If you’re cooking for Thanksgiving this year and you decide to deep fry your turkey, make sure to follow these turkey fryer safety recommendations from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- Make sure there is at least 2 feet of space between the liquid propane tank and fryer burner.
- Place the liquid propane gas tank and fryer so that any wind blows the heat of the fryer away from the gas tank.
- Center the pot over the burner on the cooker.
- Completely thaw (USDA says 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds) and dry turkey before cooking. Partially frozen and/or wet turkeys can produce excessive hot oil splatter when added to the oil.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to determine the proper amount of oil to add. If those are not available:
- Place turkey in the pot
- Fill with water until the turkey is covered by about 1/2 inch of water
- Remove and dry turkey
- Mark water level. Dump water, dry the pot and fill with oil to the marked level.
| The above is an excerpt from the pamphlet, “CPSC Issues Safety Tips for Turkey Fryers” and a 2018 news release from the National Fire Protection Association. For more information, please visit www.cpsp.gov. You should also refer to informational resources from FEMA’s USFA. |
