Unless you choose to keep your turkey crispy on the outside and hard on the inside, you’ll want to consider melting your bird as soon as possible.
Each year, experts at the end of the Butterball Ball Turkey Talk line help guide American home chefs to a successful Thanksgiving celebration. However, as one might imagine, those experts often hear similar questions years later.
“Due to the low number of Thanksgiving celebrations this year, we’re getting a lot of calls from first-time cooks asking for advice on how and when to cook your turkey. [and] How it should melt, ”talk-line correspondent Pam Barnes told Fox News this week.
“Melt your frozen turkey safely is the most important step in preparing your Thanksgiving meal,” says Pam Barnes, an expert at Butterball Ball Turkey Talk K-Line.
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Fortunately, Barnes and his colleagues have the answers to all these questions, and more.
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In fact, Barnes shared two different methods for melting turkeys – one that is slightly less labor-intensive, and the other, which can be faster for those with less time. In both cases, however, Barnes emphasizes that safety is a top priority.
He says, “Safely melting your frozen turkey is the most important step in preparing your Thanksgiving meal. “When refrigerator thawing is preferred, and at least labor-intensive, it takes more time. Cold-water, on the other hand, takes less time to melt but requires more attention. “
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No matter which method you choose, the Butterball expert says you should “never melt a turkey at room temperature” and buy fresh turkey instead, if the timing is really as accurate.
So, are your birds ready to melt? Barnes recommends the following methods:
Melt in the refrigerator
- In the unopened wrapper on the tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below), turn the turkey up to the side of the breast.
- Allow at least 1 day of swallowing for every 4 pounds of turkey.
- Place the turkey in the original wrapper and place on a tray.
- Use the turkey within 4 days after thawing.
Melt cold-water
- With enough cold water to cover your turkey completely, throw the turkey breast down in an unopened wrapper.
- Change the water every 30 minutes and if the turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate the turkey every 30 minutes to keep it cool.
- Estimate a minimum melting time of 30 minutes per pound of turkey.
Still need help preparing for your Turkey Day? No worries. Barnes and his team should expect at least 100,000 calls and at least 15,000 responses on Thanksgiving by the time they move around Thanksgiving.
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One thing it can’t do, though, is it will direct you in the direction of a small turkey.
“We’re also getting a lot of questions about what size turkey should buy,” Barnes said. “Our advice is not to be afraid to go big! The left sides are a great part of the meal and we have a lot of delicious dishes. “
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Butterball can be reached on the Turkish Talk Line by calling 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or by texting 4-34-8-377–3456.
