Butterball handles tens of thousands of calls to its Thanksgiving help hotline every year, and while there are some crazy ones, these are the most common:
- How do I thaw a turkey? Always do it in the fridge, never at room temperature. They also suggest you thaw your turkey one week before Thanksgiving, so get to it.
- What can I do to prevent a dry turkey? Make sure to keep your frozen turkey in a deep freeze rather than a frost free refrigerator as freezer burn could result in a dry turkey. And monitor the cooking process -- cooking at a high temperature and too long can result in a dry turkey.
- How do I decide what size turkey to buy? Butterball actually has a calculator to help. It asks how many people you're feeding, whether or not you like leftovers and several other questions.
- What are giblets? The heart, liver, and gizzard of the turkey. These parts should be removed from the turkey cavity before cooking, but they can be used to make gravy.
- What kind of thermometer should I use to test my turkey? The kind doesn't really matter, but always use a properly calibrated meat thermometer, which should read at least 165 degrees in the breast and 180 degrees in the thigh.
For more answers, just call 1-844-877-3456, or, even easier, with any Alexa enabled device just say “Hey Alexa, ask Butterball….” (Rutherford Voice)
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