Deep- fried turkey is rapidly becoming a Southern favorite. Its tricky, though and if you arent careful, you can get seriously burned.

Dont forget to make sure your turkey is dry before you drop it into the oil. Because they will cause a fire.

‘Most people associate a small grease fire. But when this happens it commonly happens so rapidly and you actually have a fireball that will erupt and it can be very detrimental,’ said Kelly Harcrow, Albany Battalion Chief..

Even if the taste of a deep-fried turkey is sure to please the palate, officials at Underwriters Laboratories worry backyard chefs are sacrificing safety for a tasty dish. They say the growing up number of fires related to turkey fryers is a risk that outweighs the benefits of the appliance.

In fact, the product safety testing service has rated deep-frying a turkey as so risky, it will not certify any turkey fryers with the UL mark, said Division Chief Michael Cox, a county Fire Department spokesman..

For those who went with frozen poultry, thawing the turkey may be top of mind. Check out foodsafety.gov for cooking and safety tips. But if the turkey is frozen, you can still pop it in the oven and cook. Just plan on 50% more cook time than you would for the unfrozen kind. For ‘turkey cooking time per pound,’ you can also check out the guide from Whole Foods Market. If you necessity extra hand-holding on the large day with the large turkey , Butterball is standing by for your cooking questions. . .