Turkey fryer safety tips

Make it thankful . . . not tragic

One of the latest culinary trends in preparing a turkey is to deep fry it however, all too often, this results in tragedy. Research has shown that the number of structure fires occurring on Thanksgiving day nearly doubles and most of those originate as kitchen or cooking-related fires. Deep fryers have shown to be dangerous for the following reasons:

1. Many deep fryers have a tendency to tip over easily. The result is spillage of the five (5) gallons of hot oil within the cooking pot.

2. If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. This can result in oil hitting the burner/flame causing a fire that engulfs the entire unit.

3.  A partially frozen turkey placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too can result in a fire.

4. With no thermostat control, the units have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of ignition.

5. In addition to the inherent fire hazard, the high cooking temperature causes the side of the pot, the lid, and pot handles to become dangerously hot and cause a very real risk of a serious burn injury.

Other than the obvious, of following your fryer's instruction manual, what do fire safety experts recommend to keep your Thanksgiving cooking safe? They recommend deep frying only small turkeys -- 12 pounds or less. In addition, they recommend using oils with a high smoke point such as peanut, canola, or safflower. They also recommend slowly lowering the turkey into the hot oil and then maintaining an oil temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It should take around 35 - 40 minutes to cook a 10 to 12 pound turkey.

Some additional safety tips -

1. ALWAYS use the turkey fryer outside. Make sure you are a safe distance from structures or any other material which can burn.

2. NEVER use the turkey fryer on a wooden deck or inside a garage.

3. Use the fryer on a flat surface to reduce the possibility of accidental tipping.

4. NEVER leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls, therefore, the oil will continue to heat until reaching its flash point and catch on fire.

5. NEVER allow children (or pets) near the fryer when it's in use. Even after cooking is complete, the oil inside of the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot for several hours.

6. Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching either pot or lid handles. In addition, if possible, wear goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatters.

7. Make sure that your turkey is completely thawed and use caution with marinades. Oil and water don't mix, and water can cause oil to spill over resulting in a fire or even an explosion.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!