serve on Thursday and want to claim it as your own, stop by the Co-op and pick up a side dish. Your family will never know.
