How on Earth did I miss National Thaw Day on Thursday? The Thursday that falls the week before Thanksgiving is recognized nationally and serves as a reminder that Thanksgiving Day is just seven days away.
Instead of panicking, I picked up the phone and called the Butterball Hotline where Butterball Expert Javier Reyes answered my questions and eased my anxiety (cue the song Anxiety by Doechii).
Reyes said the safest way to thaw your turkey is by placing it in the refrigerator. “It takes one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey,” he said. “So, a 20-pound turkey will take about five days.”
The folks at Butterball recommend thawing the turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below). Cook the turkey within four days after thawing.
Reyes said if you need to thaw the turkey a little quicker a safe way to do so is by using cold water. “You take your turkey, still in its original packaging, put it in the sink, and then cover it with cold water,” he said. “Every 30 minutes you will switch out that water and add new clean, cold water to make sure that it stays at a colder temperature while thawing faster.”
The Butterball Expert recommends to thaw with the turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. If the turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. You can expect 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey.
Reyes, who’s been a Butterball Expert for four years, said these are the only methods of thawing recommended by Butterball. He said turkeys should never be left out to thaw at room temperature. Countertop thawing allows bacteria to multiply rapidly, leading to a risk of food poisoning.
Reyes said most of the Butterball Experts have a culinary background. He said many of the Butterball Experts have been assisting people for decades.
“I teach culinary classes,” he said. “I’ve always been interested in helping people with their cooking. I just stumbled upon it (Butterball Experts). I've been here for four years and hopefully I'll be one of these people who will be here for decades.”
Reyes said the Butterball Experts have been answering calls for 44 years and have heard every crazy story imaginable. He also said many people cling to old beliefs. “People still think that you can thaw your turkey on your countertop or, if it's a cold November, you can put it down in the garage.”
He recalled one time when a wife phoned the hotline and was upset because her husband left the turkey in the car after grocery shopping. “It had been in the car for a few hours, and they were worried that they couldn't have it anymore,” he said. “We don't recommend anybody consuming any turkey that's been left out for too long.”
He said if the turkey was left out for a shorter period of time and was still stiff and frozen it could still be placed in the freezer or begin thawing it in the refrigerator. “Otherwise, we don't recommend you consuming it anymore,” he said. “There's no way to tell what temperature it got to.”
In other words, Reyes said when it doubt throw it out.
At this point of our conversation, I felt the need to share my own Thanksgiving horror story. The first time I cooked a turkey for my parents, I had left the plastic bag of the neck and giblets inside the bird. Yes, I was THAT person. Luckily, we also had ham, so at least we had something to go with the mashed potatoes and dressing.
Reyes said he’s heard that story countless times.
He said Butterball Experts are happy to share tips on how to marinate, or brine, stuff, bake, deep fry, air fry, and smoke your turkey. They also share recipes for a variety of side items. Their website has tons of recipe ideas for leftover turkeys and sides.
Visit their website for their products, recipes, and how to information at www.butterball.com
Call the Butterball Experts at 1-(800)-BUTTERBALL (288-8372)