Insurance Help & Information

We all understand the dangers of hot oil…and when you frying a turkey for Thanksgiving, Florida Insurance Concepts hope all of our friends stay safe whether in Port St. Lucie, Melbourne, or anywhere else in Florida.

Here are some tips:

• Always use turkey fryers outdoors.  Stay away from building or materials that can burn.
• Never use a turkey fryer in the garage.
• Keep the fryer on a flat surface.
• Keep children and pets away from the fryer - children and pets are unpredictable in their movements.
• Oil and Water dont mix — Be certain your washed turkey is completely dry.

IN CASE OF FIRE!

Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.  If you do have a fire started from the amount of oil used to fry a turkey, your best bet is to have a fire extinguisher nearby.  Other options include smothering the fire with baking powder, but remember, you are using a LOT of oil.

Did I mention…your best bet is to have a fire extinguisher nearby.

Bubble, bubble, oil, and trouble –

Remember that oil and water dont mix, and when oil is bubbling up, it can bubble over.  In case of fire, STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!

In the case of an oil burn, if the burn area is larger than the size of a quarter, you need to seriously consider seeing the doctor because oil burns are often deeper than they may at first appear.  Because they sometimes require a tetanus shot, and often require a prescription anti-biotic cream, or silvadene ointment, so it is worth paying attention to.

DO NOT APPLY OINTMENTS, GREASE, OR BUTTER TO OIL (OR ANY) BURNS

DO NOT PRY ANY CLOTHING OFF OF BURNED AREA IF IT IS ATTACHED.  If clothing is burned on, you MUST go see the doctor.

Finally, take Tylenol and apply cool compresses.

With all that scary stuff said and out of the way, fried turkey is a great tradition in the southern United States.  And in Vero Beach, we are still part of the South.  But wherever in Florida you are, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart have made fried turkey a Thanksgiving favorite.

DEEP FRIED CAJUN TURKEY RECIPE

The night before, mix together:

1/2 cup kosher salt, 3 tablespoons onion powder, 3 tablespoons black pepper, 3 tablespoons white pepper, 3 tablespoons dried basil, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 3 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika.

Remove all the giblets and neck from the turkey.  Rinse it well and pat dry.  Rub the interior and exterior of the bird with your seasoning mix.  Dont tie the legs together.  Cut off the wings and rub them well too.  Cover and let sit overnight in the fridge.

The day of:

Add 4 to 5 gallons of peanut oil to a 7 to 10 gallon turkey fryer.

Set at medium-high to heat the oil to 375 degrees.  It will take about 30 minutes.

Put your turkey in the deep fry rack, neck down.

Put on some oven mitts and long sleeves, maybe even some protective glasses -

Lower your turkey slowly into the oil. 

Fry for 3-4 minutes per pound. The breast should be cooked to 180 degrees.

Remove slowly and let drain.

ENJOY!

We have so much to be Thankful for this year, and we wish you a very grateful Thanksgiving.