Exploding Turkeys

[ysabetwordsmith]

This article explains why inserting a frozen (or even thawed but damp) turkey into a pot of boiling oil causes an explosion. 

Allow me to compare some popular methods of turkey preparation:

* deep frying -- adds unhealthy fat, sometimes explodes and starts a fire, occasionally kills people

* brining -- adds unhealthy amounts of salt

* smoking -- reasonably safe and healthy



* roasting -- a highly safe and healthy cooking method

* slow cooking -- a highly safe and healthy cooking method, especially if you add vegetables

Given that we have methods which are safe, healthy, and tasty it seems imprudent to choose less healthy or more dangerous methods.  I propose that death by exploding turkey is grounds for a Darwin Award.

Comments

[kengr]

I wasn't on shift when it happened, but A restaurant I worked in *many* years back had an "ice in the deep fryer accident".

A cook was dumping fries into the fryer (instead of into the basket, like you are supposed to do) and saw a fist sized chunk of ice go in.

Luckily for him fryer fryers were at the end of the wall between the fry/grill area and the rest of the kitchen So he just ducked thru the door before things went "Whoomp!"

Fortunately there wasn't a fryer, but they had to close the restarant not only clean it up that night, but have it closed for more cleaning the next day.

[cmcmck]

Then there are those who try to thaw a turkey in a microwave.................

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Microwaves have a "thaw" function, though it doesn't seem very effective. It is even less effective the larger a block of material.

What's the physics of the result?

I extrapolate that one possibility would be half-raw and half-overcooked, as I've seen that happen in other cases.

*ponder* Or maybe the differences would again be explosive, since some things -- especially potatoes, even diced ones -- explode in microwaves.

And grape halves can make plasma arcs!

Re: Well ...

[acelightning73]

You don't want to see what happens when someone microwaves a whole egg in its shell.

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I am pretty sure that would explode, glue piece of shell to the inside of the oven, and if you're particularly unlucky, get egg and/or shell fragments through the vent holes. O_O

Re: Well ...

[acelightning73]

It means you need to buy a new microwave. They tell you to prick a tiny hole in the shell - which they used to recommend for hard-boiled eggs, and if your grandma has an egg pricker, borrow it. That doesn't completely prevent it from exploding, but it might reduce the force somewhat.

Re: Well ...

[cmcmck]

Apparently explosions have resulted from the turkey act too!

Yet jacket potatoes work fine in a microwave- I sometimes part cook them that way and finish them off in the oven to crisp up that lovely skin.

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I do have a potato pocket for the microwave.

Re: Well ...

[mdlbear]

I always prick the skins with a fork before cooking potatoes, either in the oven or in the microwave.

[conuly]

Allow me to get into character here... wait for it... hold on...

Ahem:

Risktaking builds character and gives you something to be thankful for!

[mama_kestrel]

I have a friend whose husband insisted that he was going to deep-fry their turkey. She didn't tell him not to. She got out their big cast iron camping dutch oven and the camp stove, and insisted he do it outside. She also insisted that he have a fire extinguisher. He thought having a bucket of water would also be a good idea.

So he got all this set up, and lowered the turkey into the oil. Then he realized he'd forgotten to fill the bucket, grabbed it, and went back to the house faucet. So he was a good 20 feet away when everything went Ka-BOOM. He wasn't hurt, but dinner was vegetarian that year.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I have a friend whose husband insisted that he was going to deep-fry their turkey. She didn't tell him not to. She got out their big cast iron camping dutch oven and the camp stove, and insisted he do it outside. She also insisted that he have a fire extinguisher. <<

Okay ...

>> He thought having a bucket of water would also be a good idea. <<

O_O Nooooo! You need special equipment to put out a grease fire. Failing that, a bucket of dry sand is sometimes effective. But probably not for exploding turkey.

>> So he got all this set up, and lowered the turkey into the oil. Then he realized he'd forgotten to fill the bucket, grabbed it, and went back to the house faucet. So he was a good 20 feet away when everything went Ka-BOOM. He wasn't hurt, but dinner was vegetarian that year.<<

Damn lucky.

Re: Thoughts

[mama_kestrel]

Indeed.

I was horrified when they mentioned the water too. I studied Chemistry. (Double major with History.) I know what "volatilized" means.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

It is scarier when you don't only know that something will explode, you know why.

[acelightning73]

Brining doesn't need to use an unhealthy amount of salt. There's sugar in a good brine as well. It has some of the same effects as the salt - it loosens the structure of the meat so that flavors and moisture penetrate. (I use sea salt and maple syrup in my turkey brine, along with a chunk of ginger root, some rosemary, some allspice berries, black peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, one tiny hot chili pequin pepper, and maybe a bay leaf. Just don't leave the turkey in the brine for more than about 8 hours, or the texture gets mushy. And use some of the brining liquid in the pan to add flavor to the gravy.)