Suburban Man Deep Fries His Leg

Thanksgiving 2011 will hold some painful memories for a Mount Prospect man.

Serafino Alfe was in the process of deep-frying 25 turkeys for Thanksgiving Saturday, but ended up cooking his own leg instead.

"It's a good way to cook a turkey, but it's very dangerous, I've got to say that," he said Tuesday from his hospital at Loyola University Medical Center.

The 86-year-old spilled 30 quarts of hot oil on his leg after tripping on cardboard, leaving him with third-degree burns.

He'll need a skin graft to aid in his recovery.

"If you're going to deal with high-temperature materials, and be around it, be careful of yourself and be careful of the people around you," said Dr. Richard Gamelli.

Alfe was cooking turkeys for a large group of diners at the Old Orchard Golf Country Club and joking referred to his damaged limb as his "drumstick."

Doctors say alcohol is usually to blame for turkey fryer accidents at this time of year, but Alfe said he was definitely sober.