The Butterball turkey talk-line is once again open for all the tricks of the test kitchen trade this holiday season.
The team of experts are back on TikTok and phone lines are open to help seasoned home cooks and first-timers alike with insights to ensure an easy, well-executed Thanksgiving meal.
@butterballturkey When it comes to #turkey prep do's and don'ts, trust the experts! #thanksgiving #thisorthat #Butterball #cooking #foodtips #thisorthatchallenge ♬ original sound - Butterball Turkey
Nicole Johnson, 20-year veteran and a director of the Butterball turkey talk-line, spoke to "Good Morning America" and offered up some helpful hacks ahead of Thanksgiving.
"We did some research and found that 83% of people are turning to social media for recipe inspiration," she said.
The line, which is open throughout November and December, is made up of registered dietitians, food scientists, chefs and food stylists.
"They all bring a wealth of knowledge to the table, and those are the individuals that not only created these recipes but also tested them in this test kitchen," Johnson said.
Thaw your turkey in time
"Remember it takes a good number of days of thaw out that turkey," Johnson said.
Butterball suggests two methods for the best results when thawing frozen whole turkeys and frozen whole turkey breasts -- refrigerator thawing and cold water thawing.
For the first: "Thaw the turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees or below). Allow at least one day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey. Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray. Use turkey within four days after thawing."
For the latter: "Thaw turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. Change water every 30 minutes and if turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per lb of turkey."
Properly place the meat thermometer
"Don't forget about your meat thermometer," Johnson said. "It should register 180 degrees in the thigh and 170 in the breast for best eating quality."
Check out a how to video here, that Johnson added "specifically shows where to place that meat thermometer."
Roast in an open pan method
Johnson said the Butterball team's "preferred method is a 325-degree open pan method in a traditional oven."
Click here to calculate the proper cook time with the weight of your bird using this cooking method and for other options.
For more cost-saving and hosting tips, hosts can reach the Talk-Line by phone, text, chat, social media and our Alexa Skill. Plus, head to TikTok to see us get cooking in the Taste Kitchen!
Text: "TURKEY" to 36888.
Call: 1-800-BUTTERBALL to speak with a Talk-Line expert live.
An earlier version of this story was originally published on Nov. 22. 2021.
