- Garlic
Garlic is packed with lots of natural oil, so it burns rather quickly when placed in a hot pan, causing the oil to splatter into the burner. To prevent this from happening, always set your burner to low when sauteing garlic. Keep your eyes on it and don’t let it burn!
- Bacon
Because bacon has a high fat content, it releases lots of grease while cooking. When the bacon burns, this causes the oil to splash out of the pan. To prevent this from happening, make sure the pan you are using is deep enough to contain the grease. Additionally, if you are cooking multiple batches of bacon, be sure to rid the pan of the leftover grease and start over.
- Deep-Fried Stuffed Peppers
When stuffed peppers are submerged in oil, air flow is constricted. The pressure from this can cause the peppers to explode. If you have open burners close to the pot of peppers, the oil may shoot over the open flame, causing a massive flame that could spread if you are not careful.
- Flour
Goods such as flour, non-dairy creamer, and powdered sugar consist of fine particles that burn if they are added to an empty pan. To stay safe, only add powdered ingredients to a hot pan if another ingredient is already in it i.e. butter or oil.
- Alcohol-Based Sauces
It is not uncommon for sauces that contain alcohol such as wine or vodka to cause bigger flames in your pan or your stove. Keep your bottles that contain the alcohol a safe distance away from your stove.
Following these guidelines may help you prevent a disaster in your kitchen!
Stay close to the food: Diverting your attention away from your stove can spell catastrophe if you’re not careful. If you leave your kitchen, be sure to turn your stove off first.
Don’t let the grease escape: When you are cooking meat, make sure that the pan you are using is deep enough to hold all of the fats from the meats. Grease can potentially spill over and set fire.
Keep your kitchen clean: Leftover grease or oils in your ovens or on stovetops can potentially ignite. Always be sure to keep your stove and your oven clean.