Using Your Deep Fryer Safely

Deep fryers operate using extremely hot oil, so they can be very dangerous. Unlike griddles and waffle irons, which are only hot to the touch, deep fryers can also splash out oil during the frying cycle. In order to use your deep fryer safely, remember to follow the eight “don’ts” of deep-frying.

 

·        Don’t move a deep fryer while it is cooking. Moving the fryer only increases the likelihood that you will spill hot oil.

·        Don’t leave your deep fryer unattended. In addition, make sure you keep children away from an operating deep fryer.

·        Don’t touch the hot surfaces of a deep fryer without oven mitts. Some deep fryers do, however, have cool touch handles that you can touch without oven mitts.

·        Don’t put any items next to, or on top of, an operating deep fryer. This rule also applies to the deep fryer’s electric cord.

·        Don’t open the lid too quickly. The steam from a deep fryer can be scalding, so open the lid carefully.

·        Don’t clean a hot deep fryer. Before you clean your deep fryer, unplug it and let it cool, keeping in mind that cooling can take over an hour.

 

Finally, remember that fried food is high in fat and calories, and thus is less than great for your body. Therefore, you should limit the amount of fried food that you eat. When you do eat fried food, cook it with oil at the optimum temperature so that less oil soaks into the food.