Those Big Propane Deep Fryers

[Claire]

Most people on this site wouldn't dream of doing what happened in my community last week, but I cannot resist adding a word of caution to the inexperienced and/or foolish who think the basic precautions don't apply to them.

Someone decided to use one of these (that are mostly known for deep frying turkeys) in their garage. Where they had the normal accelerants people do keep in their garages (I'm assuming extra paint, gas for the lawn mower, etc).

By the grace of whatever higher being you believe in, somehow all got out of the place alive (including one in a wheelchair), and the house was on a large enough lot that the fire didn't spread to another nearby home.

They lost their home, but had their lives, which most in town consider miraculous.

These are not meant for indoor use, certainly not by amateur cooks. I, for one, am a very experienced home cook and wouldn't dream of dealing with that much hot oil over a flame.

 

[pacanis]

What were they deep frying? Did it boil over and the oil ignite, or do you mean there were fumes in the garage that ignited?

 

[Selkie]

They sound like Darwin Award Nominees...

 

[bakechef]

My brother in law brought one for thanksgiving to fry the turkey. He was very careful, but I made sure that he set it up a good distance from the house on a stable surface.

I can see how one of these could easily get out of hand.

 

[Caslon]

Every Thanksgiving day you can read about 100+ propane cooking fires across the US. I too am wanting to try this method of cooking turkey, not the fire part of course.

 

[forty_caliber]

The method of cooking is not at fault here. It can be done safely if the basis saftey rules are carefully followed. I use a pulley system to lower the bird into the pot from a safe distance but only after I follow these major safety rules.

• Never do this indoors
• Choose a flat stable surface
• Keep children and pets indoors
• Make sure the bird is dry inside and out
  • Water or basting liquid in the body cavity can be explosive
• After heating the oil to temp. TURN OFF THE FLAME before lowering the bird into the oil
  • Once the bird is safely in turn the burner back on to maintain temp.

.40

 

[powerplantop]

They sound like Darwin Award Nominees...

Yep!

Along with the people who use a charcoal fire to heat the house.

 

[Andy M.]

.40 is right on. There's nothing wrong with deep frying. Turkeys or other.

The problem is with the idiots who refuse to read the directions and dangers before they start.

 

[jdthompson]

The method of cooking is not at fault here. It can be done safely if the basis saftey rules are carefully followed. I use a pulley system to lower the bird into the pot from a safe distance but only after I follow these major safety rules.

• Never do this indoors
• Choose a flat stable surface
• Keep children and pets indoors
• Make sure the bird is dry inside and out
  • Water or basting liquid in the body cavity can be explosive
• After heating the oil to temp. TURN OFF THE FLAME before lowering the bird into the oil
  • Once the bird is safely in turn the burner back on to maintain temp.

.40

These are all excellent tips. You can be hurt by 3 dangerous parts of a propane deep fryer: propane, fire, and hot oil. Please everyone be careful, glad they got out with their lives.

 

[Caslon]

This is just a guess, but a lot of propane fryers I see at the stores are rather small in oil capacity. I'm guessing people put too big a turkey in these and the oil spills out (yes, not following directions). A lot of people suggest frying up two smaller turkeys rather than one larger sized one.
Good advice!

 

[Andy M.]

This is just a guess, but a lot of propane fryers I see at the stores are rather small in oil capacity. I'm guessing people put too big a turkey in these and the oil spills out (yes, not following directions). A lot of people suggest frying up two smaller turkeys rather than one larger sized one.
Good advice!

Even if you use the right-sized turkey, there is a danger of overflow and fire if you have filled the pot too full of oil.

 

[CWS4322]

My dad (who doesn't cook) has one. He uses it to evaporate maple sap. I doubt he has ever used it as fryer--he wouldn't know how to do that!

 

[Andy M.]

They can also be used with water in place of the oil for a crab boil or to cook a bunch of lobsters.

 

[CWS4322]

BTW--my dad couldn't cook a turkey (in the oven or the propane deep fryer) if he tried. He's very "nonfunctional" in the kitchen. I'm surprised he can evaporate maple sap....

 

[pacanis]

They can also be used with water in place of the oil for a crab boil or to cook a bunch of lobsters.

Or to dip chickens in before you pluck them.
Just sayin'