ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Thanksgiving is the number one day for home cooking fires in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association. One of the biggest concerns is properly cooking your turkey.
If you plan of deep frying your turkey, check out these safe cooking tips from Roanoke Fire-EMS:
- In order to measure the amount of oil you need in your pot, place the turkey in the pot, fill the pot with water until the turkey is barely covered, and then remove the turkey from the pot, which shows you how much oil is needed.
- Measure the amount of oil in the pot ahead of time so you don’t overflow when you put the turkey in.
- Never fry a frozen turkey. Make sure your turkey is thawed and pat it dry before you fry it.
- Set your deep fryer on a flat, sturdy surface away from anything flammable.
- Hook up the tank and heat the oil up until it reaches the necessary temperature, but keep an eye on the pot and stay close by.
- Protect your skin from potential burns. For example, wearing gloves can protect your hands and arms from hot oil splatter.
- Lower the turkey SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY into the deep fryer to prevent spills, serious injuries, and fires.
- When you take out the turkey, make sure to remove it just as slowly — so you don’t splash the oil — and check the temperature to make sure it’s cook all the way through.
Fire officials also wants to remind chefs that the number one cause of house fires is leaving the stove unattended.
“Cooking fires are three times more likely on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year,” said Kristen Perdue with Roanoke Fire-EMS. “You are at home and can get easily distracted with friends, family, or all that you’re cooking nearby, so you want to make sure that you are paying attention, staying by your food, and following safety tips to make sure you don’t have a cooking fire in your home.”
Fire officials say you should make sure your smoke alarms are working ahead of any Thanksgiving cooking.
In addition, they say you should stay in the kitchen while using the stove to keep an eye on your food.
Lastly, you are advised to keep your children and pets away from any hot foods or liquids.
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