GARNER, N.C. — Butterball, the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. and an authority on all things Thanksgiving, is excited to introduce the launch of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Taste Kitchen, designed to inspire hosts to cook with confidence this Thanksgiving. After assisting an influx of first-time hosts in 2020, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Taste Kitchen was developed to help hosts of all levels find the inspiration they need to pull off a successful Thanksgiving while giving them new vision for their menus. Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line experts have been busy testing the latest cooking trends, and this holiday season they’re taking to TikTok to share their favorites.
According to a recent survey conducted on behalf of Butterball, 83% of respondents said social media is a great place to get menu inspiration or recipes for Thanksgiving, and 73% have cooked or prepared food or a meal based on a viral food trend from a social media platform 1. This year, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Taste Kitchen will build on decades of innovation to inspire novice and experienced hosts to try something new this Thanksgiving—offering the Butterball seal of approval to dishes worth cooking this holiday season.
“While home cooks are excited for the holiday, more than a third of novice Thanksgiving hosts reported lacking the confidence in their hosting abilities2,” said Rebecca Welch, senior brand manager, seasonal business at Butterball. “Through the Butterball Taste Kitchen, our Talk-Line experts are able to engage with this new generation of hosts on social media and inspire them to try something fresh and exciting, while giving them the confidence they need to be successful. That way, they can spend less time worrying about cooking and more time enjoying the special moments of the holiday.”
Each recipe tested in the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Taste Kitchen was inspired by popular food trends sweeping across social media. From waffling and air frying to adding kicks of spicy or zesty flavors through brines and rubs, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts evaluated the trends—and will continue to do so throughout the holiday season—to bring home cooks the best options, all with the Butterball seal of approval.
Recipes, as well as tried-and-true tips and tricks, can be found on Butterball.com and will be shared via video tutorials on social media, including for the first time TikTok, throughout the season. In fact, 56% of respondents have incorporated a food trend from TikTok into their cooking1. The recipes, available on the website now, include:
- Stuffing Waffle Sandwich: A creative take on leftovers, this customizable sandwich combines everything you love about Thanksgiving dinner and surrounds it in a perfectly crafted waffle made from stuffing.
- Thanksgiving Roll-Ups: Perfect for a Friendsgiving dish or Thanksgiving appetizer, this roll-up easily wraps flavors such as cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts into a seasoned turkey breast to create a delicious and crispy air-fried bite.
- Pickle Brined Turkey: A made-from-scratch quick and simple dill pickle brine that results in a juicy and zesty turkey with unbeatable flavor.
- Spicy Dry Brined Turkey: This dry brine combines seasonings such as chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika to turn up the heat this Thanksgiving and give any spicy-lovers’ turkey a tasty kick.
Testing recipes and trends has always been core to the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, from microwaving in the ’80s to deep frying in the 2000s, the experts are always seeking ways to help hosts feel confident in the kitchen.
“It’s been incredible to see the Turkey Talk-Line continue to reimagine ways to help hosts create a delicious Thanksgiving meal, with a turkey at the center, just like we always have,” said Nicole Johnson, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. “This year our experts have had so much fun trying the latest cooking trends taking over social media to determine which ones would receive the Butterball seal of approval, and we’re thrilled to see people create and customize these recipes on their own.”
Visit Butterball.com to view the recipes and follow Butterball on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to keep up with Taste Kitchen content leading up to Thanksgiving. The Turkey Talk-Line officially opens for the 2021 holiday season on Monday, November 1 for even more help and inspiration on how to customize Taste Kitchen-inspired recipes.
Survey
Methodology:
1 Eureka Ranch Custom Online Survey, N=210 likely hosts for Thanksgiving 2021, Nationally Representative, Sept 2021
2Butterball commissioned an omnibus online survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,005 U.S. adults. The survey was fielded by Ipsos between September 9-10, 2021.
About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the Turkey Talk-Line has helped almost 50 million consumers since its first season in November 1981. Each November and December, professionally trained turkey experts assist more than 4 million cooks through the Turkey Talk-Line, Butterball.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Butterball Skill for Alexa, live chat and emails in the United States and Canada. With more than 50 staff members, the Turkey Talk-Line has the resources to answer questions from both English- and Spanish-speaking callers and respond to questions via email.
About Butterball
Headquartered in Garner, N.C., Butterball is the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. – producing more than 1 billion pounds of turkey each year. For more than 65 years, the company has provided food service and retail products to customers and consumers around the world. As an industry leader in quality, food safety and animal well-being, the company employs numerous processes to ensure the health of flocks and implements recognized prevention measures to exceed food safety standards. Butterball products are currently distributed throughout the U.S. and in more than 45 countries. Butterball operates seven processing plants located in North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri.
For consumer questions or information, please visit Butterball.com or call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372).
