Turkeys famously can’t fly, but they sure can fry. This Thanksgiving, the public is once again invited to fly, drive, metro or just walk on over to Medium Rare restaurant in Cleveland Park for the 15th Annual Free Turkey Fry. The event has become a much-anticipated DC Thanksgiving Day tradition. This year, Medium Rare co-owner Mark Bucher estimates they’ll fry up to 600 turkeys. It’s for anyone who brings a thawed, eight- to 12-pound bird with them. A dozen fryers filled with almost 500 gallons of oil will be red hot and ready to fry up 96 birds an hour.
Bucher, who has been at the forefront of ending hunger in the DMV, started the event in 2008 for those who wanted to avoid the hassles and potential danger of turkey frying. Many who take advantage of the annual event are recipients of free turkeys but lack the skill, confidence or tools to cook them. In recent years, it’s also become a fundraiser for Feed the Fridge, the non-profit Bucher started to provide free, nutritious, restaurant-prepared meals to those who need them. Since its launch at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, Feed the Fridge has provided more than 700,000 meals and has paid local restaurants $3.5 million in donated funds to prepare them. Medium Rare will fry your turkey for free, but asks those can to make a small donation to Feed the Fridge.
