Butterball Canada Makes it Easy

Making a Cooking Whiz from a Kitchen Turkey!

Last updated on January 24th, 2021 at 12:10 am

Last Updated: January 23, 2021


When Butterball decided they liked my last post enough to order a second helping (please expect many turkey and Thanksgiving puns from here), I was up for pretty much anything! The last time we’d danced, I wound up hanging with Team Andretti as we watched all manner of vehicle drive ludicrously fast down by Exhibition place. As a parent, husband and homeowner, it can be tough to find the time for hitting events, but when they’re cool enough, you make time.

Which is to say that a courier caught me by surprise when he arrived at my door with a 6-kilo turkey in hand!

#ButterBallMakesItEasy—Can Butterball Canada Turn Casey From a Kitchen Turkey to a Cooking Whiz—Butterball Stuffed Turkey in its Packaging

So, context. In the nearly 8 years we’ve been together, Sarah and I have tried to cook a turkey but once, so put off by the disastrous result that we never tried again. An undercooked bird, a handful of tantrums and a hazy period of spiteful vegetarianism later, it’s a task I ignored, thinking I wouldn’t need to do it until either set of parents decided they didn’t want to host family dinners anymore*.

But a big part of holidays is family, and now with one of my own, it’d probably be for the best if I learned a thing or two about putting a holiday spread together. I mean, it’s the least I could do for the people who’ve put up with me this long, right?

#ButterBallMakesItEasy—Can Butterball Canada Turn Casey From a Kitchen Turkey to a Cooking Whiz—Butterball Turkey Calculator

So Butterball Stuffed Turkey in hand, I started following the directions online and the handy Turkey Calculator to get this turkey cooking! I mean, it’s as easy as this:


Butterball Canada Turkey Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C.
  • Before removing the bag, place the turkey under warm running water for one minute.
  • Remove the bag.
  • Remove the neck and giblets from the underside of the turkey.
  • Place the frozen turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
  • Brush the skin with vegetable oil to prevent drying.
  • Shield the neck area and exposed stuffing with foil to prevent overcooking.
  • Roast according to the time listed on the roasting chart.
  • Loosely cover with foil after 5 hours to ensure even cooking throughout.
  • Check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
  • Consider the turkey done when the thigh temperature is 180°F/82°C and the centre of the stuffing is 165°F/74°C.

I found it interesting that the turkey lifter was included in the bag, a string and plastic contraption that you’d think would melt with the heat of the oven, but is surprisingly 100% oven-safe!

Bird out of the bag, neck and giblets removed, skin brushed with vegetable oil, and the neck cavity and exposed stuffing covered with aluminum foil to protect them from overcooking, it was time to set it and forget it, heading into the world of household chores, parenting and swimming lessons awaiting me elsewhere!

The Verdict — CAN Casey Cook???

So as Murphy’s Law would have it, despite how easy the Butterball Stuffed Turkey is to prepare, I still found a way to mess it up, but nothing some additional time in the oven wouldn’t fix! There was plenty to go around, including enough for turkey pot pie, turkey stock, and other dishes that’ll last us a while!

But what went wrong? I followed the instructions to the tee… or so I thought!

Here’s some advice—when preparing food, always follow the instructions on the package. Sarah found a crucial step I’d managed to overlook — turkeys prepared in a shiny pan will take longer to cook.

#ButterBallMakesItEasy—Can Butterball Canada Turn Casey From a Kitchen Turkey to a Cooking Whiz—Turkey Pot Pie
We got a delicious turkey pot pie out of it, so #winning… right?

The Butterball Canada website is full of great tools. Still, I guess I can’t expect to become an expert turkey chef overnight, preparing gobblers for even the most trying family get-togethers in my future.

I should’ve called the Butterball Turkey Talk Line to help me fix this, but all’s well that ends well!

So yes—Butterball’s Stuffed Turkey is definitely an easy way to get a deliciously juicy bird for your festive needs, without the fuss and muss of your standard holiday offerings, but make sure you read everything—and I mean everything that comes with it! You want to get it as right as you can so your guests leave every meal with rave reviews!

Don’t Be a Jive Turkey—Do Your Thanksgiving RIGHT!

So would I try the Butterball Stuffed Turkey again if given a chance?

Absolutely.

It really is a straightforward way to tackle a cooking chore that’s usually laborious and time-consuming—you need to recognize that with the wide spectrum of ovens, turkey sizes and roasting pans available, like with any cooking, you’ll need to learn to adjust accordingly to your situation.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and apparently, neither are gourmet chefs.

As for me, I’m going to leave Thanksgiving to the experts and let my parents show me how you really throw down for a family get-together!

But if some Butterball Stuffed Turkeys make their way there, well… I don’t think anyone will complain!

May Butterball help you drop complicated Thanksgivings cold turkey,

The second logo for Casey Palmer, Canadian Dad

*Note: It may happen sooner than later, to be honest—my Mom’s insinuated that either of her daughters-in-law can take up the mantle and host… but neither’s in a rush to take up her offer. ????

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: While compensated for this post, honesty’s always my best policy, and this turkey would’ve been amazing were my pan not so shiny! But don’t let that deter you — Butterball’s a brand I’m standing behind, with turkey that’ll take you from zero to hero with even the peskiest palates!

For more information on Butterball Canada and the magic they can make in your kitchen, you can visit their website or their social media offerings on Facebook and Twitter!

And I’m sure I’ll get in the kitchen again and try my hand at turkey—I mean, I can’t be horrible at it forever, right? Until then, you can still find me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

By Casey E. Palmer

Husband. Father. Storyteller.

Calling the Great White North his home, Casey Palmer the Canadian Dad spend his free time in pursuit of the greatest content possible.

Thousand-word blog posts? Snapshots from life? Sketches and podcasts and more—he's more than just a dad blogger; he's working to change what's expected of the parenting creators of the world.

It's about so much more than just our kids.

When Casey's not creating, he's busy parenting, adventuring, trying to be a good husband and making the most of his life!

Casey lives in Toronto, Ontario.

11 replies on “Butterball Canada Makes it Easy”

Thanks, Maggie 🙂 It’s something so few people know! Even my mother-in-law — who’s totally won cooking and baking competitions — didn’t know that, so I figured why not talk about it?

Always appreciate the comments! Have a great one 😀

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