The phones are ringing in Naperville, where 50 home economists are talking turkey. This is a busy time at the Turkey Talk hotline, says supervisor Marge Klindera.
She says if you have a frozen turkey and want to serve it on Thanksgiving, you better start defrosting it now, either in the refrigerator, if it’s a smaller bird, or in the sink under cold water. A frozen turkey placed in the refrigerator defrosts at a rate of one day for every four pounds. In the sink, it’s 30 minutes per pound.
The phone number is 800-BUTTERBALL. They’ll help you even if you don’t have a Butterball turkey. Hours this week are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, when hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Through December, the hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After Thanksgiving, the Turkey Talk experts will offer advice on preserving leftovers, and suggesting ways to prepare them to be eaten.
