Cooking safety on Thanksgiving is important, especially if you are choosing to fry your turkey.
It is important to always do your frying outdoors, away from buildings, trees, and flammable materials.
Reno Fire officials provided a demonstration of what could go wrong if you try to fry a turkey improperly. They also provided safety tips.
Reno Fire Marshal, John Beck, says, "Not leaving our cooking unattended, that's one of our single biggest areas where we see fires occur, because as we lose sight of what's going on and we get distracted, that's when our fires occur and we're not there to mitigate them before they get out of hand. So, we want to pay attention, especially with the turkeys."
Strategies to avoid fire hazards when deep-frying those turkeys include placing them on flat, level ground, far away from your home, garage, sheds, decks, or trees. Thaw the turkey completely and pat it dry. Remember, oil and water mixing can cause a deadly boil over and fire, so keep a 3–4-foot safety zone around the fryer.
