Turkey fryer: outdoors only, never garage or wooden deck, fully thawed and dry

Where the fryer can go

1. Outdoors, away from the house. CPSC’s COOK tip says Keep the fryer out of the garage, off the deck and away from the house. USFA says at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves. [S1] [S3]
2. Never in, on or under a structure. CPSC’s longer fryer tip list says never use a fryer in, on or under a garage, breezeway, carport, porch or any structure that can catch fire, and to put it in an open area away from walls, fences and other structures. [S2]
3. Flat and steady. USFA says fryers tip easily, so use a sturdy, level surface and do not move the fryer once it is in use. [S3]
4. Kids and pets back. USFA says keep children and pets at least 3 feet from the turkey fryer. CPSC’s general cooking tip uses the same 3-foot distance from the cooking area. [S3] [S1]

Fully thawed and dry

1. Thaw in the fridge. USDA says to allow about 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator at 40°F or below, with the turkey in a container so juices don’t drip. CPSC points to that same USDA thaw rate before frying. Our turkey thaw guide walks through fridge and cold-water timing. [S5] [S2]
2. No frost, no wet skin. CPSC says partially frozen or wet turkeys can produce excessive hot-oil splatter. USFA says a partially frozen turkey will cause cooking oil to splatter, and the bird should be fully thawed without frost. [S2] [S3]
3. Dry it before it goes in. After thawing, CPSC’s oil-level steps say to dry the turkey before you mark the oil line and before you cook. [S2]

Oil level and propane

1. Never overfill. CPSC’s COOK tip says never overfill the oil. USFA says an overfilled pot spills when the turkey goes in. [S1] [S3]
2. Measure with water first. If the maker’s fill line isn’t clear, CPSC says to put the turkey in the pot, fill with water until the turkey is covered by about 1/2 inch, remove and dry the turkey, mark the water line, dump the water, dry the pot, then fill with oil to that mark. [S2]
3. Watch for smoke. CPSC says if the oil begins to smoke, turn the gas supply off right away. NFPA’s oil cooking tip is the same idea indoors: smoke means the oil is too hot. [S2] [S6]
4. Propane clearance. CPSC says keep at least 2 feet between the liquid propane tank and the fryer burner, and place them so wind blows the fryer’s heat away from the tank. Center the pot over the burner. [S2]
5. Mitts on, lower slowly. Cover bare skin when adding or removing food, and raise and lower the turkey slowly. USFA says pot sides, lid and handles get dangerously hot, so use protective oven mitts. [S2] [S3]

Stay with it the whole time

1. Full view while the burner is on. CPSC says keep the fryer in full view and check the oil temperature often. Most reported incidents happened while the oil was heating, before the turkey went in. [S2]
2. No thermostat? Use a thermometer. USFA says without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire, so clip a kitchen thermometer to the side of the pot. [S3]
3. NFPA: don’t leave fryers unattended. The same tip sheet that prefers listed electric or infrared fryers also says not to leave fryers unattended when in use. [S4]
4. Thanksgiving is peak fire day. NFPA says Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. CPSC says Thanksgiving averages about 1,400 cooking fires, more than three times the daily average. [S6] [S1]

If it catches fire

1. Never use water. CPSC’s fryer tip and its holiday cooking tip both say never use water on a grease fire. NFPA says the same for oil cooking: never throw water on the fire. [S2] [S1] [S6]
2. Call 911. CPSC says if a fryer fire occurs, call 911 right away. NFPA says if a grease fire does not go out or you don’t feel comfortable fighting it, get everyone out and call the fire department from outside. [S2] [S6]
3. Have an extinguisher ready. CPSC says have a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it. Our fire extinguisher guide covers ABC labels and the PASS steps. [S1]
4. Smoke alarms still matter. CPSC says to have a working smoke alarm on each level of your home, outside sleeping areas and inside bedrooms. [S1]

Check your setup

Pick where you plan to set the fryer and how ready the turkey is. The answer puts the steps from this page in one place. It doesn’t replace your fryer’s manual. [S1] [S3]

Fry day checklist

Quick answers