Thanksgiving turkey questions? Experts offer up advice

Your role for Thanksgiving dinner might be different this year.

“I suspect we will have a lot of first-time turkey makers,” said Carol Miller, one of 50 Turkey Talk-Line experts for Butterball, a turkey brand and the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. “With so many people staying home, those who used to bring a side dish or dessert to mom’s or grandma’s or sister or in-law’s house, will be the one making the turkey.”

Not to worry, she said.

She and her colleagues can answer everything from how much turkey should to buy to what to do with the leftovers. You can even ask “Alexa, ask Butterball …” to hear cooking advice from trusted Turkey Talk-Line experts.

According to Butterball, 90% of customers said they plan to make the holiday meal happen and one-third said they will host immediate family only and there is an increase in people who will eat outdoors if possible. The talk-line experts will be working remotely for the first time helping cooks prepare for Thanksgiving from their own kitchens and home offices.

The number to call is 800-BUTTERBALL. Phone lines opened Nov. 2.

Even though the table at Thanksgiving 2020 might have less people sitting around it, but that doesn’t mean the turkey has to be smaller, Miller said

“I tell people it doesn’t take any more work to cook an 8-pound turkey or a 20-pound turkey,” said Miller, who has been giving up her Thanksgiving holiday to help others for almost four decades. “It might take longer to cook and you might need a bigger pan. If you have leftovers, that’s a good thing because you can do so many things with the extra meat.”

The basics

One of the most panicked questions is on Thanksgiving when people call who forgot to defrost the bird. The best process is one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. So to defrost a 12-pound frozen turkey in the refrigerator, it should take three days.

“They’ve asked me, ‘can I wrap it in an electric blanket? Can I put it in a hot tub? Can I put it on dry cycle in the dish washer?’ ” she said. “The answer is no, no and no. It needs to thaw slowly.”

Don’t panic though, she said.

You can put the turkey in cold water — you just might eat later than you wanted. “I tell them to start a new tradition and eat the pumpkin pie first,” Miller said.

If you plan to roast a 12-pound turkey, heat the oven to 325 F and cook for 3¾ to 4½ hours. If you choose to deep fry a turkey make sure it’s thawed or fresh. Heat the oil to 375 F and cook 3-4 minutes per pound.

According to allrecipes.com, if you plan to roast your turkey in a cooking bag, heat oven to 350 F, sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour on the bottom of the bag, add a 12-pound turkey, seal bag, poke holes in bag and cook for 3 to 3½ hours.

Any leftovers? Miller said to keep turkey no more than three days in the refrigerator. It is fine to freeze it but shred it or cube it so you can use it with barbecue sauce or in soups or other casseroles. She recalled taking a question after Thanksgiving — the hotline is open through Dec. 24 — about eating leftover turkey that had been in a refrigerator a few weeks. Just don’t do it.

A pre-made meal

The Porch at Schenley in Oakland and The Porch at Siena in Upper St. Clair are offering turkey dinners that include slow-roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and corn for $18.You can add a slice of pumpkin cheesecake for $3 or Brussels sprouts with bacon for $5.

At Eat’n Park restaurants, the Turkey Dinner Family Meal for 4 to 6 people comes with oven-baked turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce, one side and a loaf of Cellone’s Italian bread for $39.99. Add a pumpkin pie for $6.

The Family Meal also is available with everything packed cold and ready to heat.

Orders need to be placed by Nov. 18 for The Porch and Nov. 24 for Eat’n Park.

Non-turkey lovers

Not everyone wants or likes turkey.

Celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, co-founder of PLNT Burger based in Washington, D.C., said there are other choices. November is World Vegan Month so he recommends cauliflower roasts .

He said use three cauliflower heads and marinate them the way you would meat. Use vegan butter and olive oil. Hollow out the center and add stuffing.

“These dishes can have really good flavor,” Mendelsohn said. “The amount of people shopping for plant-based foods is growing. Plant-based foods have gotten so much better and people are realizing what you choose to eat has an effect on the planet. And there are a lot of health benefits to eating a plant-based diet.”

Not only is going vegan better for your health, but it’s better for the environment and the animals said Tracye McQuirter, an author and nutritionist of byanygreensnecessary.com, a website that helps people learn about vegan living.

“Everyone can eat plant-based foods, whether vegan or omnivore, which makes your Thanksgiving meal even more welcoming to all,” she said.

And for dessert? She suggests trying a vegan pecan pie her mother and grandmother used to make. She said it is moist and has a light filling. It’s also sweet without being too sweet.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup whole pecans

1 cup chopped pecans

¾ cup maple syrup

1½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal

¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 (9-inch) whole grain pie crust

Directions

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a food processor, add one cup of the whole pecans and process until a course meal is formed.

Place the meal in a medium bowl and add the chopped pecans. Stir until just combined. In a large bowl, combine the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, flaxseed meal, milk, oil and salt. Add the pecan mixture to the wet mixture and stir until mixed well. Stir in one tablespoon of the whole wheat flour at a time. You want the batter to be thick, but still loose enough to pour. Pour the batter into the pie crust. Arrange the remaining whole pecans on top. Bake for 45 minutes. Let the pie cool completely for the filling to firmly set. Serve immediately. Makes 7-9 servings.