13 Turkey Frying Safety Tips

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Follow these turkey frying safety tips to keep your Thanksgiving Day feast one that emergency personnel never have to visit!

Thanksgiving Day is one of the busiest days for firefighters. Go figure that with millions of households elbow deep in mixing stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasting turkeys, and browning marshmallows for their sweet potato casserole, kitchen accidents and fires drive up the call for emergency personnel.

A new trend in the last ten years, though, is the emergency call for fires, burns and accidents from frying turkeys. Every year deep-fryer fires are responsible for five deaths, 60 injuries, 900 home fires, and more than $15-million in property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association (and Texas leads the way).

If you’re going to give the ultimate way to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving, follow these thirteen turkey frying safety tips to do so properly.

TURKEY FRYING SAFETY TIPS

Never leave the fryer unattended.
Keep children and pets away from the fryer at all times.
Wear protective equipment – eye protection and good grill mitts.
Defrost your turkey COMPLETELY – and dry it immersing it in hot oil.
Keep a grease-rated fire extinguisher within arms reach of your work area.
Never operate a fryer outdoors in the rain or snow.
Keep outdoor fryers away from combustible structures or trees – that means off the deck, too!
Place the fryer on a level surface and do not move it around once heating.
Leave two feet between the tank and the burner when using a propane-powered fryer – consider wrapping hose in aluminum foil to prevent hot oil that may splatter from touching it.
Do not overfill the fryer.
Turn off burner if oil is smoking. Use a fryer with a temperature gauge and keep a sharp eye on it.
Turn off the burner before lowering the turkey into the oil. Once the turkey is submerged, turn the burner on.
Once finished, carefully remove the pot from the burner, place it on a level surface and cover to let the oil cool overnight before disposing.

Are you the ultimate DIYer and want to build the perfect turkey frying contraption? Try this Turkey Derrick by Alton Brown!

And last, but not least, have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family.

Janice Friedman