Greetings Dave,

Great question. There is n...

2008-11-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

Greetings Dave,

Great question. There is no doubt that stuffing baked inside a turkey has a great added flavor, but there are safety concerns. Whether you bake the stuffing alone or inside the bird, you must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The safety issue is people only take the temperature of the bird or rely on the little pop-up thingy. If the bird is at 165, I can guarantee that the stuffing is nowhere near that. The other problem is a quality issue. If you cook the stuffing to 165, the bird will be over-cooked and dry. What to do?

The simplest thing to do is use the gizzards as part of the stuffing to get the added turkey flavor. There is another option that is messy. Cook the bird half way. Prepare your stuffing, making sure you are at 165. Use a solid shortening measuring cup to insert the hot stuffing into the half cooked bird. The measuring cup has a large opening and acts like a plunger. Your stuffing will be at a safe temperature and the turkey will not be overcooked.

Good luck and have a great Thanksgiving.

Regis

Thanks for all of the great ideas and important sa...

2008-11-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all of the great ideas and important safty tips!

I was just wondering, I know you shouldn't cook a turkey with the trimmings and stuffing inside as is popular with most families, my own included. I was wonder what temperature I should bring the stuffing to after removing it from the bird if I should decide to cook it inside the turkey.

I believe it is 165, but I'm not sure. I know you can also cook it with the oven bag to avoid this extra cooking step, but I enjoy the flavour the turkey adds to the stuffing, so I don't mind re-baking.

Comments on Eat'n Park Blog: Keep Your Thanksgiving From Going Fowl

Greetings Dave,Great question. There is n...

Thanks for all of the great ideas and important sa...

Greetings Dave,

Great question. There is n...