Mainers Deep Frying Turkeys, Don’t Be a Bonehead

Here in Maine we demand a delicious,crispy Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. One way we have found to achieve that is by deep frying it, that unfortunately leads to calls to our local fire departments because the plan was not thought through. Don't be a bonehead, safety first!

The Propane Gas Association of New England wants you to study this list before breaking out the deep fryer and peanut oil:

• Make sure you pat that turkey dry. For real, towel him off under his wings and in his nooks and crannies. "Oil and water don't mix" is not just a saying, it's science buddy! When oil and water meet there is a nasty throw down that results in bubbling over, maybe onto the burner and causing a fire.
• Check the temperature because a lot of the fryers don't have their own thermometer. That lid gets hot too, be careful because you could get burned.
• Put your fryer in a safe child-free, pet-free area at least ten feet from your house and treat your fryer like a 16 year old while you are vacationing in Florida, don't leave them unattended!
• Prepare for the worst and have fire extinguishers ready at all times. You have to get one for oil, it's a dry powder and it could save your home and your life.

Please be safe with your deep fryer, you don't want to have to convince Nana that the South Portland firefighter isn't in fact a male dancer.

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