I don’t predict any artificial intelligence robots taking over the Butterball Turkey test kitchens in Naperville, Illinois, or the company’s beloved Turkey Talk-Line for troubleshooting kitchen curveball questions during the holidays.
A favorite tradition I’ve enjoyed for the past 35 years of writing about food and recipes is my annual chat with the folks from the fabled Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, sometimes for my weekly WJOB 1230 AM radio show and sometimes for this column.
In case you might not have circled it on your calendars, Thursday, Nov. 20, is designated by Butterball as “Thaw Thursday.” It’s also my annual reminder to alert my readers and radio listeners that frozen turkeys awaiting roasting on Thanksgiving Day should already be out of the deep freeze and transitioned to the refrigerator a week in advance to allow plenty of time for proper and safe thawing.
Staffed by more than 50 professionally trained home economists, dietitians and culinary experts, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line awaits by phone call or text at 844-877-3456, and Andrea Balitewicz, who has spent the past nine seasons taking calls on the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, assured me last week it will be a real human voice fielding questions and providing answers.
“It’s that human and personal touch we are trained for each year that’s so key for easing the minds of callers and helping with concerns,” Balitewicz told me during a phone interview last Tuesday.
“Also, we field questions from calls that are at all different skill levels. Our team is staffed with not only home economists, but also chefs, dietitians, nutritionists, food stylists, among other experts.” When Butterball first launched the call-in line in 1981, it was six home economists who worked the phones that holiday season to answer about 11,000 turkey-cooking questions. Today, 45 years later, the now-signature Butterball Turkey Talk-Line often receives more than 10,000 calls on just Thanksgiving Day.
The top-ranking advice given every year is for home cooks to invest $2 for a meat thermometer to take the guessing out of how long to cook the turkey.
When the inside temperature is 180 degrees when testing the thigh and 170 degrees when inserted in the breast meat, you’re ready to carve. And for those who like their stuffing inside the turkey, the USDA has changed its recommended temperature throughout the years, so today, bread dressing should test at 165 degrees.
The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line has faced countless queries about “basting” as an ages-old dilemma (and not needed with the Butterball brand since they are “self-basting”). While basting is acceptable, the primary issue is the caution of opening the oven door too often, therefore letting heat escape and adding to the roasting time. Further details, helpful hints and handy recipes are included at butterball.com.
A special promotion this year from a partnership between Butterball and designer and décor brand Hedley & Bennett offers cooks a pair of free limited-edition Butterball-branded “host pants,” complete with multiple pockets for kitchen utensils and fun iron-on patches to spread the Thanksgiving menu spirit with others. Festive and fun, 200 pairs of Butterball Thanksgiving Hosting Pants will be given away (along with an assortment of fun iron-on patches) while supplies last at 11 a.m. CST, Monday Nov. 17. With limited quantities available (400 previous free pairs were already given out during other designated dates earlier this month), only one pair per household is allowed, and there’s no purchase necessary. Just visit hedleyandbennett.com Monday and select your desired size. Shipping is free.
Both the team at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line and I agree that another common question posed as a kitchen query each year is about “how to make gravy?”
The recipe section at butterball.com this season includes a delicious and easy mushroom gravy sauce that can be whipped up without even using the drippings from roasting the turkey. (I still like to add some of the drippings for added robust flavor.) Balanced with key spices, yet utilizing basic ingredients, I’ve included this favorite recipe from Butterball here for readers to enjoy.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Roasted Butterball Turkey with Herb and Mushroom Gravy Sauce
Makes 14 servings
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, divided use
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme leaves, divided use
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided use
1 Butterball Whole Turkey (16 pounds), thawed, if frozen
Non-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine 1-1/2 teaspoons of the poultry seasoning, the paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a small dish and use a fork to blend and combine. Set aside.
Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Discard or refrigerate for another use. Drain juices and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place.
Place turkey, breast side up, on flat rack in shallow roasting pan.
Spray turkey with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the blended seasoning mixture. Roast turkey 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until thigh is 180 degrees on a meat thermometer. Cover breast and top of drumsticks with foil after 2 hours to prevent overcooking the breast. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.
To make the gravy sauce, melt butter in small saucepan on low heat. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the poultry seasoning, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the thyme and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Gradually stir in broth and half-and-half. Cook and stir constantly on medium heat until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Serve over sliced turkey.
