Hello everyone, Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas here, wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! Today at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we’ll discuss why you should – or shouldn’t – stuff a turkey before you put it in the oven. You probably have your own personal preference, or you’ve been following your grandma’s approach because that’s what’s always worked. But I think I’ll make a good case for both. If you’ve done it one way all these years, try it a different way this year, and see how it works out. You may be surprised by the response you get this year from your family and friends. What’s your favorite way? Let the rest of the Kathey Jo’s Kitchen family your preferred way.
To Not Stuff
Alton Brown abhors stuffing a turkey. Full stop. He brings up a great argument, because the safety of stuffing a raw bird with an uncooked product and having all be cooked to a safe temperature before serving is a delicate balance that we’ve all been taught. If you wait for the stuffing to reach a safe temperature while in the bird, you risk drying out the breast meat. What’s an alternative? Simply stuffing with herbs or onions is a good option. They’ll help to flavor the meat, and cut down on cooking time. But what about people who expect the stuffing with their favorite hunk of meat? Don’t deny them; prepare the stuffing as a separate side dish, and serve.
To Stuff
The great thing about cooking is that traditions can be updated. If you insist on stuffing your turkey, you can avoid promoting the breeding of bacteria by updating your methods. Rather than making the oven work twice as hard to cook the meat and the stuffing together, considering cooking the vegetables for the stuffing the night before. Don’t mix with bread, eggs, or stock. When you’re ready to start cooking the bird, heat the stock, and combine with the previously made stuffing. Immediately fill the bird, and roast as usual. This should cut down on any potential windows for bacteria to grow.
Do you have any other tips you’d like to share? Let me, Kathleen Raskin, know in the comments!
