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American Morning

Thanksgiving Day: Turkey Tips

Aired November 27, 2003 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you are looking for some last- minute advice about preparing your turkey, there is a number you can call. It's the Butterball turkey hotline, at 1-800-butterball. The team there, you can see them hard at work. They can answer just about any turkey-related question. How about that?
Joining us from talkline headquarters in Donners Grove, Illinois is Sherleen Clausen. She is called the dean of Butterball University. Sherleen is here to answer some of your e-mail questions.

Sherleen, we were asking for these questions a little bit earlier. So I want to get straight to them, from our viewers now. From Jan this morning, she says, "Every year I roast our turkey in a roaster oven, it turns out very moist and tender. However, I cannot seem to get it to brown nicely."

Any suggestions? What do you think?

SHERLEEN CLAUSEN, DEAN OF BUTTERBALL UNIV.: Well, yes. In the roaster oven, the heating elements are on the sides, so the drums and the wings brown quickly. The breast generally doesn't brown very much. So we have a recipe for a browning sauce that's with some kitchen bouquet, butter and paprika. And then you just brush it over the breast, and then you don't have a two-toned turkey.

COLLINS: Wow, that's a great idea. Now we have another one that says, "My turkey is too big to fit into my oven." This is coming to us anonymously. This person doesn't want to admit how big their turkey is, I guess. "How should I cook it? do I put it into parts?"

CLAUSEN: First of all, I wonder how big the turkey is or how big the oven is. I think maybe they better look to see if they have a neighbor who has a larger oven.

You know, sometimes if you use a foil pan you can make it fit a little bit easier. So, I guess without knowing exactly how large the turkey is, it's a little hard do say. But you can always call us at 1-800-butterball and we'll check out the size of the turkey and the oven.

COLLINS: All right, they'll give you a few more specifics maybe that way. OK, from Lori now, "Do I cover the turkey or leave it uncovered?"

CLAUSEN: Well, it depends on the cook methods. If you're using a covered pan, with a lid, then you want to start with the lid in place, and when the turkey has about one hour left, then you uncover it to brown the turkey. If year roasting the turkey in an open roasting pan, like I have here, you start the turkey in the open pan uncovered. When the turkey's about two-thirds done, then we suggest putting a small piece of foil over the breast, and then that helps to keep the breast from overcooking.

COLLINS: Shirleen, I have to ask, because I've been reading up on this a little bit, because as Bill pointed out ever so clearly moments ago, I have not cooked my own turkey before. But I'm reading some of this stuff here that says people actually call you and ask you how to turn the oven on. Is that true?

CLAUSEN: That's true. And, in fact, yesterday I just even was talking with someone who recalled their problem last year of they thought the oven was on, and then two hours later it was cold, so, yes, we do. We get questions about, and the other part is, most people may not use the oven a lot, so they're more likely to use the microwave, so you know, what button do you turn? And if i've got more than one button, how do I turn it on? That's a common question.

COLLINS: Can you microwave a turkey?

CLAUSEN: Well, you can if it's small enough, if the turkey is small enough. But also, your microwave has to be large enough. It's a little bit more complicated and involved. It's much easier to get a tender juicy turkey by just doing it in a conventional oven at 325.

COLLINS: OK, sounds good. We want to get to the last two here. Sue from Langhorn, PA says, "I have a turkey that was frozen since last Thanksgiving. Is it still okay to use?"

CLAUSEN: Yes, it is. As long as it's been in the freezer, and it stayed frozen, it's safe. It's perfectly fine to use. You know, if you had a little bit of a tear in the package with some freezer burn or that, you might want to use it in a casserole or some other dishes where you combine it with other ingredients, but it's perfectly fine to use.

COLLINS: OK. And now the very last one from David in Virginia. He's been wondering I think all of his life, "What is the neck bone used for? Is it a good treat for his dogs?"

CLAUSEN: Well, no, it's not a good treat for his dogs. A lot of people like to cook the neck, and then eat the meat off of it. I will cook the neck and take the meat off, chop it up and put it in the gravy. Or if you're not using it on Thanksgiving Day, the meat can easily be used in soups.

COLLINS: Yes, all right. Well, that sounds pretty darn tasty.

What's your most favorite question that you've ever gotten in all the times that you've been answering those phones?

CLAUSEN: Oh, my favorite question? Probably, you know, the one that I still laugh about, is the people who were driving in a mobile home across the United States on Thanksgiving Day, and they were wondering if they could cook the turkey as they were driving down the highway, whether driving 55 or 75 would cook the turkey faster.

COLLINS: No way. Oh, boy.

CLAUSEN: yes.

COLLINS: Well, I bet you hear it all. And you told them to drive the speed limit, of course, right?

CLAUSEN: Right.

COLLINS: OK.

CLAUSEN: Depends on what state you're in.

COLLINS: This is true.

Sherleen Clawson, we appreciate your time this morning, Dean of Butterball University. Happy Thanksgiving, Sherleen.

CLAUSEN: Same to you, Heidi.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 27, 2003 - 09:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you are looking for some last- minute advice about preparing your turkey, there is a number you can call. It's the Butterball turkey hotline, at 1-800-butterball. The team there, you can see them hard at work. They can answer just about any turkey-related question. How about that?
Joining us from talkline headquarters in Donners Grove, Illinois is Sherleen Clausen. She is called the dean of Butterball University. Sherleen is here to answer some of your e-mail questions.

Sherleen, we were asking for these questions a little bit earlier. So I want to get straight to them, from our viewers now. From Jan this morning, she says, "Every year I roast our turkey in a roaster oven, it turns out very moist and tender. However, I cannot seem to get it to brown nicely."

Any suggestions? What do you think?

SHERLEEN CLAUSEN, DEAN OF BUTTERBALL UNIV.: Well, yes. In the roaster oven, the heating elements are on the sides, so the drums and the wings brown quickly. The breast generally doesn't brown very much. So we have a recipe for a browning sauce that's with some kitchen bouquet, butter and paprika. And then you just brush it over the breast, and then you don't have a two-toned turkey.

COLLINS: Wow, that's a great idea. Now we have another one that says, "My turkey is too big to fit into my oven." This is coming to us anonymously. This person doesn't want to admit how big their turkey is, I guess. "How should I cook it? do I put it into parts?"

CLAUSEN: First of all, I wonder how big the turkey is or how big the oven is. I think maybe they better look to see if they have a neighbor who has a larger oven.

You know, sometimes if you use a foil pan you can make it fit a little bit easier. So, I guess without knowing exactly how large the turkey is, it's a little hard do say. But you can always call us at 1-800-butterball and we'll check out the size of the turkey and the oven.

COLLINS: All right, they'll give you a few more specifics maybe that way. OK, from Lori now, "Do I cover the turkey or leave it uncovered?"

CLAUSEN: Well, it depends on the cook methods. If you're using a covered pan, with a lid, then you want to start with the lid in place, and when the turkey has about one hour left, then you uncover it to brown the turkey. If year roasting the turkey in an open roasting pan, like I have here, you start the turkey in the open pan uncovered. When the turkey's about two-thirds done, then we suggest putting a small piece of foil over the breast, and then that helps to keep the breast from overcooking.

COLLINS: Shirleen, I have to ask, because I've been reading up on this a little bit, because as Bill pointed out ever so clearly moments ago, I have not cooked my own turkey before. But I'm reading some of this stuff here that says people actually call you and ask you how to turn the oven on. Is that true?

CLAUSEN: That's true. And, in fact, yesterday I just even was talking with someone who recalled their problem last year of they thought the oven was on, and then two hours later it was cold, so, yes, we do. We get questions about, and the other part is, most people may not use the oven a lot, so they're more likely to use the microwave, so you know, what button do you turn? And if i've got more than one button, how do I turn it on? That's a common question.

COLLINS: Can you microwave a turkey?

CLAUSEN: Well, you can if it's small enough, if the turkey is small enough. But also, your microwave has to be large enough. It's a little bit more complicated and involved. It's much easier to get a tender juicy turkey by just doing it in a conventional oven at 325.

COLLINS: OK, sounds good. We want to get to the last two here. Sue from Langhorn, PA says, "I have a turkey that was frozen since last Thanksgiving. Is it still okay to use?"

CLAUSEN: Yes, it is. As long as it's been in the freezer, and it stayed frozen, it's safe. It's perfectly fine to use. You know, if you had a little bit of a tear in the package with some freezer burn or that, you might want to use it in a casserole or some other dishes where you combine it with other ingredients, but it's perfectly fine to use.

COLLINS: OK. And now the very last one from David in Virginia. He's been wondering I think all of his life, "What is the neck bone used for? Is it a good treat for his dogs?"

CLAUSEN: Well, no, it's not a good treat for his dogs. A lot of people like to cook the neck, and then eat the meat off of it. I will cook the neck and take the meat off, chop it up and put it in the gravy. Or if you're not using it on Thanksgiving Day, the meat can easily be used in soups.

COLLINS: Yes, all right. Well, that sounds pretty darn tasty.

What's your most favorite question that you've ever gotten in all the times that you've been answering those phones?

CLAUSEN: Oh, my favorite question? Probably, you know, the one that I still laugh about, is the people who were driving in a mobile home across the United States on Thanksgiving Day, and they were wondering if they could cook the turkey as they were driving down the highway, whether driving 55 or 75 would cook the turkey faster.

COLLINS: No way. Oh, boy.

CLAUSEN: yes.

COLLINS: Well, I bet you hear it all. And you told them to drive the speed limit, of course, right?

CLAUSEN: Right.

COLLINS: OK.

CLAUSEN: Depends on what state you're in.

COLLINS: This is true.

Sherleen Clawson, we appreciate your time this morning, Dean of Butterball University. Happy Thanksgiving, Sherleen.

CLAUSEN: Same to you, Heidi.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com