It seems hard to believe, but we’re just one week away from Thanksgiving. This is the first year I’ve considered doing the previously unthinkable: frying a turkey. There are a couple of perks if you opt to fry, including incomparably crispy skin and juicy meat without the fear of a dried out dud of a Thanksgiving Day turkey. Thanks to our friends at Cynch, the masters in utilizing propane in a variety of ways including patio heaters, we’re going to provide you the Do’s and Don’ts to help you fry your turkey safely. For an in-depth process and checklist, check out our Turkey Frying Guide.

Do: Dry Before You Fry

Unless you want a painful oil splatter burn for your troubles, make sure you dry the turkey before you fry it. Any water that comes in contact with the 325-350°F oil is going to bubble and potentially splatter up and out of the turkey pot onto the person lowering the bird into its oil bath. Dry before you fry.

Don’t: Fry a Frozen Turkey

This is one of the biggest errors a first time turkey fryer is likely to do. As mentioned in the first “Do”, any water that hits the oil is bound to splatter. Ice is even worse. Not only will it bubble in the oil, but it will immediately splatter. Giving your turkey between 24-48 hours to thaw prior to frying it is critical to preventing an oil splatter disaster.

Do: Determine the Appropriate Oil Level

Your turkey pot will provide an appropriate guideline for the size of the bird to use. Don’t go crazy looking for the biggest turkey you can find. Also remember to place your thawed turkey in the pot first, fill in water until its entirely submerged, and mark the level. That’ll give you a second confirmation as to the max fill line for your oil. Of course, dry your turkey off afterward.

Don’t: Pour Water on an Oil Fire

This will not work and will exacerbate the oil-induced fire disaster. Remember the splattering issue in the pot? You’ll get that in addition to the flames. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. That’s the best way to put out any fire related to your fry.

Do: Tarp the Area

It might seem excessive, but tarping the fry area will prevent irreparable damage to the area underneath your turkey pot. Without the use of a tarp or cardboard, any overflowing or dripping oil can lead to permanent stains on your concrete or kill any grass you might have underneath. A little preparation goes a long way. The typical splatter radius from the turkey pot is roughly five feet, so plan on tarping an eight feet radius around the fry area.

Don’t: Fry Inside or on a Wooden Structure

This should sound like an obvious bit of advice, but people have defied all logic in an attempt to cut corners. Under no circumstances should you attempt to fry a turkey inside or on a wooden structure like a deck. As outlined above, oil fires are a real threat and the splatter radius of a normal turkey fry is considerable. If you don’t have the appropriate outdoor setup, do not try to fry.

Do: Get a Fresh Propane Tank Delivered by Cynch

Don’t embarrass yourself by running out of propane mid-fry. You’ll need roughly one propane tank for each turkey you plan on frying. Make sure to order your Cynch tank to be fully prepared. They’ll even take away your old tank for free. Use our promo code ITSLIT5 to get your first tank exchange for only $10!