Your turkey’s pop-up timer is lying to you — here’s what to trust instead

“It’s an 800-number. The phones are staffed by experts.”

Fans of “The West Wing” may recall the scene in which President Jed Bartlet is surprised to learn there is a hotline for turkey preparation questions. Decades later, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line has evolved into more than a phone help line.

Andrea Balitewicz, supervisor of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, shared some of the most common questions her team gets around Thanksgiving.

One involves the debate between brining a turkey or salting it.

“Butterball turkeys are already deep-basted with a light salt solution, so it’s not necessary,” she said. “All you need to do is unwrap it, place it on a rack in your roasting pan and roast it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you do want to brine, reduce the salt so your gravy and turkey