Just about everybody loves Thanksgiving, and for a lot of people the best part of the traditional feast is the turkey. However, for those of us that prefer our birds to be deep fat fried, there is an extra level of precaution that we have to bear in mind during our holiday preparations. There are more house fires on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year, and the vast majority of these fires occur in the cooking area. Cooking fires alone result in an annual average of 10 deaths per year plus tens of millions of dollars in property damage. Many of these fires are caused by improper use of a deep fat frying apparatus, and we want you to be sure that you’re celebrating the season safely, so here are some guidelines on how to be sure you’re frying smart.
- Read and follow the fryer’s included manufacturer’s instructions and warnings
- This should go without saying, but those instructions and warnings are there for your protection. Make sure you go through this vital information before operating your fryer.
- Be sure the turkey is completely thawed
- Water and oil don’t mix, and putting water into a vat of hot oil will most likely result in a grease fire. Make sure your turkey is thawed to avoid any residual ice from getting into the oil to avoid a fire.
- Think about where you are putting your fryer
- Place the fryer on a smooth flat surface at least 20 feet away from your home and clear of anything combustible (trees/ branches, etc). Do not use on a wooden surface, concrete is ideal. Do not use it indoors, it must be outside.
- Be exact with how you treat your oil
- Overfilling or overheating the oil in your fryer can easily result in a grease fire. If even a tiny bit of oil reaches an open flame the results can be catastrophic. Make sure you only use exactly the amount of oil you need, and make sure it is at the correct temperature. The exact temperature will vary based upon several conditions, but ideally you want your oil to be about 350 degrees.
- Never leave the fryer unattended
- Supervision is crucial to safety. You have to be present at the frying station in order to act quickly if things start to go wrong, and to make sure there are no small children or pets playing near the fryer.
- Protect yourself
- Wear long, flame resistant gloves to protect your hands and arms in the event of any splashing. Keep a recently tested fire extinguisher near the frying station, and be sure that it is rated to extinguish grease fires (Class B or K). And never cook alone.
Hopefully these safety precautions will help you to avoid an accident if you decide to fry your turkey this year. If you believe that you or a loved one were victims of a faulty frying machine, then please contact Parvey and Cavenago today. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. Don’t Go It Alone.
