How do you cook Thanksgiving turkey? An expert explains the key tips

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(CNN) --

Whether you're cooking a turkey for the first time this year or you're an expert, mishaps can happen in the kitchen, especially at the last minute.

That's where Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line comes into play.

For the past 40 years during the holidays, these hotline experts have been on hand to help people solve their turkey problems.

Karen Wilcher has been a Turkey Talk-Line specialist for over 10 years, sharing her top tips and tricks for cooking a delicious turkey every time.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

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CNN: If someone has never cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving before, where should they start?

Karen Wilcher:

The easiest way to cook your turkey would be to roast it in the oven at 160 degrees Celsius.

If you have a frozen turkey, you want to make sure it's thawed for Thanksgiving.

It takes about a week for a turkey to thaw, so it's recommended that people move their frozen bird to the fridge the Thursday before Thanksgiving, which we like to call National Thaw Day.

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If you forget to defrost it the day before, at this point we recommend the water bath method.

This is where you submerge the turkey in its original wrapper in cold water.

You should change the water every 30 minutes until it thaws completely.

For a turkey up to 25 pounds, you can adequately thaw it in 12 to 15 hours using this method.

Once defrosted, take it out of its packaging and remove the giblets package.

Next, towel dry the turkey, brush with a little olive oil, and place on a roasting rack in the oven.

Butterball has many recipes online for seasoning options.

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CNN: How long does a turkey really take to cook in the oven?

Wilcher:

A 12 to 20 pound turkey without stuffing should take 3 to 3 1/2 hours to cook, while a 20 to 26 pound turkey should take 4 to 4 1/2 hours in the oven.

If it has stuffing inside, add an additional 45-60 minutes of cooking time.

Spraying it with water is also unnecessary.

Every time you open the oven door to spray water on the turkey, you are slowing down the cooking process.

The liquid doesn't necessarily penetrate the skin, so it doesn't do much.

This year at Butterball University we grilled a turkey so everyone could become familiar with the grilling process.

That's another way to cook a turkey if you want to free up the oven or if your oven isn't available.

I have been roasting my turkey on a charcoal grill for two years and have had a fabulous turkey for Thanksgiving.

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CNN: Why should people cook their turkey to 160 degrees Celsius?

Wilcher:

We know we can safely cook it at 160 degrees Celsius.

Many recipes add extra steps, such as starting at a high temperature and then lowering it as part of the cooking process.

It's such a busy day with so much to do that it's often easy to forget to turn down the temperature.

Also, we don't recommend turning up the heat to speed up cooking time because it could dry out the breast meat.

CNN: How does someone know when the turkey is done?

Wilcher:

It's important to use a thermometer to measure your turkey's temperature instead of looking at it.

Half of the filling should be at 74 degrees Celsius;

the breast should be 76 degrees Celsius and the thigh area should be 82 degrees Celsius.

If you're confused because you don't know what the parts of a turkey are, Butterball has a diagram on the website of it.

CNN: Some people may be interested in frying their turkey for Thanksgiving.

What are some tips to stay safe?

Wilcher:

Make sure the turkey is completely thawed.

If you are using propane gas, make sure you are outdoors and in a well-ventilated area to protect yourself and others.

Before dipping the turkey, make sure you measure the correct amount of oil so it doesn't splash out when you add the bird.

One way to do this ahead of time is to measure with water first so you know how much oil you need to dip it into.

Fried turkeys cook much faster than a roast turkey, about three to four minutes per pound.

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CNN: After 10 years working as a specialist for the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, what are some of your favorite caller stories?

Wilcher:

I got a call a few years ago that someone was cleaning out his mom's freezer and found a frozen turkey.

It was easily 10-15 years old and they wanted to know if they could cook it.

Truth be told, it was probably fit to eat, but I guess after 15 years you might not want to share it.

One of my other favorite stories was about a gentleman whose wife had asked him to help her defrost a turkey using the water bath method.

She also knew that one of the things she had to do was bathe her children.

So she thought that she could do both at the same time.

Needless to say, we do not recommend it.

Lastly, there was a man who put his turkey out on the deck to thaw and discovered that a raccoon had nibbled a part of it.

Although Thanksgiving is an opportunity to share your dinner, I think you might not want to share it with a raccoon.

Thanksgiving Turkey