A Complete Guide to Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey

As a busy home cook, I love having delicious, hassle-free meal solutions ready to go for my family. That’s why Butterball fully cooked turkey has become a staple in my kitchen, especially around the holidays. Their oven-roasted turkey breast is already cooked to juicy perfection, saving you time and effort. If you’re looking for an easy turkey option with gourmet flavor, let me walk you through everything you need to know about Butterball’s convenient fully cooked turkey line.

Butterball is one of the most trusted names in turkey, with decades of experience and culinary expertise under their belt Their line of fully cooked turkey products includes

• Whole seasoned roasted turkey: Available in a range of sizes from 8 to 24 lbs. Perfect for holiday meals or feeding a crowd.

• Turkey breast roast Skin-on bone-in turkey breast seasoned and oven roasted Available boneless or with bone

• Turkey breast tenderloins Juicy boneless cuts of seasoned turkey breast.

Butterball roasts their turkeys slowly to retain maximum moisture and flavor. The fully cooked turkey simply needs to be thawed and heated through before serving. It’s an easy shortcut to juicy, delicious turkey entrées with minimal time and effort required on your part.

Benefits of Choosing Fully Cooked Turkey

Here are some of the top advantages of using Butterball’s pre-cooked turkey rather than purchasing raw:

• Convenience: Fully cooked turkey is ready after simply thawing and warming. Much less hands-on time compared to roasting a raw turkey yourself.

• Consistent quality: Butterball experts handle seasoning, cooking, and quality control so you get perfect turkey every time.

• Built-in flavor: Turkey is pre-seasoned and roasted to perfection so all the flavor is already there.

• Fewer germs: Since it’s pre-cooked, you avoid potential bacteria associated with raw poultry.

• Portion flexibility: Get just the right size fully cooked turkey for your gathering, whether intimate or large.

• Easy leftovers: Slices of fully cooked turkey make assembling quick sandwiches and meals a snap.

How to Store Fully Cooked Turkey Correctly

To enjoy the convenience of ready-made turkey, it’s important to store it properly:

• Keep turkey in original packaging until ready to use.

• Leave frozen until you’re ready to thaw and heat it.

• Thaw in the refrigerator 1-2 days before heating depending on size.

• Once thawed, use within 3 days.

• Store thawed turkey in the fridge. Do not leave at room temp more than 2 hours.

• Wrap leftover cooked turkey tightly and refrigerate within 2 hours of serving.

• Use leftover turkey within 3 days for maximum freshness and food safety.

Thawing Fully Cooked Turkey the Right Way

For best flavor and texture, you’ll want to thaw Butterball’s fully cooked turkey in the refrigerator. Here is a guideline for thawing times based on turkey size:

• Turkey breast (1-3 lbs): 24 hours

• Small turkey (4-12 lbs): 1 to 2 days

• Medium turkey (12-16 lbs): 2 to 3 days

• Large turkey (18-24 lbs): 3 to 4 days

Be sure to place the frozen turkey on a tray or in a pan to catch any drips as it thaws. Keep thawed turkey refrigerated until you are ready to heat it.

Do not thaw turkey at room temperature or in hot water, which allows bacteria to grow. Refrigerator thawing is slow but safest.

Tips for Heating Fully Cooked Turkey

Butterball provides oven heating instructions on their turkey packaging. Here are some extra tips:

• Heat at 325°F to ensure even warming without drying out.

• Use a meat thermometer to check doneness; turkey should reach 165°F.

• Tent loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.

• For crisper skin, unwrap and bake at 350°F once fully heated through.

• Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing for juicier meat.

• Slice turkey across the grain for tenderest texture.

• Add pan drippings or turkey gravy for extra moisture.

Common Ways to Enjoy Fully Cooked Turkey

Butterball’s ready-made turkey offers incredible versatility. Here are some of my favorite quick meals:

• Turkey sandwiches – Delicious hot or cold using leftover sliced turkey.

• Turkey tacos – Dice turkey and add to tortillas with cheese, lettuce, salsa.

• Turkey casseroles – Combine turkey with veggies, cheese, rice or pasta.

• Turkey salad – Toss diced turkey with mayo, celery, onion for an easy salad.

• Turkey soup – Simmer turkey pieces in broth with veggies and pasta.

• Turkey pizza – Top pizza crust with turkey, cheese, mushrooms, red sauce.

• Turkey wraps – Stuff tortillas with turkey, sauce, veggies for an easy handheld meal.

The options are endless for using fully cooked Butterball turkey breast or whole turkey in everyday meals.

Why Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey Is My Go-To

As a busy home cook, I greatly appreciate having delicious Butterball turkey ready to heat and serve anytime. Their fully cooked options offer convenience without sacrificing quality, taste or food safety. The flavorful seasoned turkey requires minimal preparation so I can get dinner on the table quickly. Leftovers are easy to use in recipes too. For easy holiday meals, potlucks, or quick protein any night of the week, you can’t go wrong with Butterball’s oven-roasted turkey perfection in a time-saving fully cooked form.