Avoiding Disasters this Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to meet up with family and friends for a grand feast during the colder days, maybe even catch up with football! With Thanksgiving dinner being the focal point of the holiday, the kitchen can be the most perilous rooms in the home if sound practices in cooking are not observed. According the National Fire Protection Agency, Thanksgiving is the peak day of the year for fires; so we want to help you ensure that you have a plan for safely celebrating your holiday!
The Basics
- Keep close watch on your cooking.
- Turkey cooked in a deep fryer can potentially be more dangerous and require extra care. The NFPA provides the following precautions:
- Turkey fryers should be used outdoors and away from buildings or flammable materials.
- Do not use a turkey fryer in the garage, porch, or wooden deck.
- Never leave the fryer unattended.
- Place fryer on a flat surface.
- Do not let children or pets near the fryer.
- Be careful with the cords of the electric appliances.
- Unplug appliances that are not in use.
Cooking Safety
Buying your turkey. Avoid fresh, stuffed turkeys if you can. Perhaps you should try to buy a turkey that is a couple days before cooking it. Make sure you store it properly in the fridge or freezer.
Defrosting your turkey. If you thaw your turkey in the fridge, you will need a day for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. If you want to de-thaw your turkey under water, just remember that water is cold, and expect each 1lb to take about a half an hour. Use a microwave safe pan and remove any additional packaging if you wish to de-thaw your turkey in a microwave.
Be careful of carving. You should wait 20 minutes to let the juices of the turkey settle before carving a turkey. No one likes waiting but it’s better than an upset stomach.
Avoiding choking hazards. Make sure you keep choking hazards away from your kids and pets. Be especially careful with turkey bones.
