Hot Line Experts Await Your Holiday Bird Calls

Grappling with a recalcitrant turkey? Cranky cranberries? Persnickety pies? Hot lines and Web sites offer answers to cooking and food-safety questions during the holidays. Here are a few:

Butterball Turkey: 1-800-288-8372 or butterball.com. Home economists and nutritionists answer questions in English and Spanish. Phone hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays from Friday through Dec. 21.

Check the Web site for Christmas hours; automated assistance is available after hours. Butterball has added TurkeyTalk, a series of episodes on turkey know-how, preparation advice and more. For a schedule, click on "Holiday Guide" on the Web site.

Crisco Pie: 1-877-367-7438. Baking experts answer questions about pie-making from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 21 (closed Thanksgiving and Dec. 24 and 25). Recorded information is available 24 hours daily. Recipe ideas available crisco.com.

Perdue: 1-800-473-7383 or perdue.com. Phone representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products. Regular hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Holiday hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thanksgiving. Closed Friday and Dec. 25.

Reynolds Turkey Tips: 1-800-745-4000. A year-round 24-hour automated hot line offers advice on turkey preparation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854 or www .fsis.usda.gov. Food-safety specialists answer calls about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays year-round except Thanksgiving, when hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Web site has a 24-hour automated response system.

Thawing Times

You can thaw the bird in the refrigerator if you have time, or speed things up by submerging it in cold water that you change every 30 minutes, the USDA says. Do not thaw the turkey on the counter at room temperature. If thawing in the fridge, place the turkey on a tray or pan to contain any liquid that may drip.

Here are recommended thawing times, based on bird weight:

In the refrigerator (about 24 hours per 4 pounds):

Pounds Time8 to 12 2 to 3 days12 to 16 3 to 4 days16 to 20 4 to 5 days20 to 24 5 to 6 days In cold water (about 30 minutes per pound)

Pounds Time8 to 12 4 to 6 hours12 to 16 6 to 8 hours16 to 20 8 to 10 hours20 to 24 10 to 12 hours Roasting Times

Because today's standard turkey is younger and more tender than in the past, it cooks more quickly. Use these up-to-date USDA recommended times instead of those found in older cookbooks and references. Cook at 325 degrees.

A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees as measured with a food thermometer, according to the USDA. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If cooking stuffing inside the bird, make sure the center of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees.

Even if your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, the USDA recommends checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer.

Here are recommended cooking times based on raw weight.

Weight Unstuffed Stuffed (pounds) (hours) (hours) 8 to 12 2 3/4-3 3-3 1/2 12 to 14 3-3 3/4 3 1/2 -414 to 18 3 3/4-4 1/4 4-4 1/4 18 to 20 4 1/4-4 1/24 1/4-4 3/420 to 24 4 1/2-5 4 3/4-5 1/4