Maitland City Talk

The kitchen is the heart of a home, especially during the holiday seasons. Children love to be a part of meal preparations, particularly during these special family gathering times. So we must be observant and provide for the safety of our loved ones while preparing foods.

Simply staying in the kitchen is essential, and if you must leave – even for a short period of time – turn off the stove. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking. With everyone visiting it’s easy to get distracted.

To protect little ones, set up a “kid free zone” around the stove and areas where hot food or drinks are prepared; around 3 feet away is good. We also want to watch out for dangling power cords for hand mixers, electric carving knives, coffee pots, and plate warmers.

Remember to have oven mitts or hot pads available to help against burning hands or fingers. Watch out for loose fitting clothing or voluminous sleeves when working around the stove. Remember to keep wood utensils, paper products, or towels away from the stovetop.

One of latest trends in cooking a turkey involves deep-frying, whether using an electric fryer indoors or a propane gas fryer outdoors. It can be messy, and if accomplished improperly or without caution, it can be dangerous. Be sure to wear closed toe shoes, long pants or a long apron, a long sleeved shirt and have gloves handy.

For starters, you will want to determine the correct amount of oil you are going to use in the cooking of the bird. Place the turkey in the pot and add water until the bird is completely covered plus 2 inches. There should be several inches of room between the turkey and top of the pot. If it’s too close you need a smaller bird or larger pot. Remove the turkey and measure the water, this is the amount of oil you’ll need for cooking. Drain the water and thoroughly dry the pot.

Preparing the turkey is very important. Be sure the bird is thoroughly defrosted and all contents inside the body cavity are removed. A fresh turkey alleviates the defrost cycle. Be sure there are no pop up tender-timer devices or anything left inside the bird and the turkey is really, really dry. You don’t want to witness what happens when you put water into boiling oil!

Add the oil to the pot and bring it up to the recommended cooking temperature. Use a really good thermometer to get the temperature right. Once you’ve reached the desired temperature, be sure the turkey is completely dry and at room temperature.

You should have a means of lowering the turkey into the pot that does not place you too close to the pot or burner. Turn off the burner and slowly lower the turkey or the oil will splatter. A good method is to dunk the turkey a little at a time. A couple of dunks and the turkey should be nicely settled. Turn the burner back on and finish your cooking. Don’t wander too far away; remember deep-frying a turkey goes much quicker than oven roasting.

One last bit of advice: a fire extinguisher may not be needed, but it’s good to have on hand just in case.

Your Maitland Firefighters wish you and yours a happy and safety holiday season.

Dennis Marshall, CET, FCO

Fire Marshal

Maitland Fire Rescue Department