Does Butterball Turkey Have A Pop-Up Timer?

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, many home cooks start planning their holiday meals. A beautifully browned turkey is often the centerpiece of these feasts. To avoid undercooked poultry, some turkey brands include pop-up timers that are supposed to indicate when the bird is finished cooking. But does Butterball, the most popular turkey brand in the US, offer this feature? Let’s find out.

What Is A Pop-Up Timer?

A pop-up timer is a small plastic device inserted into the breast meat of a whole turkey or chicken. It contains a spring loaded indicator on the inside. The tip of the indicator has a nib made of specialized metal that melts at around 170-180°F.

As the turkey cooks, the metal nib gradually melts until the spring pops the indicator button up. This signals that the turkey has reached the ideal minimum internal temperature for safe consumption.

The appeal of the pop-up timer is that it takes the guesswork out of determining doneness. Instead of poking the turkey with a meat thermometer multiple times, you simply wait for the timer to pop.

Problems With Pop-Up Timers

While pop-up timers seem like a great idea in theory most experts agree they aren’t very reliable

• The metal nib melts at too high of a temperature. Poultry breasts are ideally cooked to 165°F. By the time the timer pops at 170-180°F, the breast meat is likely overcooked and dry.

• The indicators can trigger too early or fail to pop up at all. Many timers aren’t well calibrated and can pop prematurely. Or they simply fail to work properly.

• People rely too heavily on the timers alone without also using a meat thermometer to verify final temperature.

• The timers don’t indicate the temperature in different parts of the turkey. The breast, thighs, and stuffing may all be at different temperatures.

For these reasons, most culinary professionals recommend using an instant read thermometer instead of depending solely on a pop-up timer.

Why Butterball Turkeys Don’t Have Pop-Up Timers

Butterball is the top selling turkey brand in America. Their fresh and frozen whole turkeys comprise about 50-60% of US turkey sales.

For many years, Butterball turkeys did include pop-up timers. But consumer complaints rolled in about the timers providing false readings or failing to pop up at all.

After repeated issues, Butterball decided to stop using the pop-up timers in their turkeys. Their official position now is that the timers are not a reliable indicator of doneness.

How To Tell When A Butterball Turkey Is Done

Since Butterball turkeys don’t have pop-up timers, how do you know when your turkey is cooked to perfection? Here are some tips:

Use an instant read meat thermometer – This is by far the most accurate way to determine doneness. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the thigh without hitting bone. Thighs are done at 165°F. The breast should reach 160°F. If you stuffed your turkey, the center of the stuffing must hit 165°F.

Follow recommended cook times – Whole turkeys normally require about 13-15 minutes per pound at 325°F, Butterball provides cooking time guidelines for turkeys of all sizes,

Check for visual signs – A cooked turkey will be deeply golden brown on the outside. The juices will run clear when you pierce the turkey, rather than pink. The thighs will wiggle easily.

Let it rest – Be sure to let the turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving. The temperature will continue rising about 5-10 degrees during this time.

Answers To Other Pop-Up Timer Questions

Here are some other common questions people have about turkey pop-up timers:

Can you reuse a pop-up timer?

Yes, by dipping the nib in hot water to melt and reset the indicator. But reused timers tend to be even less accurate.

Should you remove the timer if not using it?

No need – you can leave it in. It’s harmless to cook with the timer still inserted.

Do the timers affect turkey taste?

Not at all. The timers pose no risks to turkey flavor or food safety.

Can you still use the timer for grilled or smoked turkey?

The pop-up timers are designed to withstand normal oven temperatures. However, the timer doesn’t account for part to part differences on a grill or smoker.

Do the timers work for turkey breasts and other cuts?

Whole turkeys are the only cuts that contain pop-up timers. Turkey breasts, drumsticks, etc won’t have them.

Can you buy a Butterball turkey with a timer?

Possibly from third party retailers, but Butterball themselves no longer package turkeys with timers.

What should I do if the timer pops early or doesn’t pop?

Disregard the timer and keep cooking until the thermometer indicates the turkey is fully cooked.

The Takeaway

Butterball made the wise decision to stop including unreliable pop-up timers with their turkeys. Using an instant read thermometer remains the best and safest way to determine turkey doneness. For beautifully cooked, moist turkey on your holiday table, trust your thermometer – not the timer!