Deep fried turkey is delicious. When done right it is juicy, golden brown, and done much quicker than in the oven. If done wrong, you can sustain serious burns, damage your home and even die. According to data from the USFA, an estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States, resulting in an estimated average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries, and $21 million in property loss each year. The leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings is cooking. In addition, these fires occur most frequently in the afternoon hours from noon to 4 p.m. One article states the deep frying alone accounts for an average of 5 deaths, 60 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage can be attributed to deep fryers each year.

You can look at YouTube and see some of the results of people trying to deep fry a turkey and ending up with a fireball instead. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Radio Show sets couch on fire.

• Montage prepared by the Consumer Warning Network.

There are many many more, just search “deep frying turkey disasters” or something along those lines to get the best results.

Every year at this time people come into our office and want to buy one of our smaller steel drums to build a deep fryer for their turkey. They are shocked when we tell them that none of our drums are appropriate for that use. While we have new food grade drums that make excellent smokers, barbecue grills, wood stoves, we feel that the danger and liability for a home made deep fryer is just too great.

So do yourself, and us, a favor. Soak you turkey in brine, inject it with marinade, cook it on a grill (that’s what I do), put it in a smoker, use different rubs or seasonings. Just do not ruin your Holidays by being one of those 5 deaths or 25 injuries. Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Build a fire in a fireplace, don’t turn your turkey into a fireball.