Butterball Introduced a Turkey That Will Save You So Much Time on Thanksgiving

overhead shot of the finished turkey in the baking pan
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Spencer Richards Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Spencer Richards

Thawing the turkey can be one of the most tedious parts of holiday preparations. First, it takes a long time to reach the right temperature. Second, it requires a lot of fridge space, which may be limited if you’re stocking up on ingredients for your festive meals.

To eliminate the need for this step, Butterball, a well-known poultry brand, has introduced a new product that will save you time in the kitchen or help you out if you forget to thaw your turkey.

You can now pick up the Butterball Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey at certain grocery stores across the nation. The nice part? All you have to do is unwrap the bird from the packaging and roast it.

Butterball’s new turkey doesn’t have to be basted, brined, or seasoned, but if the idea of not spicing up your bird freaks you out, the brand says you’re welcome to do so.

An instructional video on Butterball’s website demonstrates that you can brush it with oil and then cover it with salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, or “whatever flavor you’d like to add.” To impress your guests, you can prepare a citrus herb or a chili crisp rub. Then pop it in the oven and cook until the breast and thigh reach 170°F.

If you have doubts about whether it’s safe to cook a turkey straight from the freezer, the United States Department of Agriculture says it is completely fine as long as the package has a USDA or state inspection mark.

Home cooks are amped about this turkey innovation. One person commented on Butterball’s Instagram post, saying, “This looks like an answer to prayers sent to the Thanksgiving Gods!” While another user mentioned, “This is what I have been waiting for!”

Butterball’s Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey will begin to show up on shelves across the nation. The brand says you can pick one up at Walmart, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Publix, Kroger, and Kroger banner locations like Fred Meyer, Fry’s, and Ralph’s. 

Michelle Lieszkovszky, the head of innovation at Butterball, said in a press release that this new product launch is about eliminating stress in the kitchen during the holidays. “Cook from frozen allows hosts to focus on other aspects of the celebration, like enjoying time with loved ones.”

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