For many families, serving turkey at Christmas is a cherished tradition that dates back centuries.
The bird became a holiday staple in the 16th century, when it replaced more exotic or expensive options such as peacock, goose, or boar. Its size, affordability, and ability to feed a large group made it a popular choice, a sentiment that endures to this day. Across Canada, the image of a perfectly roasted turkey surrounded by festive sides has become synonymous with Christmas dinner, evoking a sense of togetherness and nostalgia.
However, preparing the perfect turkey is no small feat. Whether it’s ensuring the bird is fully thawed or achieving that elusive balance between moist meat and crispy skin, cooking a turkey requires both patience and skill and it can be stressful, especially if it’s your first year hosting a Christmas dinner. Thankfully, help is just a phone call away with Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line.
That was Mary Alice Coffey, who has been fielding calls and offering advice on the Talk-Line for the past 31 years.
We asked her about the biggest issue they deal with, and she shared that one common question comes up every year—thawing.
If you’re in a time crunch and don’t have the luxury of a full week to thaw your turkey, there’s a Plan B.
For first-time hosts, she emphasized the importance of planning ahead and relying on the old saying, “many hands make light work.”
Each year, 52 food professionals are trained to handle these calls, with their preparation starting as early as October.
Mary Alice also shared some memorable stories from her time on the Talk-Line. One involved an elderly man who had recently lost his wife but wanted to give his children the Christmas dinner their mom used to make. Another was about a young man hosting his in-laws for the first time, only to accidentally set the oven to its cleaning mode, which locked the doors and cranked the temperature up to 500 degrees.
The Talk-Line fields over 100,000 questions from home cooks across North America every year.
If you need expert turkey advice, call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456 to chat with their team.
(Written by Matt Leblanc)
