Want to Cook Turkey Stuffing? Read This First.
You have an important decision to make this Thanksgiving: to stuff or not to stuff. Turkey stuffing is traditional, and many say that dinner won’t turn out the same without it. Others claim stuffing isn’t safe, and the turkey becomes overcooked and dry by the time the stuffing reaches proper temperatures.
So what gives? Is there a way to safely stuff a turkey, or should you make solo-roasted pan stuffing? We’ll tell you how to both, including a recipe that’s so good you won’t think twice about skipping the stuffing step.
Should You Cook Stuffing Inside the Turkey?
The biggest issue with cooking stuffing inside the bird relates to temperatures. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking poultry until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Anything cooked inside the turkey also needs to reach that temperature to prevent the risk of exposing you to bacteria like salmonella or E. coli.
But stuffing is soft and porous by nature. That’s the main reason to cook stuffing inside a turkey: The bread cubes soak up roasting turkey juices and transform into incredible-tasting flavor bombs. That means the stuffing needs to reach a safe temperature (165°F), so it won’t make you sick.
The other important thing to consider with turkey stuffing is when it’s stuffed. Trying to prep in advance doesn’t work to your advantage here. Placing warm stuffing inside a refrigerated bird allows the stuffing to stay in danger zone temperatures for too long, causing bacteria growth. It’s okay to cook the vegetable component of the stuffing a day in advance and cool it down in the fridge. But wait to mix it with the bread and stuff the final product inside the bird until right before it goes into the oven.
How Does It Make Cooking the Turkey Different?
Cooking a stuffed turkey is a little different from an unstuffed turkey. Instead of only considering the meat’s temperature (165°F in the thickest part of the breast, or 175°F in the thickest part of the thigh), you also have to take the stuffing’s temperature.
Then there’s the timing of everything. The meat is on the outside of the bird, so it gets more exposure to heat. That means it cooks more quickly than the stuffing, which is enclosed deep within the bird’s cavity. By the time your stuffing reaches 165°F, the white meat and dark meat will reach 180° or 185° F—waaay past their ideal doneness temp. And cooking meat past its doneness temp = dry meat.
How to Stuff a Turkey
Traditional stuffed turkey recipes call for cooking the turkey to 180°F, which gives the stuffing enough time to reach 165°F. Instead, our method uses the microwave to finish cooking the stuffing. That ensures the turkey will be juicy and moist while the whole dish is safe to eat!
When taking the turkey’s temperature, be sure to insert the probe into the thickest part of the breast or the thigh. Wiggle the probe to ensure it’s in the deepest part and isn’t touching the bone. For more turkey-cooking tips, check out our complete guide to how to cook a turkey.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 large onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 cups unseasoned stuffing cubes
Warm water
1 turkey (14 to 16 pounds)
Melted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the chicken broth, parsley, sage, salt, poultry seasoning and pepper. (You can make this part of the stuffing in advance, but do not combine it with the bread or stuff it inside the turkey until right before it goes into the oven.)
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the seasoned mushroom mixture. Toss to coat, adding enough warm water to reach the desired level of moistness.
Just before baking, loosely stuff the turkey. If there is leftover stuffing, place it in a greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate the dish until the turkey is almost finished. You’ll want to cook it covered for 30 to 40 minutes, and uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until it’s lightly browned.
Skewer any turkey openings with toothpicks and tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and brush it with melted butter.
Bake the stuffed turkey, uncovered, for 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours, loosely covering the turkey with aluminum foil if it browns too quickly. When a thermometer reads 165°F in the breast or 175°F in the thigh, remove the turkey from the oven.
Take the stuffing’s temperature. If it doesn’t read 165°F, scoop it out into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until it reaches the proper temperature.
Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving. Don’t forget to use the pan drippings to make gravy while you wait!
How to Make Turkey Stuffing in a Pan
Stuffing from inside a turkey tastes so good because it’s infused with roasted turkey juices. You’ll miss out on those flavors when you make stuffing in a pan, but we have an easy workaround! For starters, adding pork or turkey sausage to the mix gives solo-roasted stuffing more flavor. The real key here, though, is using turkey stock. (If it’s homemade turkey stock, all the better.) The resulting stuffing tastes as good as the traditional preparation, and you don’t have to worry about creating dry turkey.
Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) reduced-fat bulk pork sausage or breakfast turkey sausage links, casings removed
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
4 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 loaves (16 ounces each) day-old white bread, cubed
1 loaf (16 ounces) day-old whole wheat bread, cubed
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley, optional
Yield: 24 servings
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 3-quart baking dishes with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage, celery and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the sausage into crumbled pieces as it cooks. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, sage and poultry seasoning.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the seasoned sausage mixture and toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and broth, pouring them over the bread crumbs. Stir gently to combine.
Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dishes. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 12 to 18 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.
Top the stuffing with chopped parsley, if using.
What to Stuff Your Turkey with Instead
If you decide to roast your turkey without stuffing, that doesn’t mean you have to leave that cavity space open. You can stuff your bird with all sorts of ingredients to give your turkey more flavor. Some of our favorites include quartered onions, orange segments, sliced lemons or apples, bundles of fresh herbs or chopped celery and fennel. These items take up significantly less space than stuffing, so they shouldn’t have any issues reaching safe temperature by the time the bird is finished.
The Best Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving
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Badger State Stuffing
Your family will love the contrasting sweet, savory, and slightly tart flavors in this spin on a Thanksgiving classic. Feel free to use your favorite beer or dried fruit to make the dish your own. —Andrea Fetting, Franklin, Wisconsin
Sausage Bread Dressing
My husband and father go crazy for this dressing. Leftovers are rare but they freeze quite well. To save time, chop the veggies and prepare (but don't bake) the dressing up to two days ahead of time and refrigerate. Add a little baking time since it will be cold. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Pecan-Cornbread Dressing
Plenty of pecans and bacon give this stuffing a unique flavor, while using a packaged mix cuts down on the preparation time. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Savory Zucchini Bread Pudding
I've been serving this dish for years and always receive compliments on it. If you don't have day-old bread in your pantry, simply slice fresh bread and bake it at 300° for 10 minutes. —Mary Ann Dell, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Hearty Rice Dressing
At church socials and family reunions, this satisfying dressing has always been well received. It's a favorite with our family, too. I cut back on the recipe to serve a smaller group. —Ruth Hayward, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Oyster Stuffing
My mother made this stuffing every Thanksgiving for my, father who loves it! And now I make it.—Amy Voights, Brodhead, Wisconsin
Smoked Sausage & Potato Dressing
I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving. My husband is a picky eater, but he ate more of the stuffing than the turkey! If you have leftovers, top some with an over-easy egg for breakfast. —Adriana Torres, El Paso, Texas
Slow Cooker Bacon-Mushroom Dressing
My favorite stuffing uses a slow cooker, which helps when your oven's busy. It goes with everything from turkey to game hens. —Hope Wasylenki, Gahanna, Ohio
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potato Stuffing
Every family seems to have a favorite stuffing recipe. My family and I have been making this one for many years. It’s so delicious that no gravy is required! —Sandra Dombek, Camillus, New York
Traditional Holiday Stuffing
Sausage and sage add a gourmet taste to this stuffing. It's perfect for large family gatherings, but you can also save some for later. —Lorraine Brauckhoff, Zolfo Springs, Florida
Special Herb Dressing
Our budget was tight when our children were small, so I cooked with ground beef often. Nowadays, I make this creative casserole simply because we love it! —Trudy Williams, Shannonville, Ontario
Moist Poultry Dressing
Tasty mushrooms and onions complement the big herb flavor in this amazing stuffing. This dressing stays so moist because it’s made in the slow cooker. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta
Cranberry Pecan Stuffing
While I love stuffing, my family wasn't that fond of it—that is, until I found this recipe. I added a few touches of my own and now they gobble it up. Cranberries and pork really make it something special. —Robin Lang, Muskegon, Michigan
Wild Rice Stuffing
Since trying this stuffing recipe from my sister, I haven't made any other kind. It's so moist and tasty. When a big bowlful starts circulating around the table, happy holiday smiles get even bigger! —Connie Olson, Green River, Wyoming
Slow Cooker Mushroom Stuffing
My grandmother created this recipe after my grandfather left the well-drilling business and invested all their money in a mushroom farm. The farm was a success and saw the family through the Great Depression. —Eric Cooper, Durham, North Carolina
Southern Cornbread Dressing
This recipe, one of my favorite holiday side dishes, makes a lot. It's perfect for company, even though it started as a way to stretch the food we had for our large family. —Margaret E. Kendall, McConnelsville, Ohio
"Everything" Stuffing
Of all the stuffing recipes, my husband and father both go crazy for this particular dish! The leftovers freeze well so we can enjoy it long after Thanksgiving has passed. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Grandma's Cornbread Dressing
Growing up, we didn’t have turkey. We had chicken, chopped and baked in my grandmother’s dressing. Now we leave out the chicken and keep the cornbread dressing. —Suzanne Mohme, Bastrop, Texas
Stuffing from the Slow Cooker
If you're hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner this year, add this simple slow-cooked stuffing to your menu to ease entertaining. The recipe comes in handy when you run out of oven space at large family gatherings. I use this Crock Pot dressing recipe often. —Donald Seiler, Macon, Mississippi
Amber's Sourdough Stuffing
All my kids and grandkids absolutely love this sourdough stuffing, but especially my daughter-in-law, Amber. I usually make a big batch at Thanksgiving so I will have leftovers for my husband. But this recipe is perfect for two. —Kathy Katz, Ocala, Florida
Rice Dressing
This yummy rice mixture is a delightful change from our traditional corn bread dressing. To make it a meal in itself, I sometimes add finely chopped cooked chicken and a little more broth before baking. —Linda Emery, Bearden, Arkansas
Cranberry Cornmeal Dressing
This moist dressing is perfect when paired with poultry or even pork. The sweet-tart flavor of the dried cranberries really complements the dish's turkey sausage. —Corinne Portteus, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sausage and Cornbread Dressing
At our house, we add sausage and a little steak sauce to this cornbread dressing for a meal that warms our cold winter nights. —Mandy Nall, Montgomery, Alabama
Raisin-Studded Apple Stuffing
This is the only stuffing my family will permit on our holiday table. With Italian sausage and a blend of so many great flavors, it's almost a meal in itself. No wonder it won first prize in a local recipe contest! —Teri Lindquist, Gurnee, Illinois
Apple-Cranberry Stuffing
I leave out the giblets my mom used in her stuffing and bump up the fruit and wild rice instead. The result is this delicious apple cranberry stuffing. —Miranda Allison, Simpsonville, South Carolina
Grandma's Poultry Dressing
Every family seems to have their own favorite dressing recipe that becomes a tradition, and this is ours. It came from Grandma, who passed it down to my mother. Now our children have carried it into their kitchens. This is truly a good old-fashioned recipe. —Norma Howland, Joliet, Illinois
Cornbread Dressing with Oysters
My father's dressing bakes separately from the turkey and is simply delicious. The secret is to prepare the corn bread first, let it cool and then crumble it to form the base for the rest of the ingredients. My father always added oysters to give the dressing a special flavor. —Nell Bass, Macon, Georgia
Cornbread Stuffing
At least 10 of us women made this old-fashioned dressing to feed over 1,500 people at our church's fall festival. Everyone thought it was wonderful. It's the best dressing I've ever made. —Patty Kierce, Weir, Texas
Fruit & Nut Andouille Stuffing
This special stuffing recipe has been a Thanksgiving tradition with our family for many years. It reminds us of home, family, and all the things that make the holiday season so special. —Kathleen Specht, Clinton, Montana
Bacon & Sausage Stuffing
This recipe was inspired by my mother's stuffing recipe. It smells like heaven while you're making it, and people can never seem to get enough. —Scott Rugh, Portland, Oregon
Dried Cherry & Sausage Dressing
Apples and dried cherries add a sweet-tart flavor to my homemade stuffing. It makes a holiday dinner one to remember. —Connie Boll, Chilton, Wisconsin
Slow-Cooker Dressing
Here’s an easy dressing that’s perfect for Thanksgiving get-togethers. Once it’s in the slow cooker, you’re free to turn your attention to the other dishes. —Rita Nodland, Bismarck, North Dakota
Herbed Apple-Cranberry Bread Dressing
Not all stuffings are created equal. My version of the classic side dish features apples for a sweet crunch and cranberries for a little tartness. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
Savory Sausage Stuffing
I used to make the same old dressing every year for Thanksgiving. About 10 years ago, I decided to jazz up my recipe by adding pork sausage. Now everyone requests it for all our holiday meals. —Ursula Hernandez, Waltham, Minnesota
Skillet Sausage Stuffing
To make this sausage stuffing, I dressed up a package of stuffing mix with pork sausage, mushrooms, celery and onion. It impressed my in-laws at a family gathering and has since become a popular side dish with my husband and children. —Jennifer Lynn Cullen, Taylor, Michigan
Sweet Potato Stuffing
Mom likes to make sure there will be enough stuffing to satisfy our large family. For our holiday gatherings, she slow-cooks this tasty sweet potato dressing in addition to the traditional stuffing cooked inside the turkey. —Kelly Pollock, London, Ontario
Sausage-Herb Dressing
To make time for last-minute Thanksgiving essentials, I prep the sausage part of this recipe a day or two ahead of time, then finish the dressing in my slow cooker on the big day. It has stood the test two years running! —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida
Make-Ahead Cornbread Dressing
Being from California, my family has always been big veggie eaters. I wanted to share a little taste of home with my in-laws so I created this dish for Thanksgiving. You don't have to let it sit overnight, but it's a nice make ahead Thanksgiving option and the flavors mesh more that way. —Patricia Broussard, Lafayette, Louisiana
Mushroom Stuffing
I first tried this stuffing a few years ago, and it fast became our family's favorite. Just flavor a hearty corn bread mix with mushrooms and bacon and taste the spectacular results. —Kathy Traetow, Waverly, Iowa
Apple & Apricot Stuffing
I found my stuffing recipe in a magazine years ago and made a few tweaks. I took out the pork sausage, and everyone likes the simpler version that features fruit and veggies. —Jeanne Horn, Duluth, Minnesota
The post Want to Cook Turkey Stuffing? Read This First. appeared first on Taste of Home.
