{"id":140348,"date":"2018-01-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-16T00:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/classic-stuffed-turkey\/"},"modified":"2024-06-27T21:17:25","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T02:17:25","slug":"classic-stuffed-turkey","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/classic-stuffed-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Stuffed Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without this iconic side dish. Stuffing is a celebration of flavors and textures, a medley of bread bound together with fragrant herbs, aromatic vegetables and savory flavors. Actually stuffing it inside the turkey allows the porous stuffing cubes to soak in all those delicious roasted turkey juices. Not to mention that stuffed turkey kills two birds with one stone, so to speak, freeing up the oven for other Thanksgiving side dishes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, for years, I kept the stuffing separate from the turkey. I thought stuffed turkey wasn’t safe to make or the meat would turn out dry and overcooked. When I finally decided to cook a classic stuffed turkey recipe, I realized there was nothing to fear. The dish turned out just as good as a traditional roast turkey<\/a>, so long as I paid attention to a few temperature-related details.<\/p>\n

Is it safe to cook a stuffed turkey?<\/h2>\n

It’s perfectly safe to cook a stuffed turkey<\/a> as long as the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 165\u00b0F. According to the USDA, poultry like chicken and turkey must reach this food-safe cooking temperature<\/a> to destroy bacteria like salmonella and E. coli. Since the stuffing comes in contact with raw turkey, it must also reach this temperature.<\/p>\n

How to Make Stuffed Turkey<\/h2>\n

Stuffed turkey is tackled in three easy steps: Prepare the stuffing, stuff the turkey and bake the turkey. Along the way, you’ll need to pay close attention to a few temperatures. If you don’t already have one, now is a good time to invest in a meat thermometer<\/a>. A probe thermometer with an alarm is particularly helpful so you don’t have to open the oven door to check the turkey’s temperature.<\/p>\n

The first key to success involves stuffing temperature. Nestled inside the core of the turkey, the stuffing takes a long time to reach a safe temperature\u2014much longer than the meat surrounding it. So, give the stuffing a head start by adding it to the turkey while it’s still warm.<\/p>\n

You’ll also need to choose the right oven temperature. Some Thanksgiving turkey recipes<\/a> call for blasting the turkey in a 450\u00b0 oven to crisp up the skin. This would be a huge mistake with a stuffed turkey and can lead to overcooked meat and undercooked stuffing. Instead, cook the stuffed turkey in a 325\u00b0 oven for even cooking.<\/p>\n

Stuffed Turkey Ingredients<\/h2>\n