Five DON’TS of Holiday Cooking

//Five DON’TS of Holiday Cooking

With the holidays finally in full swing, now is the time for amazing meals and comfort foods. From American classics to more adventurous, exotic foods, now is the time where many Americans take to the kitchen to cook and be merry. However, along with the draw to spend time in the kitchen comes increased danger of smoke and fire damage. While we certainly hope you and your family remain safe this holiday season, if you are in need of smoke damage cleanup in Oakland Park, Tri-County All Restorations is here to help. 

However, we also want to enjoy our holidays—so here’s five things you should avoid when cooking during the holidays. 

Don’t Deep-Fry Frozen Turkeys 

Finding new ways to cook the American classic Turkey is a mission many take on each year. With deep-frying a popular alternative to typical roasting or baking, doing so safely is key. Failure to allow the turkey to thaw properly before frying can be disastrous, especially if done indoors. Introducing the frozen meat to extremely hot oils may lead to an explosion, potentially injuring anyone nearby. The resulting smoke and heat can cause additional damage to your home, especially because oils have such a high burning point.  

If you are planning to make the holiday turkey, give it a full 24 hours to thaw naturally in the refrigerator. This way, it remains cool enough to help combat cross contamination without risk of frying it frozen. Be sure to check that the meat is entirely thawed before submerging it in the fryer.  

Don’t Leave Cooking Unattended 

The holiday season is a time for hosting friends and family in your home. Getting distracted by intriguing conversation or fun sharing memories could quickly end in you needing smoke damage cleanup in Oakland Park. Set timers to make sure you don’t forget anything in the oven or burn food cooking on the stove top. Check on your cooking as often as necessary; it’s also a great excuse for ending uncomfortable conversations with your great-aunt about your love life or political views.  

If you feel a bit overwhelmed with cooking, recruit help! Getting family members or friends involved in the cooking process is a great way to bond and make new memories during this time of year. 

Don’t Dispose of Oil in the Sink 

Once the cooking is done, your meal has been eaten, and your guests have left for the evening, cleanup will be the last thing you want to do. When it comes to oil left over from frying or collected during roasting, be sure to dispose of them properly. Pouring it down the drain may seem like the easy solution, but this can quickly lead to damage to your pipes, up to and including flooding issues. Even if you have a garbage disposal, it isn’t designed to process oils which coagulate in your pipes.  

Don’t Ignore Stove Top Spills 

The hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen during the holidays can make it easy to miss small mistakes like stove top spills. This can be dangerous, as some ingredients may be flammable. Sudden kitchen fires cause many injuries during the holidays, and the smoke damage cleanup in Oakland Park is an avoidable hassle. Remember to clean as you go, even if the mess seems minor. 

Don’t Forget Fire Safety Measures 

Your kitchen should always be stocked and ready to address a fire at any time. Having things like a fire extinguisher or suppression blanket on hand can prevent serious damage to your home. Before cooking any large holiday meal, make sure all smoke detectors in your home are on and functioning properly. If a fire does occur, the safety of you and your family is always the top priority. 

We want to help keep your holidays moving smoothly. If you need smoke damage cleanup in Oakland Park, we’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us now for more information. 

By | 2019-12-01T11:12:03-05:00 November 23rd, 2019|Smoke Damage|Comments Off on Five DON’TS of Holiday Cooking

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