How to Cook Turkey Stuffing Safely

By More Food

You may be planning on using your SNAP/FNS benefits to buy all the ingredients needed for cooking this holiday season. If you’re thinking about what to cook, you might have considered turkey stuffing. What you may not know is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend stuffing a whole turkey.

The practice of stuffing a turkey not only increases the time needed to fully cook the turkey, but it can also increase the risk of cross-contamination. Instead, the USDA recommends making the stuffing separately.

Regardless, if you would like to stay within tradition, here are some tips on how to cook turkey stuffing more safely:

  1. Do not stuff the turkey the night before you are cooking it. That may cause bacteria to multiply which can lead to foodborne illnesses.
  2. Do not mix the wet and dry ingredients for the stuffing hours before you plan to cook the turkey. That type of environment is also perfect for bacteria to multiply. Instead, prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately and refrigerate them in separate containers until you are ready to use them.
  3. If you are using any type of raw meat for the stuffing such as meat, poultry or seafood, make sure you fully cook them before adding them to the stuffing.
  4. Combine all the ingredients you want to use and then place them inside the turkey immediately before cooking it.
  5. You should also make sure that both the turkey and the stuffing’s centers reach 165 F.

The USDA provided the following timetable for turkey roasting based on a 325 F oven temperature:

Unstuffed:

  • 8 to 12 pounds — 2¾ to 3 hours
  • 12 to 14 pounds — 3 to 3¾ hours
  • 14 to 18 pounds — 3¾ to 4¼ hours
  • 18 to 20 pounds — 4¼ to 4½ hours
  • 20 to 24 pounds — 4½ to 5 hours

Stuffed:

  • 8 to 12 pounds — 3 to 3½ hours
  • 12 to 14 pounds — 3½ to 4 hours
  • 14 to 18 pounds — 4 to 4¼ hours
  • 18 to 20 pounds — 4¼ to 4¾ hours
  • 20 to 24 pounds — 4¾ to 5¼ hours

When purchasing your turkey for the holiday season, don’t forget to check that the turkey itself is in good condition.

If you are planning to buy a turkey over a week before you serve it, the USDA recommends choosing a frozen turkey. If you plan to prepare the turkey within a couple of days , a fresh option may be best. Always look for the “Best by” and “use by” tags on these types of fresh meat to ensure you are within a safe window to prepare a fresh turkey.

And don’t forget that you can use your SNAP benefits to purchase any meat you want to cook for your family this holiday.

For questions about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or to receive SNAP Application Assistance contact the More In My Basket staff:

Visit: morefood.org

English Toll Free: 1-855-240-1451

Spanish Toll Free: 1-888-382-7105

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash