By Will Stevenson/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – If you’re the type of person that “could make a TV dinner taste like radio,” perhaps cooking a turkey isn’t exactly in your wheelhouse. But, the Butterball Turkey Talk Line is here — based in Ilinois — to help.
First, Talk Line operator and chef Kurt Kurlek said, you don’t have to get up with the roosters to put your turkey in the oven, as most probably only need three or four hours. But as with much of the cooking you do, Kurlek says a meat thermometer is crucial, as is proper thawing and food storage.
“We recommend the ‘three T’s’ — make sure your turkey is thawed completely,” said Kurlek. “Make sure…the temperatures reach in the breast 165 [degrees], in the thigh it would be 175. And, make sure you put your leftovers away [less than] two hours after consuming it.”
Kurlek said that helps prevent food-borne illness.
It’s only Kurlek’s second year as one of the operators on the line, but the chef has heard some odd turkey cooking stories already.
“Last year, I had a call come in…a guy down south…he actually was driving to work and hit a wild turkey, and was asking how to prepare it,” says Kurlek. “I suggested taking it to a butcher and seeing if it’s still okay to consume after hitting it.”
Kurlek, by the way, said the answer to that question is more than likely, probably not.
As for what to do with all those leftovers, if you’re not the type to eat turkey sandwiches forever, Kurlek said you can try everything from tacos to crepes, or make soup using water, stuffing, gravy, and, of course, the turkey.
The Butterball Turkey Talk Line is 1-800-Butterball. They are also available online and through social media.
