How to Safely Prepare Your Turkey for Thanksgiving Day

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Thanksgiving dinner is already on most of our minds, whether you’re hosting this holiday season or not.

But if you prepare food, there are a few things you need to know. We have some turkey tips to make Thanksgiving go smoothly!

WNDU 16 News Now spoke with the folks at Butterball Turkey Phone Line who receive thousands of calls every day in the run-up to Turkey Day. One of the biggest issues people bring up is what to do if the turkey isn’t thawed by Thanksgiving morning.

If your turkey is still in the freezer and you plan to eat it on Thanksgiving, you need to get around to getting it to defrost in time. You can put it in the refrigerator, but the sink is your best option.

“Place the turkey breast, still in its original packaging, in a sink or cold water,” says Charla L. Draper, culinary consultant for Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. “They’ll want to change the water every 30 minutes. And this way, it’s the quickest way to defrost turkey on Thanksgiving morning.

If the turkey thaws successfully after this process, experts say it is possible to cook it safely within four days.

Now that your turkey is thawed, it is important to make sure it is fully cooked so everyone can enjoy a safe meal. The best way to proceed? Check the internal temperature.

You should use a roasting thermometer to check the turkey accurately. When ready, the turkey leg should be 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the turkey breast should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Experts say this is the best way to get a juicy turkey.

“One thing a lot of people do is calculate cooking time based on minutes per pound,” says Draper. “In our experience here at Butterball, we find that the minutes per pound rule of thumb will give you an overcooked turkey. We recommend using a meat thermometer.

It’s also recommended to let the turkey rest for about 20 minutes before cutting to let those juices settle.

Now, most of us want freshly cooked turkey on Thursday, but there’s so much more to prepare for Turkey Day. And you can definitely get a head start today!

“You can prepare some of your side dishes in advance, and if you’re the baker in the family, you can definitely bake your pies or cakes a few days before the holiday,” says Draper.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But preparing desserts and sides in advance to store in the refrigerator helps alleviate that extra pressure.

If you have any questions about preparing turkey this holiday season, you can call the Butterball Turkey Hotline at 1-800-BUTTERBALL (288-837-2255) or Texas 8440877-3456 to chat with their turkey experts. turkey.

The hotline is open on the following days and times:

From Tuesday November 26 to Wednesday November 27: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST
Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 28): 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST
Weekdays from November 29 to December. 20: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST
December 21 and December 22: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST
December 23: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST
Christmas Eve (December 24): 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST