Talking Turkey from Coast-to-Coast: Butterball Reveals Regional Thanksgiving Tips, Trends and RecipesSeptember 18, 2007

Naperville, Ill., (Sept. 18, 2007) — When it comes to Thanksgiving, Americans have a lot in common, but a new Butterball^® national survey found regional differences in the flavors, traditions and recipes they enjoy. For example, garlic and sage are among favorite seasonings for cooks in the Pacific region, with more than 50 percent using a combination of both to prepare their Thanksgiving turkeys.¹ However, South Central cooks prefer to experiment with unique seasonings more than any other region, using flavorful herbs and spices such as rosemary, paprika and cloves to prepare their Thanksgiving turkeys.²

“We get calls from Alaska to Florida about every conceivable turkey and meal preparation topic,” says Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line^® (1-800-BUTTERBALL). “Our top questions – about thawing and cook times – are the same across the country, but we also get many calls from people with great regional recipe ideas. One of my favorite ideas is to use local fruits and vegetables in stuffing and side dishes.”

Inspiration and insights for regional Thanksgiving celebrations

The following are tips to help families add local flair to their Thanksgiving celebrations:

• Northeastern Feasts — Many associate the Northeast with fresh seafood, stews and baked beans, but the region is also home to cranberries. In fact, 86 percent of New Englanders list cranberry sauce among the side dishes they are most likely to have at their Thanksgiving dinner.³ Use fresh cranberries in turkey glazes, chutneys and salads to honor one of North America’s native fruits.
• Best in the West — Fresh, earthy dishes are preferred in the West, where ingredients range from wild mushrooms and berries in the mountains to pineapple and fish from the Pacific. Add dried fruit, nuts and herbs to multigrain bread for a healthy, West Coast stuffing.
• From the Heartland — The Midwest, the “ nation’s breadbasket,” is known for classic dishes using potatoes, cheese, corn and grains. For a hearty holiday side dish, sauté seasonal Midwestern vegetables, top with herbs and grated cheese, and heat until gold and bubbly.
• South by Southwest — Cuisine of the South includes everything from decadent ingredients to spicy flavors. For instance, residents of Southern regions are more likely to eat rich pecan pie than any other region.⁴ In the Southwest spice is supreme; add flavor to leftovers by making zesty tacos with leftover turkey seasoned with chipotle, corn, pepper, and onion salsa.

Remember these turkey basics—they’re the same no matter where you are!

Despite the differences, all surveyed regions agreed on what they look forward to most about Thanksgiving — spending time with family (78 percent) and eating turkey (57 percent).⁵ Keep the following tips from the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts in mind as you prepare your Thanksgiving turkey:

• Serving Size — Allow 1½ pounds of turkey per person for generous servings and leftovers.
• Food Safety — Follow good home food safety procedures when handling turkey:
  • Wash hands often
  • Keep raw turkey and ready-to-eat foods separated
  • Refrigerate cooked turkey within two hours of carving to a temperature below 40ºF
• Meat Thermometer — Use a meat thermometer and cook turkey to proper temperature (180º F in the thigh and 165º F in the center of the stuffing).
• Thawing — For a frozen turkey, allow at least one day of thawing in the refrigerator for every four pounds of turkey. Fresh turkeys do not require any thawing.
• Preparation — Before roasting, turn the turkey’s wings back to hold the neck skin in place. This levels the turkey in the roasting pan to encourage even cooking and makes carving easier.
• Roasting — Butterball recommends the open-pan roasting method to consistently create a tender, juicy and golden-brown turkey. Americans agree — 62 percent of people reported they prepare their Thanksgiving turkey in an open pan.⁶ Use a shallow pan about 2 to 2½ inches deep and cook in a 325-degree conventional oven.

The home economists and experts at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line will be available starting Nov. 1, 2007, to answer all your Thanksgiving questions. Visit Butterball.com for great regional recipes, tips, how-to videos and turkey calculators. Holiday cooks can also subscribe to or download the second season of TurkeyTalk™ — the first podcast dedicated to holiday meal preparation–by visiting www.butterball.com/podcast. The four-episode series starts Nov. 1, 2007.

About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line

One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the original Turkey Talk-Line staff of six home economists fielded questions from 11,000 turkey-troubled Americans during its first season in November 1981. On Thanksgiving Day, the small group took hundreds of calls–with only a Rolodex™ of notes and their own knowledge to help them answer the nation’s questions. Today, professionally-trained home economists and nutritionists assist more than 100,000 callers each year in the United States and Canada during the holiday season. With 50+ staff members, the Turkey Talk-Line has the resources to answer questions from either English- or Spanish-speaking callers, as well as respond to questions via e-mail.

About Butterball

Butterball, LLC was formed in October 2006, when Carolina Turkeys acquired the Butterball brand from ConAgra Foods. The company is now the largest producer of turkey in the United States, with a variety of product lines distributed through its deli, retail, food service and international channels. Headquartered in Mt. Olive, NC, Butterball, LLC employs 5,700 associates throughout its six plant locations and corporate offices in Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois and North Carolina. For more information, please go to Butterball.com or www.CarolinaTurkeys.com.

^1-6 The Butterball regional survey was conducted to determine differences and similarities in Americans’ Thanksgiving celebrations. Fielded by Impulse Research in May 2007, the study surveyed 1,800 American adults (aged 20 and older) nationwide via the Internet. Survey findings have a +/- 3 percent margin of error.