Ahead of Thanksgiving, millennials were pranking their parents by asking them for instructions on how to cook a whole 25-pound turkey in the microwave.

Of course, having no faith in young people these days, many moms and dads fell for the #microwaceturkey dupe, and their priceless reactions were later shared on social media for all to see.

As someone who cooks turkey at least twice a year, I wouldn't even dare think about putting the big bird in the microwave. Not only would it take way too much time, but I feel like there's a higher chance of food poisoning that comes with this method.

The internet has been divided over this issue since the prank started trending last week, but the experts have finally weighed in. Their answer has actually surprised a lot of people.

Butterball, one of the leading turkey companies in North America, says that it is indeed possible to cook a turkey in the microwave, if you really need to.

The poultry company has given Today detailed step-by-step instructions on how to cook a turkey in the microwave, but they recommend that using a smaller bird.

The method is also surprisingly safe because it ensures that the bird's internal temperature reaches at least 185 degrees.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Thaw the turkey first. Never put a frozen turkey in the microwave!

2. Place the turkey breast side down on a microwave-safe dish or plate.

3. First, microwave it for 4 minutes per pound on full power (for example, 36 minutes for a 9-pound turkey) to get the cooking process started. After this initial cook time, the rest of the cooking needs to be on a lower power setting.

4. Remove the drippings and baste the partially-cooked turkey so it begins to get that golden-brown skin.

5. Flip the turkey over and cook it at 50 percent power for 8 minutes per pound (72 minutes total). Stop cooking every 18 minutes to check the turkey's temperature with a meat thermometer and baste it with the natural juices or a browning sauce.

6. When the turkey reaches a temperature of 180 to 185 degrees in the thigh and 170 to 175 degrees in the breast, it is ready and safe to eat.

7. Baste the turkey once more before serving.

Even if this trick works for you, there's a very high chance that it won't impress mom or grandma. They will probably still argue that cooking turkey using a more traditional method will yield better results, but at least you can brag about trying something different.

If you're still having trouble with your turkey, you can dial Butterball's official Turkey Talk Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL for help.

Happy Thanksgiving!