It’s hard to believe, but we’re more than halfway through November and just a week away from one of the most-anticipated meals of the year: Thanksgiving. Football, beverages, turkey, and spending time with those we care about most -whether it be in person or virtually- there’s something truly special about the day. Given the ever-changing landscape of health and safety measures, taking the cooking outdoors could prove to be an even more attractive option than ever before.

But, how can you take advantage of the great outdoors and fry the most memorable turkey in history without ending up on a TikTok turkey fry fail compilation? Plus, who in the world wants to lug their old propane tank to the local convenience store and wait in a socially-distanced line with a mask? Thanks to our friends at at Cynch, you won’t have to. The folks at Cynch are here to help you fry your turkey safely and can help you utilize propane in a variety of ways. The best part? You can get your first tank exchanged for only $10 using our promo code: ITSLIT5

What You Need to Fry a Turkey

To safely fry a turkey, you’ll need the following items:

  • A thawed-out turkey, patted dry to reduce splashback.
  • A large turkeypot, to allow for liquid displacement.
  • A propane-fueled burner large enough for the turkey pot.
  • A Cynch-delivered propane tank for each turkey you plan on frying.
  • A long-stemmed thermometer to reduce the chance of coming in contact with hot oil.
  • An appropriate cooking oil, preferably safflower or peanut oil.
  • A fire extinguisher, just in case.
  • A large outdoor space with adequate distance from your home, garage, deck, patio, awning, trees and/or bushes.
  • Tarps and/or cardboard to cover a minimum 8-foot radius. This will protect the ground or patio’s concrete from permanent oil stains, which can be hard to remove.
    • Note: The splatter-zone for frying a turkey typically extends to a 5-foot radius. Expanding the radius by roughly three feet should reduce the chance of any stainage.

Preparation and Process

Don’t Fry Until You Thaw and Dry

While some first-time fryers might be unaware of the need to pat the turkey dry before dunking it in hot oil, but -as we’ve seen in the aforementioned fail videos over the years- not everyone seems to know that you should never put a frozen turkey into hot oil. Inserting a frozen turkey into hot oil will create a massive splatter zone and create a dangerous situation.

If your turkey is frozen, give it 24-48 hours to thaw prior to pat-drying the inside and outside of turkey. It’s critical to remove any excess moisture on the inside or outside of the turkey in order to reduce the chance of splattering. It’s also important to ensure that the turkey you’re attempting to fry is being fried in a pot that’s the appropriate size. If the turkey’s too big and the pot’s too small, you’ll end up with an overflowing pot of hot oil.

Use High-Quality Oil

One famous TV chef has coined the term “store-bought is fine,” which is true, but if there’s one thing you shouldn’t skimp on in terms of quality, it’s the oil. You want to make sure you use peanut oil, safflower oil, or another oil with a high smoke point. Using oil with a high smoke point is a safer bet, as it can help reduce the chance of a fire, since it’s not easily ignitable.

Fill Your Appropriately-Sized Turkey Pot with Oil the Appropriate Amount of Oil

If there’s an instruction manual worth reading, it’s that of your turkey pot. Heed the wisdom it provides and follow the safety guidelines. There should be a line marked on the inside of your turkey pot, which is determined based on the use of an appropriately-sized turkey. To be safe, you can fill the pot with water and submerge your turkey fully. Remove the turkey and mark the line, then dry the inside of the pot before filling with oil. You’ll want to use that long-stemmed thermometer to get an accurate temperature reading between 325-350°F.

Never Fry Your Turkey Indoors

Again, this should be common knowledge, but alas there have been recorded cases of household disasters caused by frying a turkey inside of a home. It’s essential to fry the turkey outside with a tarped area covering an 8-foot radius to prevent oil stains or splatter damage.

Be Safe

Before you heat up your turkey pot, make sure you have an all-purpose fire extinguisher readily available. Do not under any circumstances use water to extinguish a grease fire. Follow the steps outlined above and enjoy your fried turkey!

Fuel More Than Just Your Turkey Fryer

It’s the holiday season, which means spending time with friends and family, but with social distancing guidelines in effect, it might seem difficult to get together safely. Thanks to our friends at Cynch, you can get your propane delivered via a no-contact delivery to your front step, porch, or driveway.

Propane isn’t just for cooking! What better way to spend time with loved ones than with a heating lamp or two and a firepit fueled by propane!

Don’t forget to use our promo code ITSLIT5 to get your first tank exchanged for only $10. If you’ve already exchanged your tank and need an extra one to have on hand, you can get a spare tank delivered to your door with no exchange needed for $49.99.