The Gorham Times, Gorham, Maine's Community Newspaper

As we plan for Thanksgiving, a unique risk is turkey fryers. There are 5 risks involved with frying a turkey:

  • Turkey fryers can easily tip over, spilling hot oil across a large area.
  • An overfilled cooking pot will cause oil to spill over when the turkey is put inside.
  • A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter when put in the pot.
  • Without thermostat controls, turkey fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire.
  • The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles can get dangerously hot.

To help reduce the risks, we offer the following turkey fryer safety messages:

  • Make sure your turkey fryer is on a sturdy, level surface and do not move it once it is in use.
  • Make sure your turkey fryer is at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves.
  • Make sure your turkey is fully thawed without frost on it before you fry it. (USFA says 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.)
  • Consider using an electric or air fryer.
  • If your turkey fryer does not have a thermostat, use a kitchen thermometer that attaches to the side of the pot. This will help you monitor the temperature of the oil.
  • Always use protective oven mitts.
  • Keep children and pets at least 3 feet from the turkey fryer.

More information can be found at USDA.gov, USFA.gov and NFPA.org.