# Turkey Stuffing? Your Fave



## kitchen (Aug 29, 2005)

My mom gave me 2 turkey recipes.

The first recipe for the turkey has fried rice, ham, luncheon meat, egg in the stuffing. The turkey is seasoned with soya sauce. It is a  more asian style turkey.

The second recipe for the turkey has bread crumbs, milks, sausage, bacon, butter, pepper and salt in the stuffing. The turkey is seasoned with salt, pepper, Oregano leaves, soya sauce, butter and chicken stock. It is a more traditional turkey.

There is going to be just 1 turkey at the meal. Which would be a better choice?


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## Constance (Aug 29, 2005)

I'd go for the second one, Kitchen.
I've never tried soy sauce on a turkey...I usually just rub them down with olive oil, salt, pepper & sage.


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## Robo410 (Aug 29, 2005)

my turkey has an herbed bread crum base, but contains wild rice, pecans, sausage, and the usual veggies chopped.  It's always a winner, and makes a great stuffing patty fried up with left overs another day, so I always make extra.


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## GB (Aug 29, 2005)

I am not a fan of ham, luncheon, or egg so my vote is for the second choice. I think as Asian inspired turkey could be quite good though. I think soy sauce would work well with turkey meat.


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## jennyema (Aug 29, 2005)

I dont stuff for safety reasons ... but I would vote for #2, even though I love asian food.  

Make SURE your stuffing has come to 165 degrees before you eat it.  If it hasn't when the turkey is done, then take the stuffing out and bake it til it comes to temp.


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## kitchen (Aug 29, 2005)

Wild rice, pecans and veggies? Sounds really good. How do you do that stuffing?


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## middie (Aug 29, 2005)

i vote for the second of the two.


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## KAYLINDA (Aug 30, 2005)

I voted for number two!

If you like dressing when you haven't baked a turkey...here is my dressing recipe.  If you do have the broth...just substitute it for the butter.


DRESSING

 

DISOLVE 1/4 CUP CHICKEN BASE IN 1 QUART WATER

 

TOAST 1 POUND WHITE BREAD AND PROCESS IN FOOD PROCESSOR OR CRUMBLE BY HAND.  (I HAVE MADE THIS WITHOUT TOASTING TOO…AND HAVE LIKED IT JUST AS WELL.  BUT UNTOASTED-IT IS EASIER IF YOU CUT THE BREAD INTO SMALL CUBES WITH SCISSORS.)

 

IN MICROWAVE: COOK FOR SIX MINUTES

 

1 CUP DICED CELERY

1 CUP DICED ONION

1 STICK MARGARINE OR BUTTER

 

MIX THIS TOGETHER WITH THE CRUMBLED BREAD AND CHICKEN BROTH
 
ADD:

2 TEASPOONS PEPPER

1 TABLESPOON PARSLEY

1 TABLESPOON SUGAR

 
BAKE 20-30  MINUTES @ 350 OR UNTIL NICELY BROWNED.


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## kitchen (Aug 30, 2005)

Thanks. I copied that down to try out one day. Looks yummy.


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## AllenOK (Aug 30, 2005)

I make my own cornbread dressing, from scratch.  I shudder when I think about stuffing a bird.  I'm to worried about salmonella.

Years ago, I went on a binge for stuffing recipes (I do this quite frequently, looking for different recipes).  I must have around 50 or so.  Just about anything you could think of.  Anyone want a recipe?


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## Robo410 (Aug 30, 2005)

kitchen:   brown and fully cook a good quality ground sage sausage, chop celery onions and carrots (a mirepoix) about 1 1/2 cups total and saute in the sausage drippings. add about 1 cup leftover cooked wild rice (or wild rice mix like uncle bens) chop a good handful of pecans. Season with pepper, thyme, and moisten with broth. Loosely fill turkey cavities (extra goes in a caserole and will need a bit more broth ) and roast immediately.

it is yummy and safe as the sausage is fully cooked and all elements are sauted.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 30, 2005)

The single most important thing to do with your turkey is to cook it to the proper internal temperature.  I've tried using the extrememly hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, and then turning down to 350 degrees and roasting with foil arount the breast.  I've tried just puting the bird into a 300 degree oven and roasting until done.  I've also roasted many a turkey on my Webber Kettle.  In every case, I roasted until a meat thermometer, left in the bird the whole time, read 155 degrees.  I then removed the bird and let rest for twenty minutes.  In every case, the meat was supremely moist and tender.


Cooking hot, then cooling down the oven results in a crispier skin, while the slower cooking temperature requires the bird to be finished under the broiler to brown the skin properly.  On the covered grill, do to the nature of the heat source (charcoal and hardwood), the fire is initially very hot, maybe 500 degrees or more.  Then when the lid is placed on the grill, and the vents partially closed, the temperature cools to around 350.  The grill gives me the best flavor, hands down.  But the oven gives great flavor as well.

Also through experimentation, I've found that basting does absolutely nothing to enhance the moisture content of the meat.  It only slows the cooking time, and deposites flavor particles on the outer skin.

I also cook my dressing outside the bird, but not because I'm afraid of microbial contamination, but rather, by the time the stuffing comes up to temp, the meat is usually overcooked and dried out.

Cooking until the little plastic pop-up timer goes off will gauruntee that your bird will be dry and tough, as it doesn't pop up until the glue melts at 180 degrees.

So to sum up, cook whichever dressing you prefer outside the bird.  Cook to an internal temp of 155, then let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.  Final temperature should read 165 at that time.

If you want crispy skin, start at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook until you reach the proper internal temperature.  Basting is unnecessary.  Cover the breast with foil to prevent overcooking the white meat as it cooks faster than does the dark meat.  Remove the foil when the termometer reads 140 degrees to allow the skin to brown completely.

Your family will rave and you can take the bows. 

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## jennyema (Aug 30, 2005)

Robo410 said:
			
		

> it is yummy and safe as the sausage is fully cooked and all elements are sauted.


 

Robo,

Even cooked ingredients are unsafe to eat if stuffed in a turkey and not cooked to 165 degrees.  That's because they get drenched with raw turkey juices.

You know that drill about raw poultry cross contamination in the kitchen.  Well, it's the same with cross contaminating stuffing within a turkey.


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## corazon (Aug 30, 2005)

I'm not a big fan of stuffing but my husband likes it.  I make it with green chile and toasted pine nuts.


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## Michael in FtW (Aug 31, 2005)

While I go with the traditional turkey and stuffing - this idea of an Asian stuffing does open up some ideas for experimenting. An Asian turducken with hoisin sauce on the duck, oyster sauce on the chicken, soy, pineapple and butter on the turkey ... stuffed with shrimp or crab fried rice? Humm .... have to think about this .....


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## marmalady (Aug 31, 2005)

As far as Thanksgiving goes, I'm a traditionalist; I want 'gramma's old fashioned stuffing', gravy, and all the fixin's. 

However - some sort of Asian treatment would be fun to do when serving turkey on other occasions!


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## thumpershere2 (Aug 31, 2005)

Turkeys went on sale here for 79 cents a pound so will pick up a couple. I know in Nov. they will be higher as the gas prices are going to up there. Everything is going up because of the gas. Love to make dressing and stuff the bird. I usually make giblet bread stuffing.


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## kitchen (Aug 31, 2005)

Wow, I practically copied and pasted half this thread into files into my pc for future references. Thanks everyone! 

About asian food. Here's an idea you might want to try.

Take a pineapple and cut into 2 lengthwise. Cut out the flesh and cut into cubes, some for dessert or to mix into a cocktail drink.

Cook fried with olive oil, wine chinese sausages, cooked rice, onions, prawns and chicken (marinated in soya sauce and oyster sauce) cubes of pineapple. 

Now serve that fried rice in the pineapple.


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## kitchen (Aug 31, 2005)

Thanks Robo410. Wanted to give you karma as a thank you but I haven't any left.


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## Robo410 (Aug 31, 2005)

jennyema said:
			
		

> Robo,
> 
> Even cooked ingredients are unsafe to eat if stuffed in a turkey and not cooked to 165 degrees. That's because they get drenched with raw turkey juices.
> 
> You know that drill about raw poultry cross contamination in the kitchen. Well, it's the same with cross contaminating stuffing within a turkey.


 
Absolutely true! That's why I always wrap my stuffing in a boilin' bag before putting it in the turkey for roasting.  (just joking  )  It is always very important to test the internal temp for doneness.  I have found that this stuffing packs less densely than a traditional bread stuffing  and has always come up to temperature without overcooking the bird.  I also take care not to cram it in, but to spoon it in and when full I don't pack it down, I just truss it up lightly.
I also start with a nearly room temperature bird, (I brine mine.)

All food, even ice cubes, needs safe handling procedures.


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## Raine (Aug 31, 2005)

Personally neither appeal to me. Not much on stuffed turkeys. Never have really been a big fan of turkey until we started smoking and frying them.

We do have a grilling recipe for a turkey tenderloin that is pretty good.


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## Constance (Aug 31, 2005)

I do! I'm always interested in stuffings. 

Like my grandma, I always do my stuffing in a separate pan. I love that crispy crust with the moist center.


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## Robo410 (Aug 31, 2005)

with all this stuffing talk, luckily I had some for dinner tonight with chicken...was a corn meal stuffing...savory and oh so good.


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## purrfectlydevine (Aug 31, 2005)

Since we got a turkey fryer, I really like it that way.  Also, DH does the cooking.  LOL


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## Floridagirl (Sep 2, 2005)

I'm not stuffing my turkey either, I'd like to serve my "stuffing" seperate. I vote for # 2.


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## BlueCat (Sep 3, 2005)

I love the traditional Thanksgiving fare - ESPECIALLY the stuffing that is cooked in the bird. You have to be careful, but you have to be careful with poultry anyway. That's why they make those nice thermometers - so you don't have to be so worried. We've made them carefully for all of my years and have never had a hint of trouble. The stuffing is far tastier cooked in the bird.

BC


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## lindatooo (Sep 3, 2005)

I must agree with Blue Cat - I'm a traditionalist - and in more than 30 years of cooking stuffed turkeys I've never had even a tiny problem.  Of course I've never stuffed the bird the night before as I've heard many people do and the dressing is removed from the bird completely before serving - usually the carcas frozen until I have time to do soup.

When it comes to stuffing I'm a purist - no sausage - but I do add apples, water chestnuts, pecans, raisins or Craisins.

When my Dad was alive I always made a separate pan of oyster dressing just for him.  That's proof you can cook stuff you don't like!


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## licia (Sep 3, 2005)

I like my stuffing as "dressing" and made from cornbread, celery, onions, eggs and served with gravy - without giblets. I don't ever stuff the turkey. I'm not sure it is safe and I don't like the idea of eating something from the inside of a bird. I'm roasting a turkey now to eat cold on Labor day with potato salad, green veggie, relish tray and some kind of really good bread. Don't know what dessert will be.


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