Talkin' turkey: Butterball employees help callers prepare perfect bird

Everyone knows a golden-brown turkey, done to perfection and moist inside, is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast.

But even some experienced cooks fret over the best way to prepare the bird, how big a turkey to purchase, how long to let it thaw and what to do with those leftovers.

For 29 years, help has been only a phone call away at Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. Located in Naperville, Butterball U.'s 55 trained employees answer questions about all matters turkey from Nov. 2 through December. Bilingual assistance is available for Spanish speakers.

Questions are answered at (800) 288-8372 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, up to Thanksgiving Day; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. the two weekends before Thanksgiving; 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays after Thanksgiving and the weekend of Dec. 19 and 20; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 26 and Dec. 31.

Busy cooks on the go also can text the word "Turkey" to 36888 and get tips sent straight to their mobile phone.

Experienced Turkey Talk-Line employee Marty Van Ness took a break from giving browning and basting tips to answer some other questions about working at turkey central.

Q. How long have you worked on the Turkey Talk-Line?

A. This will be my 18th year on the Talk-Line.

Q. Are all Turkey Talk-Line employees home economists and nutritionists? Tell me about your background.

A. The Turkey Talk-Line experts all have experience with food, whether it's as a home economist, master's degrees in teaching or dietitians. I have a general home economist degree.

Q. What type of training do Turkey Talk-Line employees receive? Do you have to go through training every year?

A. Every year the whole staff goes through Butterball University. I even teach courses at Butterball University on cooking methods, carving and more. On the first day of training for freshmen, sophomores and juniors, we discuss nine cooking methods - open pan, covered pan, roasting bag, electric countertop roaster, gas grill, charcoal grill, deep frying, foil wrap high temperature and convection oven - and each student prepares a turkey by one of the methods. We taste them all afterward to see difference in flavors.

Advanced training includes testing other products (such as frozen stuffed turkey and bone-in breast) and cooking methods so we are able to answer all the callers' questions.

Q. How many calls do you typically field during that period? When does it get busiest?

A. We field roughly 100,000 calls during November and December. The busiest days are typically the days leading up to Thanksgiving and then right around Christmas Eve. The past several years, we've had over 10,000 calls just on Thanksgiving Day.

Q. What are some of the questions you are asked most frequently? Are there common mistakes people make?

A. Thawing continues to be the question callers ask the most about from year to year. Thawing in the refrigerator is the recommended method. For every four pounds of turkey, allow at least one day of thawing in the refrigerator.

Q. Speaking of questions, what's the rule of thumb for how much turkey is needed per person served?

A. We recommend 1.5 pounds of turkey per person for generous servings and leftovers.

Q. Is there any good way to tell if the turkey is done apart from a meat thermometer?

A. The best and easiest way to determine if a turkey if done is the meat thermometer. The turkey should reach 180° F in the thigh, 170° F in the breast and 165° F in the center of the stuffing.

Q. People who cook turkey in a cooking bag tell how moist they come out, but theirs usually aren't stuffed. Can you cook a stuffed turkey in a cooking bag?

A. Yes, you can cook a stuffed or unstuffed turkey in a cooking bag. It just takes a little bit longer.

Q. What is the most unusual question you've ever answered? Has anyone ever stumped you?

A. Speaking very softly, an Ohio woman called the Talk-Line for advice on preparing a frozen Butterball turkey breast. When I asked the woman to speak up, the woman confessed she was hiding from her husband who was sorely disappointed that she bought a breast instead of a whole turkey.

Apparently, he was concerned the breast meat would be dry and was looking forward to enjoying leftovers after the Thanksgiving dinner.

I recommended she cook the breast at 325°F to an internal temperature of 170°F to ensure tender, juicy meat and suggested she purchase an additional breast for her husband's leftovers. The woman called back days later to say that the tips and the turkey breast were a big hit with her husband after all!

I can't say that I have been stumped with a caller's questions - we are able to help almost everyone.

Q. Do most cooks still roast a turkey? What are the hot new trends in preparation?

A. Currently, deep frying and brining are the trends we're seeing in turkey preparation. I am not able to provide a stat on whether cooks are roasting a turkey, but after talking to us they realize that the open roasting method is the easiest and tastes great.

Q. How will you cook your own turkey this Thanksgiving?

A. Open pan roasting method - my husband, Ron, will be handling the turkey for my family this Thanksgiving.

Q. What is your favorite way to use turkey leftovers?

A. My favorite way to use leftover turkey is turkey noodle soup. It's a hit with the whole family and one of my favorite recipes.

Q. What is the best part of being a Turkey Talk-Line employee?

A. I love that my job allows me to help so many people during the holidays. I get to join families across the country during one of the most special times of the year - not many jobs can offer that!