Years ago it was unheard of NOT to stuff your turkey. These days, things have changed because of growing awareness for food-borne illnesses and their risks. The good news is that there’s a way to safely stuff your turkey. Read on for our safety tips, step-by-step how to and tips.
Place the prepared stuffing in the whole turkey just before roasting. Stuffing the night before could cause food-borne illness. Stuff both the neck and body cavities of a completely thawed turkey, allowing ½ to ¾ cup of stuffing per pound. Don’t pack stuffing too tightly, as it may cause uneven cooking.
Should I stuff my turkey?
Stuffing cooked inside the turkey cavities is delicious, but it does slow down the cooking time and could be a potential health hazard if done incorrectly. For perfect no-worry results, opt for “dressing” instead – stuffing cooked alongside the bird instead of inside. Try making Cornbread Dressing with Pancetta, Apples, and Mushrooms.
How to Stuff a Turkey, Step-By-Step:
If you’re using raw meat, poultry or shellfish to make your stuffing, cook those first, add them to your stuffing mix and then immediately stuff your bird. If you’re preparing the stuffing ahead of time, cool it immediately and placed it in shallow containers in the refrigerator. Pre-cooked and cooled stuffing should not be used for the turkey — eat this separately.
How to Stuff a Turkey – Martha Stewart
FAQ
What end do you stuff a turkey with stuffing?
Should stuffing be cooked before stuffing turkey?
How do you put stuffing in a Turkey?
Spoon your stuffing into the neck cavity. Pack it very loosely, then pull the skin over the stuffing and pin to the turkey’s back using a metal skewer. Spoon your stuffing into the body cavity, loosely.
How do you keep turkey stuffing from falling out?
Thread a bamboo or metal meat skewer ($4, Target) through the neck skin to seal the cavity closed. This keeps the turkey stuffing from falling out of the bird as you handle it. Next, stuff the main cavity of the turkey, but stuff loosely so the stuffing will have room to expand as the bird roasts.
How do you stuff a Turkey for Thanksgiving?
If you’re stuffing the turkey, start with the neck cavity—it makes the next steps easier. You can make the stuffing ahead of time, or whip up an easy stuffing recipe on Thanksgiving morning. Thread a bamboo or metal meat skewer ($4, Target) through the neck skin to seal the cavity closed.
How much stuffing do you put in a thawed Turkey?
Stuff both the neck and body cavities of a completely thawed turkey, allowing ½ to ¾ cup of stuffing per pound. Don’t pack stuffing too tightly, as it may cause uneven cooking. When preparing a whole turkey for the oven, return the legs to the original tucked position if they were untucked for stuffing.