# Uncooked sausage in stuffing?



## debthecook

I've always cooked my sausage (italian cheese and parsley) before putting it in the stuffing. I read SOME DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This sounds very bizarre to me.  Does anyone do this, not cook their sausage before placing it in the stuffing (which will THEN be cooked)??????    Enlighten me.


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## PA Baker

I've never heard of it being stuffed raw.  That would make me nervous in terms of potential food poisoning issues.  Plus, I'd think that this would make it extra-greasy.  By cooking it ahead, like you do, you can drain some of the excess fat.  We don't stuff with sausage, but if we did, I'd definitely cook first.


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## Audeo

PA Baker said:
			
		

> I've never heard of it being stuffed raw.  That would make me nervous in terms of potential food poisoning issues.  Plus, I'd think that this would make it extra-greasy.  By cooking it ahead, like you do, you can drain some of the excess fat.  We don't stuff with sausage, but if we did, I'd definitely cook first.



I agree with you 100%, PA.

I would never even consider not cooking it beforehand.


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## mudbug

Of course you have to cook it first.


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## marmalady

Where did you hear that, Deb?  Curious minds want to know!    Sounds like something one of our former 'friends' would have said, lol!


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## debthecook

I have the instructions at work from a local place that sells their sausage, I'll get back to you tomorrow.


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## GB

marmalady said:
			
		

> Where did you hear that, Deb?  Curious minds want to know!    Sounds like something one of our former 'friends' would have said, lol!


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## debthecook

Well here it is:
According to Instructions for Cooking a Turkey from Zorn's Poultry Farms in Bethpage Long Island, it says : 
                                Zorn's Giblet Stuffing,
                                 Ready to put in your Turkey
                                 For added Flavor-
                                 Combine 1lb of our OWN SAUSAGE MEAT  with
                                  approximately 3lbs of our STUFFING.
(For best results DO NOT pre-cook sausage)
I called them and asked if they really meant DON'T cook the sausage before putting it in the stuffing IN THE TURKEY and they agreed "It cooks and imparts such a wonderful flavor"  I asked should'nt I be worried about bacteria and they said "ABSOLUTELY NOT, WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS, WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR!!!"  So thats it. 

******I will still cook mine!!!


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## marmalady

Well - maybe if they only use their sausage and they know without a doubt that they use impeccably sanitary equipment to make the sausage - but I'm still with you, deb - cook that sausage!


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## Bangbang

COOK IT!.....Ok.......you can ckec the temp of the sausage and when it reads 165 degrees its cooked. However I won't do it.


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## middie

i wouldn't recommend it either


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## jennyema

"Imparting flavor" sounds like a nicey nicey way to say "GREASY"

I'd cook it.


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## kyles

I have had turkey with uncooked sausage stuffing, that's how my mum used to do it when we were small and I am sure it is common practice in Australia, but I agree, it sounds like a fairly efficient way to get food poisoning! However I don't recall ever getting food poisoning at home.  Now the conventional wisdom in the UK is not to stuff your bird with anything other than flavourings, like bay leaves, lemon etc, and to cook your stuffing seperately, as I have noticed many of you are doing, when reading throught the turkey day posts.


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## scott123

On one of the episodes of West Wing last year, President Bartlett called the Butterball Turkey Hotline with this exact question.  The response? Always cook all your stuffing ingredients before filling the cavity of the bird.


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## remo3186

*Uncooked sausage stuffed in turkey*

I have been stuffing my turkey with uncooked sausage for 20 years.  It turns out moist and more tasty.  The sausage cooks in the turkey. I have used different sausage but my favorite is Jimmy Dean's sage. I did cook the sausage before stuffing it in the turkey one year as a test and was not happy with the results.  The flavors did not blend as well and the sausage itself didn't blend in as well with the rest of the ingredients.


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## jpinmaryland

could you just microwave the sausage at the end of the turkey process in order to ensure it is safe? I dunno. Sometimes I nuke stuff if it hasnt been cooked all the way but it usually is still pretty hot at that pt.


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## Andy M.

jpinmaryland said:


> could you just microwave the sausage at the end of the turkey process in order to ensure it is safe? I dunno. Sometimes I nuke stuff if it hasnt been cooked all the way but it usually is still pretty hot at that pt.



Well, I suppose so.  It would be a lot easier to microwave the sausage before you added it to the stuffing.


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## Selkie

Using uncooked sausage... what do you want to do, live forever?


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## sadievan

I always cook my pork sausage before adding to the stuffing.


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