Just in Time for 2017 Holidays: 9 Cooking Safety Tips

  1. Deep-fried turkey dangers. Before deep-frying a turkey, take time to view this safety tips video. http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2011/11/23/dangers-deep-fried-turkey.html
  2. Grease fires quickly get out of control. And often occur because someone leaves a frying pan on the stove unattended. Grease fires can quickly result serious injury and extensive property damage.
  3. Have hot pads and oven mitts handy. Use them for bowls, pots, or pans that contain hot food or have been in an appliance. Microwave-safe bowls look cool but are often quite hot. And if a hot pad or oven mitt gets wet it transmits heat. Get a fresh dry one instead.
  4. Stir away from you. Hot liquid splashing toward you is a bad idea. Splashes on the counter backsplash can be cleaned up later.
  5. Never use an appliance that has a frayed cord. Electrical shocks are serious. If you suspect that a seldom-used appliance is too old, go back to hand prep. And do keep all appliances dry and away from water.
  6. Is the cooking oil smoking? If grease or cooking oil is smoking, it’s too hot and could ignite. Immediately turn down the heat and cover the pan.
  7. Have baking soda on hand. It’s highly effective for small pan fires. NEVER use water to put out a pan fire. Also have a fire extinguisher nearby.
  8. Steam can burn, too. Just like boiling liquid or a hot stovetop burner, steam can cause severe burns. Covered microwaved foods and foods that have been cooked in packets are leading culprits.
  9. Never leave the kitchen unattended. Ask an adult to watch over things if you must leave temporarily. A watched pot may never boil, but unattended cooking is too dangerous.

At Paul Davis we see the effects of far too many kitchen fires. Please be safe this holiday season and all year round.