Is stuffing better cooked in the turkey or separate from it?

Answer 1

It is best not to put the dressing inside of the turkey. You should make a dressing and bake it in a casserole dish. I don't want to eat anything that was inside a raw turkey.....that's just gross. If you want to do it here's how.

Stuffing Safely:

Never stuff the turkey in advance in an effort to save time.

Once you have decided on a stuffing recipe, mix ingredients quickly and lightly stuff the washed cavity just before placing the bird in the oven.

Chopping vegetable ingredients and bread preparation can be done in advance, but liquids and/or moist ingredients should not be added to dry ingredients until just before stuffing the turkey.

Allow 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

Stuffing needs room to expand during cooking, do not over-stuff.

The stuffing recipe may be more than your turkey can hold. Place extra stuffing in a greased pan or casserole dish and bake separately.

Stuffing contains potentially hazardous ingredients, such as broth, eggs and meat, etc. That means these ingredients could cause illness if not properly cooked and stored.

Stuffing must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165°F to be safe.

Stuffing should be removed from the cavity of the bird to a separate dish before carving the turkey.

Do not leave stuffing and other leftovers out for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers immediately following the meal.

Store leftover stuffing in the refrigerator and use within 1 to 2 days.

Reheat leftover stuffing to 165 degrees F before serving.

Answer 2

Certainly there are flavor benefits from stuffing the turkey, but there's also the risk of salmonella - which is why we are reminded to remove the stuffing immediately after roasting.

If you decide not to stuff your turkey, here is a tip from Rachael Ray for cooking your stuffing...

Coat 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter. Using ice cream scoop, fill and mound stuffing mixture into muffin cups. Bake at 375* for 20-30 minutes, until set and top is crisp. Cool 15 minutes; transfer to serving platter.

Answer 3

It tastes better when made inside the turkey. The drippings add a lot of taste. Depending on how many people you are serving, you may have to cook an additional amount separately on the stove. You could mix in some drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan.

Answer 4

Both. The stuffing from inside the turkey absorbs the juices, but I also like to do a side pan of stuffing , and uncover it for the last 15 minutes, giving my family a nice crispy crust stuffing too.

Answer 5

well, sometimes bones will get in the stuffing if u cook it in the turkey, but it still tastes better that way. my mom always cooks a seperate dish, and some in the turkey so everyones happy =]

Answer 6

Take the turkey out of the freezer 4 days before you want to cook it and let thaw in refrigerator...Think of a turkey as an over grown chicken and make it the same way, It will just take longer to cook because of its size...Butterballs are good, just follow the pop up timer as to when it is done.....citrus is a good flavoring, lemon pepper, your tastes are limitless, hop all turns out ok.

Answer 7

Personally separate, I've found that the moisture that goes into the stuffing is supposed to be the moisture in the Bird, like throwing a sponge into a bowl of water

Answer 8

Separate - too many bacteria inside the turkey and the inside does not get hot like the outside does so the bacteria breed like crazy then you take the turkey out and let it get room temperature and you have a good recipe for food poisoning or worse

Answer 9

I like it cooked separate just because it's a little less moist. The idea of eating fat juices from the turkey grosses me out. My mom used to make a little of both.

Answer 10

Usually do both. Stuffing inside tastes super great, Stuffing outside super tender and smooth, life should include both!!!