If you ever find yourself in a Thanksgiving turkey emergency, help is waiting at the other end of the phone. Every year since 1981, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is staffed with 50-plus experts, on hand to answer questions and advise Americans on how to nail the perfect bird.
From November 1st to December 24th, this team of food professionals, which include chefs, culinary educators, food scientists and dietitians answer calls at 1-800-Butterball, and they’ve heard it all. Registered dietitian Samantha Woulfe has been one of the hotline experts for the last six years and she’s had people ask about everything from how to thaw a turkey in the shower to the safety of serving a turkey that had been snacked on by unidentified “critters.”
But year after year, some questions are asked more than any others and Woulfe says these are the three most common questions they get at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.
1.) How to thaw a turkey - This is the most popular question the hotline gets, hands down, and Butterball recommends two ways to thaw a turkey safely.
- In the fridge - thawing a frozen turkey takes a long time, so doing it in the refrigerator over the course of a week is the preferred method. Let it thaw one day for every four pounds and once it’s thawed, you have up to four days to cook it. So many people start this process a week before Thanksgiving that the Thursday before the holiday is known as National Thaw Your Turkey Day.
- In cold water - This is the method for people who call in a panic because they forgot to start thawing their turkey and Thanksgiving is a few days away. Butterball advises letting the turkey sit in cold water for around 30 minutes per pound, and changing the water every half hour, making sure it’s cold enough so the turkey stays below 40-degrees.
2.) How to tell if your turkey is done - The answer is with a meat thermometer, which Woulfe says is “your best friend on Thanksgiving Day.” “While 165 degrees is technically food safe, ideally we want the breast to reach 170 degrees and the thigh to reach 180 degrees,” she explains. “And if you have stuffed that turkey, the stuffing needs to hit 165 degrees.”
3.) How to cook a turkey - There are all kinds of ways to do it, from frying to smoking it, but Butterball’s experts have found that the best way is in an open roasting pan at 325-degrees. The time depends on the size of the turkey, and the guideline is 15 to 20 minutes per pound.
Source: Southern Living
Scott's Thoughts:
- Sure, the hotline experts have answers, but so does Google!
- Wonder how many people call the hotline as a joke.
- These seem like pretty basic cooking 101 things to me..