When is the Butterball turkey hotline open? What is it?

Once again it’s time to brine, season, stuff and cook an entire turkey for your Thanksgiving guests.

If you are a beginner and forgot how to do it, or if this is your first time cooking a turkey, don’t stress. Butterball operators have got you covered.

For decades, turkey products brand Butterball has been helping home cooks make turkey meals for their family and friends. Don’t cause an explosion, don’t serve raw turkey, or even worse, bland turkey.

Questions and problems about thawing, preparing or cooking turkeys and other last-minute Thanksgiving emergencies are the usual according to Butterball operators, and their most common question received is when and how to thaw a turkey.

Here’s how to chat with the turkey experts via social media, phone or texting.

How to reach Butterball’s turkey hotline. When is it open

To chat with a turkey expert, you can call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456. The hotline is open during the months of November and December. The line is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The weekend before Thanksgiving, the line is open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

You can also call the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get safety advice. Their Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), is open on weekdays including Thanksgiving Day.

What is brining a turkey? Is it necessary?

Brining is soaking the turkey in saltwater often with sugar, herbs and other ingredients for 12 to 24 hours. Brining enhances seasoning, and adds moisture to the meat.

Alternatively, people can opt for a dry brine, rubbing the seasoning directly on the turkey without the need of soaking it in water. Dry brining could take up to three days.

Brining is not necessary, but is generally preferred as it guarantees more flavor and better texture.

Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo.