Butterball unveils Thanksgiving turkey you ‘cook from frozen’

Food experts warn against washing turkey before cooking

While you may have been taught to wash your poultry before popping it into the oven, food experts are warning against it.

Butterball is introducing a stress-free solution for holiday hosts: a Thanksgiving turkey that eliminates the hours-long thawing process.

This week, the nation’s largest turkey producer unveiled a "cook from frozen" turkey that only requires two steps to make it: unwrapping it and cooking it in the oven.

This means, there’s also no messy neck or giblets to remove.

Butterball said its new turkeys are made with a specially-formulated brine that helps the turkey retain its moisture throughout the roasting process.

FILE - A meal to linger over will be the theme for Thursday s Thanksgiving dinner to be shot on location in West Adams area. (Kirk Mckoy/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

"Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time or the fifteenth time, preparing the turkey can be intimidating," Michelle Lieszkovszky, the head of innovation at Butterball, said in a press release. "That's why we are so excited to introduce Cook from Frozen. It addresses both the fears and frustrations of cooking a whole turkey – it's not only simple to roast, but the result delivers a tender, juicy, golden-brown centerpiece. Hosts get all the glory whether they are experienced or not."

The "cook from frozen" turkey cannot and should not be stuffed, as it poses a food safety risk, according to the company. Butterball said stuffing must be prepared and cooked separately.

Thawing a turkey is one of the most popular questions Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line receives every year, so Butterball said it created a solution to cut down on the stress.

"At Butterball, inspiring togetherness is at the core of what we do. Cook from Frozen allows hosts to focus on other aspects of the celebration, like enjoying time with loved ones," Lieszkovszky continued. "This holiday season, let Butterball take care of the turkey while you make the memories."

Butterball "cook from frozen" turkeys are available at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods and Publix stores. The new offering can also be purchased at select Kroger and Kroger banner locations (such as Fred Meyer, Fry's and Ralph's) as well as select Walmart locations.

You can find your nearest retailer using Butterball's product locator. For more information, shoppers can also visit www.Butterball.com or call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL.

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