If i pick the lid up to stir, while i’m frying something, can this cause a grease fire if the water then drips into the oil? Or am i worrying pointlessly?
In: Chemistry
I guess it could. If everything’s hot enough, and there’s enough condensate to flash off. But I’ve had it drip and drop into hot oil before and it just pops you. Might get a little flash.
Usually have to worry aboit grease fires if there’s alot of water, or frost/ice in whatever you’re cooking. Not drops.
If you’re deep frying something, the condensed water falling into the pan can quickly change to steam, which can cause the oil to splash out of the pan possibly causing a fire. But if you are deep frying, you shouldn’t use a lid.
For anything else, there’s not enough oil in the pan and you’ll be fine
Water into hot grease doesn’t cause a grease fire, but it does cause the grease to spatter. The condensation on a pot lid dripping into hot grease can be enough to cause some spattering and therefore some minor burns. I have experienced this firsthand. To my understanding: grease fires are caused by getting the pan much too hot. different oils have different smoke points and that smoke not only makes your food taste burnt and makes your kitchen into a greasy mess, it is also a sign that the oil is nearing it combustion temperature. All fire needs is Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat. As an example, the smoke point of Olive Oil is ~400F the flash point (when it can catch fire) of Olive Oil is~ 410F.
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