Every Thanksgiving, the federal government, state and local health officials, magazine editors and newspaper food writers warn of the dangers in cooking stuffing inside the turkey.
And every Thanksgiving, millions of Americans politely tell them to get stuffed.
An empty turkey may be safer and juicier but a stuffed turkey all bronzed and plump completes that Norman Rockwell picture we all have of the holiday. A stuffed turkey is like a hot dog with mustard, nachos with salsa or a blini topped with caviar. It’s complete.
And, besides, the stuffing tastes fabulous out of the bird.
“The stuffing in the casserole is like, whatever,” said Lisa Futterman, cooking school director at The Chopping Block in Chicago, dismissing it. “The stuffing in the bird tastes like Thanksgiving.”
But a stuffed bird poses a potential danger. Just think about it.
For food-borne pathogens, a turkey’s cavity is like a trip to a five-star resort. It’s time to party. The problem is, you have to foot the “hangover.” Food-related illness can put you in bed, or in the hospital, or even in a pine box. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne disease occur every year from all causes, with some 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths.
“Certainly, it’s safer not to stuff,” said Bessie Berry, manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline.
If you do stuff, Berry recommends taking the following steps. Don’t mix wet and dry stuffing ingredients until right before you plan to stuff the turkey’s cavity, she said.
“Don’t mix it the night before and let it rest in the refrigerator,” Berry said.
The stuffing should be moist, not dry, because heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment, according to the hot line’s Web site.
Berry said the turkey should be stuffed loosely and cooked immediately. Crucial to cooking the stuffing inside the bird is using a thermometer to make sure the turkey and the stuffing reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees, enough to kill any pathogens.
“If there’s no thermometer, don’t stuff,” Berry said flatly.
When the turkey is done, let it stand 20 minutes for the juices to set. Then remove all the stuffing from the turkey. Refrigerate leftover stuffing in shallow containers.
Holiday effort
Sounds like a lot of precautions and a lot of work, yet people will do it for a stuffed bird.
“I think it’s regional, cultural, traditional,” Berry said. “It’s something that has been passed on for generations.”
Though Berry suspects more Americans stuff their turkey than don’t, the National Turkey Federation, an industry group, got a 50-50 split on responses when it asked the question last year.
And some, like Sherrie Rosenblatt, the federation’s director of public relations, will cook some of the stuffing in the bird and cook the rest in a casserole dish to accommodate personal preference.
What turns on devotees of the stuffed bird is the taste and texture of the stuffing.
Chef Michael Kornick of mk restaurant thinks cooking the stuffing or dressing separately has great advantages, especially in shortening the turkey’s cooking time, but he concedes there’s a “real flavor enhancement” when that stuffing comes into contact with the bird’s juices.
Kornick will buy a couple of extra turkey necks be-fore the holiday, roast them and then infuse an unsalted chicken stock with them. He’ll moisten the stuffing with this flavored stock while it’s cooking.
Chef Michael Taus of Zealous likes to take the turkey’s neck flap and spread it over the top of his casserole dish. He’ll baste it with butter while the stuffing cooks below and remove the skin about 15 minutes before the stuffing is done to crisp the top.
Rick Bayless, owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, calls for using a good turkey stock to baste the stuffing casserole while it cooks. The stuffing gets nicely crusty, he added.
“I’ve never been a fan of the stuffed turkey,” Bayless said. “I think it cooks better without stuffing. The turkey cooks evenly and without overcooking the skin.”
Timing is everything
For The Chopping Block’s Futterman, cooking a turkey unstuffed is more a matter of timing than health issues. The bird simply cooks quicker and that’s what students want, she said.
Futterman believes improper thawing of a turkey poses more risk than stuffing the bird. Her students are surprised when she tells them a large turkey needs four to five days in the refrigerator to thaw completely and safely.
She stuffs her bird for the holiday and recommends taking the stuffing’s temperature to make sure it’s hot enough to eat safely. Futterman thinks the breast meat doesn’t dry out as much and loves the flavor the bird gives to the stuffing.
Taus agreed.
“I just love the fat coming off the bird,” he said. “I’m a big stuffing-the-turkey fan. You just have to be smart.”
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Stuffing a whole turkey
The recipes on this page give directions for cooking in a casserole, but any of these stuffings may be used inside a 10- to 12-pound turkey. Here are tips for doing so:
– Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before stuffing.
– Prepare the stuffing just before placing the turkey in the oven. Do not stuff the turkey the night before.
– Stuff the turkey’s neck and body cavities loosely. The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line suggests counting on 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Don’t worry about extra stuffing; it can be baked in a buttered casserole dish.
– No matter the stuffing recipe used, roast the turkey until the stuffing’s temperature reaches at least 165 degrees. Use a thermometer to be sure; health officials say you shouldn’t stuff the turkey unless you have an instant-read or oven-ready thermometer on hand.
– Let the cooked turkey stand 20 minutes to allow the juices to be redistributed and then remove all of the stuffing to a serving bowl.
— Bill Daley
Roasted chestnut and fig stuffing
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
This recipe from chef Kristine Subido of Wave restaurant can be made with fresh chestnuts, available in supermarket produce sections during the holidays, or with canned chestnut pieces. The chestnuts infuse this stuffing with flavor and emphasize the stuffing’s chunky texture.
1 loaf (1 pound) multi-grain bread, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 celery root, peeled, diced
1/2 pound fresh chestnuts roasted, peeled, see note, or 1 can (10 ounces) peeled chestnut pieces
1/2 pound dried mission figs, soaked in warm water, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pint whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread in single layer on baking pan. Bake until dried, about 15 minutes; set aside. Increase heat to 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and celery root; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; add chestnuts, figs, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dried bread; set aside.
3. Whisk together the cream and egg yolks in a medium bowl; stir into the bread mixture. Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Bake until brown and crisp on top, about 40 minutes.
Note: To roast chestnuts, pierce shell once or twice with a knife; place on a shallow roasting pan in single layer. Roast until shell pulls away from the nut, about 35 minutes. Cool 30 minutes; remove shell.
Nutrition information per serving:
469 calories, 51% of calories from fat, 27 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 147 mg cholesterol, 51 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 307 mg sodium, 5 g fiber
Corn bread and sausage stuffing
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
This recipe from Shelley Young of The Chopping Block in Chicago calls for corn bread, which can be baked a day or two in advance.
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage or herbes de Provence
8 ounces ground pork sausage
8 slices white day-old bread, cubed
1 8-inch square day-old corn bread, crumbled
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth, if necessary
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat; add celery, onion and sage. Cook, stir-ring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add sausage to the skillet; cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until meat browns. Add to bowl with the breads; toss thoroughly, adding some of the broth if necessary to make it hold together lightly. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Bake until heated through and brown on top, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
397 calories, 47% of calories from fat, 21 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 72 mg cholesterol, 44 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 986 mg sodium, 2.6 g fiber
Wild mushroom stuffing
Soaking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: 16 servings
This flavorful mushroom stuffing is adapted from a recipe by Heather Terhune of Atwood Cafe.
2 cups hot water
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 loaf (1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds) egg bread such as challah, cubed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 shallots, chopped
3 leeks, white and pale green parts chopped
1 1/4 pounds crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
5 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Combine hot water and porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl; let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain; reserve the soaking liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms dry; chop coarsely.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 325 degrees. Place bread cubes in a large bowl; set aside. Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add shallots, leeks, crimini and shiitake mushrooms. Cook until golden, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add celery and reserved porcini mushrooms; cook 5 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to reserved bread cubes. Mix in the parsley, thyme and sage. Stir in the milk and reserved porcini soaking liquid. Season with celery salt and pepper.
4. Transfer mixture to a 13-by-9-inch buttered baking dish. Bake, covered with foil, until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; bake until top crisps, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
209 calories, 31% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 3.6 g saturated fat, 34 mg cholesterol, 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 277 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Apple and prune stuffing
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 10 servings
Chef Michael Kornick of mk in Chicago developed this autumnal-looking stuffing, which is sparked by a slight tartness from the sourdough bread and the crunch of toasted pine nuts.
1 loaf (2 pounds) sourdough bread, crusts removed, cubed
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
4 each, diced: celery ribs, carrots
1/2 yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 cup each, diced: pitted prunes, dried apricots
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken or turkey broth
1 cup pine nuts, toasted, see note
1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 3 cup chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread in single layer on baking pan. Bake until dried, about 15 minutes; set aside in a large bowl. Increase heat to 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add apples, prunes and apricots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender, about 4 minutes. Add broth, nuts, thyme, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over bread cubes; toss well.
3. Transfer to a buttered 2-quart casserole. Dot the top with remaining 6 tablespoons of the butter; cover with foil. Bake 1 hour; increase heat to 375 degrees. Remove foil; bake until lightly crisp and unevenly brown, about 15 minutes.
Note: Toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until aromatic, 5 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
594 calories, 39% of calories from fat, 26 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 80 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 927 mg sodium, 7 g fiber
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Help! Solving turkey traumas
Got a turkey question on Turkey Day? Don’t worry, there are people to help.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Meat And Poultry Hotline will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Call 888-674-6854.
ConAgra Food’s Butterball brand will staff its famed Turkey Talk-Line from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Call 800-288-8372.
Perdue Farms will operate its consumer hot line from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Call 800-473-7383.
Cook’s Illustrated magazine offers help with answers to common turkey questions on a new Web site, turkeyhelp.com.
