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By Courtney B. Smith
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Oh the beautiful word that is Thanksgiving; it is a day filled with thankfullness, football, gratitude, food, appreciation and much more (including a few days off work).
Thanksgiving is a big holiday for my family - really it is an all day affair and everyone is there. It starts out with the men (yes the men cook in my family) putting the turkey on the grill around 9:00 am. |
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Then you start shucking some oysters. Dinner is supposed to be served around 2:00 pm (but really it ends up being around 4:00 if we are lucky ducklings that day). We all grab a plate and enjoy the food that was prepared that day. Some of us may be sitting on the floor eating off of a coffee table, but that's part of the fun. To end the day, we all watch football, the men go play poker, the "cousins" will have a cousin's night and the women will prepare for the big shopping spree the next day.
While we have a great time at any point with any family, something could go wrong. That is why it is important to make sure you are doing what you can to prevent any type of incident. The U.S. Fire Admninistration has reported that an estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires are reported each year. And that is not the only safety hazzard for the day - it is also important to make sure you pay close attention to food safety and turkey fryer safety.
Below are some general safety tips for you and your family:
- Keep young children away from the stove/ oven
- Do not wear loose sleeves or dangling jewelry
- Turn pot handles in to prevent spills
- Make sure all fire alarms are working properly
- Never leave cooking unattended especially when grilling or frying
- Keep clutter and decorations away from direct heat source
- Keep a kitchen fire extinguisher in the kitchen, by the grill or wherever you are cooking
- Before you leave the kitchen, make sure your oven and ranges h ave been turned off.
- Review the Heimlich Maneuver . With everyone talking, laughing and eating at the same time, it's a wonder choking doesn't happen more often.
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I've already mentioned the meaning of Thanksgiving, but what is the most talked about, cherished, sacred part of the day.... it's the meal! From the turkey to the sweet potatoes to the infamous pumkin pie, it is essential that all precautions are taken to make sure you have not only a safe holiday but a healthy holiday as well.
I'm sure you are thinking, this is the easy part... but test your knowledge before reading our quick tips by clicking here.
Food Safety Tips:
Preparation
Be sure you start off with a clean stove, oven, grill, etc. Remove all dried food or grease before begin cooking
Never thaw your turkey at room temperature, instead thaw it in the refrigerator in its own unopened wrapper on a cookie sheet/ tray with the breast facing up. Also be sure you give your turkey enough time to thaw. Example: a 20 pound turkey needs 4-5 days to completely thaw.
Keep two cutting boards handy - one for raw meet and the other for cooked foods and salads.
Cooking
Never cook a turkey in a microwave oven. Microwave ovens do not evenly distribute heat, so you could have pockets of cold left inside...
Meat should reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit(F), and if the bird is stuffed, the stuffing must reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (F).
If a fully cooked turkey is purchased, be sure to pick it up hot and bring it home immediately to eat.
Clean Up
After you are finished, I know it is hard not to get wrapped up in football games, but to ensure those leftovers are still good enough to eat, please refrigerate everything within two hours after your meal.
We all love leftovers, BUT PLEASE do not taste anything that looks or smells strange... Rembember when in doubt... throw it out! |
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Historically lovers of deep-fried turkey came from the south. Thanks to many food shows and celebrity chefs the delicious Thanksgiving meal is growing in popularity around the country.
Turkey Fryers are basically a large "pot" that is filled with oil and is heated to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (see picture to your left). So you must be asking- what's the risk? The problem is that many people tend to overfill the fryers and |
when you place the bird inside the oil will overflow and cascade to the heating flames below. This causes an instant fire. Turkey Fryers are also very unstable. So it is very important to use the fryer on a solid surface.
Lastly, many fryers do not have sufficient thermostat controls and they have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of explosion.
Below are some saftey tips from the Underwriters Laboratory:
Always use turkey fryers outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other burnable materials.
Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages
Make sure the fyres are used on a flat surface to reduce the chance of accidental tipping
Never leave the fryer unattended.
Never let children or pets near the fryer when it is in use. Even after use, never allow children or pets close to the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot for hours after use.
To avoid oil spillover, test the unit before hand with water.
Use well insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible wear safety goggles to protect eyes from oil splatter.
Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby
From all of us at J. Edward Cochran & Company, we wish you, your family and loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving!
Have any other suggestions for Thanksgiving Day Safety post it on our facebook page by clicking here:
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