Tackle the Thanksgiving Turkey With These Expert Cooking Tips From Butterball!

Remember when DJ and Stephanie Tanner accidentally forgot the essential "thawing" the turkey step on while cooking Thanksgiving dinner for their dad on Full House? Michelle doesn't have the right to call this cooking mishap "rude"—it happens to the best of us.

As Thanksgiving dinner draws near, the thought of a half-frozen bird may haunt your dreams. Talk about turkey coma! Shut down the nightmares by prepping your "chef self" with these genius turkey cooking tips from Butterball's first Male Turkey Talk Line expert, RJ Jaramillo!

Get Your Cooking Essentials In Order

"When getting ready to prepare your turkey, make sure you have a shallow roasting pan, a meat thermometer, Reynolds Wrap, and a good carving set. Once you get your turkey tool-set ready, you’ll be ready to prepare the turkey."

Photos: Chic and Comfy Sweats to Rock While Digging In on Thanksgiving 

The Real Deal Behind Thawing Out the Bird

"People don’t realize that it takes about one day in the fridge for every four pounds of turkey. We get a lot of last-minute calls from cooks who haven’t thawed their turkey yet, but we have a solution for that! You can also thaw your turkey, breast side down in the sink or a large container of cold tap water. Allow 30 minutes per pound for whole turkeys, and be sure to change the water frequently to keep the turkey cold."

Set Your Stuffing's Temperature

"If you are going to stuff your turkey, make sure that the stuffing reaches 165 F. in the center—that’s when you know it is done."

A Simple Way to Check If Your Turkey Is Actually Cooked

"We recommend using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The turkey should reach 180 F. in the thigh and 170 F. in the breast when it is done. And if you stuffed your turkey, it’s 165 F. in the center of the stuffing."

OK! News: 10 Seasonal Cocktails to Add to the Thanksgiving Day Table 

Just Breathe!

"Preparing the turkey can be a daunting task, but if you have your turkey toolset ready and follow the instructions, it’s easy! And, we’re always available to help at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line if any questions come up during the cooking process. You can contact us via Facebook, Twitter, Butterball.com, and 1-800-BUTTERBALL (800-288-8372)"

Are you cooking this year's Thanksgiving turkey? Will you utilize these tips? Tweet @OKMagazine and leave a comment below.