The #1 Thing to Know Before You Try Butterball’s New Cook-From-Frozen Turkey
When we first heard about Butterball's new Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey, my fellow food-obsessed colleagues and I were skeptical. We've cooked hundreds of turkey recipes in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, and every single one starts with thawing your bird.
While we know cooking frozen poultry was possible, per the USDA, we didn't think it was preferable, especially for a holiday. An ice block of a bird probably won't roast quickly or evenly, let alone achieve the gold standard of crispy, bronzed skin. But there are benefits —
the biggest being time. "Roasting Butterball’s Cook from Frozen turkey makes it easy for holiday hosts to confidently serve the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece without the stress or mess, so they can spend more time with the ones they love and have more space in the refrigerator for other ingredients," says Michelle Lieszkovszky, Head of Innovation at Butterball.
Considering the potential pros of this cooking method, I decided to try the freezer-aisle freshman. What I discovered was surprising — and revelatory.
Preparing the turkey
The bird comes in a heavy-duty, handled plastic bag with roasting directions on the back. To release the bird from the inner wrapping in the bag, run it under cold water for a minute or two. The turkey came out of its packaging effortlessly, and I plopped it onto a wire rack set in a large roasting pan. The instructions say to brush or spray the turkey with oil. Rubbing olive oil on a turkey-shaped iceberg was definitely a new experience, and I worried the oil wouldn't stick. But it clung easily to the bird, and the result was a fully prepped turkey that gleamed like a newly minted coin.
Roasting the turkey
It cooks at 350°F, slightly cooler than the Test Kitchen's preferred temp of 375°F. At this point, I was confused by Butterball's directions for how long to cook the turkey. They say to roast the bird "until fully cooked," but don't provide a time range. The only time indicator reads, "After 4 hours, loosely tent the breast with foil to avoid overcooking." The back of the bag also claims that it takes 4–5 hours to cook. After considering the arctic state of the turkey, I figured I could start checking for doneness after 4 hours. That turned out to be a mistake.
After four hours, I removed the astonishingly bronzed bird from the oven and checked its temperature. It had reached an overcooked 180°F, 10 degrees higher than Butterball's suggested final temperature of 170°F. While I was bummed about the thermometer reading, I was hopeful about the taste because the bird looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting. It was evenly golden brown with crisp skin, an achievement I have worked much harder to get in previous birds. I let it rest for the instructed 20 minutes, then carved it. The breast meat was juicy; I imagine it would be even better if it wasn't overcooked. The brine probably keeps the bird moist even if you go a few degrees above the recommended temp.
My final thoughts
While the drumsticks were a little tough, the breast and thigh meat was tender and juicy. It certainly didn't look like a typical Thanksgiving turkey going into the oven, but it looked better than most birds on the way out. It wasn't the most flavorful bird I have ever tried, but its ease of cooking gives it a serious (turkey) leg up. Not only that, but it didn't even take that long to cook (avoid my mistake and start checking for doneness after 2 or 3 hours; 4 hours at 350°F overcooked mine).
I'd recommend this product if you prioritize simplicity and stress-free cooking above all else. Its frozen state abates any concerns about thawing, and its pre-brined treatment helps prevent dry meat. It can sit in your freezer until Thanksgiving morning and end up on the table, caramelized and carved, just a few hours later.
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