Many cooks -- including Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart -- have touted propane-powered turkey fryers as one of the best ways to cook the traditional Thanksgiving meal.
But Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, joins other safety organizations in sounding the alarm about fire and burn risks that can spoil a turkey dinner. Underwriters Laboratories has refused to put its UL mark on any propane fryer to certify its safety -- a rare move for the nonprofit safety testing organization that certifies almost every kind of product sold in the U.S.
Here’s a rundown of the dangers:
UL consumer affairs manager John Drengenberg said that although there have been improvements in gas fryers over the past few years -- some now come with stronger steel stands to make them sturdier -- UL still doesn’t believe they are safe enough to be certified. "The main problem is you don’t have a regulating control" to keep the oil at a set temperature, Drengenberg said. "If you turn it on, nothing will stop it from going to 600 degrees, which is the flashpoint of oil," when it will start to burn.
One exception is the Turk N' Surf, an electric fryer that includes a safety shut-off and UL-listed adjustable thermostat. We tested the Turk N' Surf (pictured above) and found it to be a safer alternative to propane fryers -- and also determined that the deep-fried turkey it produced was very moist, juicy and tender. And unlike gas fryers, the Turk N' Surf is designed to be used indoors.
If already own a propane fryer, be sure to follow these safety tips from UL:
—Marc Perton
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