Stuffing Your Turkey

Stuffed bird or not? In-bird stuffing can be tricky, if the stuffing is undercooked and not handled properly, the stuffing could be filled with bacteria and food borne illnesses (flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or fever). Not a nice parting gift, trust me.

With carefulness and a meat thermometer, you can stuff the bird and not injure anyone.

1. Make stuffing safely: Mix the stuffing before it goes into the turkey, using only cooked ingredients such as sautéed vegetables or meats. Use pasteurized egg products instead of raw eggs, this will help keep bacteria at bay.

2. Stuff the bird: Loosely stuff both the neck and inside cavities. Use only about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Using this amount will help reach the proper 165 °F internal temperature whether the stuffing is in the bird or out. Use the meat thermometer to check the temperature; stuffing should be moist, not dry.

3. Preheat the oven to 325°F; place the turkey in the oven immediately after stuffing. Overnight 'slow' cooking is not recommended, since food borne bacteria could still be lying in wait.

4. To make sure that all bacteria are destroyed, check the stuffing with the meat thermometer. Even if the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 180°F, the stuffing may not have reached 165°F internally. It is imperative that both the turkey and the stuffing reach appropriate temps, or else neither will be safe to eat.