Callers to the Butterball turkey hot line can get quite creative.
One man called this week to boast of his ingenuity: He couldn’t get a large, uncooked turkey into a smallish roasting pan, so he wrapped the bird in a towel, stomped on it to break its bones and got it to fit.
Carol Miller, a 25-year veteran of the hot line, said people also have come up with innovative (but silly) ways to defrost a bird — one caller wrapped a turkey in an electric blanket.
The hot line gets more than 100,000 questions in November and December, 10,000 of those on Thanksgiving Day alone.
You’re welcome to call one of the hot line’s 50-plus dietitians or home economists at 1-800-BUTTERBALL or e-mail them at talkline@butterball.com. You also can call the U.S. Agriculture Department’s meat and poultry hot line at 1-888-MPhotline or find a link to the USDA’s turkey tips at omaha.com.
If you’re mostly concerned about the safe way to prepare a bird, you could follow these tips from the Douglas County Health Department:
Always wash your hands before and after handling food.
Avoid using plates and utensils that were used for holding raw meat and poultry.
If you buy a frozen bird, make sure you have the freezer space needed to store it.
If you buy a fresh turkey, be sure to purchase it only one to two days before cooking.
To thaw a frozen turkey, place the bird in the original wrapper in the refrigerator, at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, in a container to hold dripping blood and juices. Allow about 24 hours of thawing time for each 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. You can keep a thawed turkey in the refrigerator for one to two days.
If you forget to thaw the turkey, submerge it in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes, allowing about 30 minutes’ defrosting time per pound. Cook immediately.
The turkey should be roasted at 325 degrees and is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees in all parts (including stuffing) as measured with a food thermometer.
Contact the writer:
444-1109, bob.glissmann@owh.com
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