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

[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.