Especially true if you decide to deep fat fry the thing.
Some words of advice from Joseph Lindberg at the Twin Cities Pioneer Press
Exploding turkeys: How to avoid them:
On average, five Americans die each year from fires caused by deep fryers, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
The most common mistake is overfilling the deep-frying vat, which causes oil to spill over the edge and ignite, engulfing the entire unit in flames that are difficult to extinguish.
And placing a frozen -- or even partially frozen -- turkey into the vat can cause an explosion of hot oil, according to the fire marshal.
In fact, UL, an independent and global safety science company, considers turkey fryers so hazardous that it will not certify them for safe use.
U.S. fire departments respond to about 1,000 home fires each year that are started by deep fryers. In addition to deaths, those fires cause some 60 injuries and $15 million in direct property damage on average per year.
To avoid explosions and fire, follow these tips from the fire marshal:
-- Place the fryer outdoors on a flat surface, and never on a wooden deck or in a garage.
-- Fill a cold fryer with water and place your turkey into the vat to determine the amount of oil needed. Mark the water level well below the rim of the vat, and make sure the fryer dries thoroughly before filling with oil.
-- Oil and water do not mix. Avoid injury, and explosions, by thoroughly thawing and drying the bird before frying it.
Be smarter than the turkey. Don't be in the running for a Darwin Award.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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