Butterball Hotline Offers Turkey Tips

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- What's the best way to cook that holiday bird?

The operators at the Butterball Turkey Talk Line are fielding those last-minute Thanksgiving dinner questions.

One operator, Chris Eilers, said there's a tried and true method: Use a shallow roasting pan with a flat rack and cover the turkey breast with some tin foil so it doesn't get too dry.

As for the stuffing, Eilers said it's best to cook it ahead of time and, while it's still warm, add it to the turkey. She said some people are surprised that it's OK to put warm stuffing into a raw turkey, but it is.

Butterball's hot line is (800) Butterball. You can also get tips on the company's Web site: Butterball.com. Reynolds also has a Turkey Tips hotline: (800) 745-4000.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has set up a cooking help line to answer common questions on how to safely prepare everything from the turkey to the stuffing and then storing the leftovers. Call the hotline at (800) 535-4555.