Stuffing is, as the name implies, stuffed into poultry. It’s an iconic holiday centerpiece of the table, the thing famously looked forward to by Mr. Parker in A Christmas Story and for some the best part of any holiday meal is the stuffing! Cooking the stuffing inside the bird is traditional and can save on the washing up after dinner. But, it also comes with some risks, both to the stuffing itself and in terms of health. But, there are some things you can do to mitigate these hazards.

The Two Reasons Not to Stuff the Bird
Stuffing the bird with dressing, be it of the sausage or cornbread or wild rice variety, certainly makes a nice presentation at the table. But, there are two main reasons why this can be problematic and this has to do with the temperature.
Both chicken and turkey need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F. This means that if you aren’t careful then the stuffing could absorb Salmonella or other germs from the juices of the turkey when it’s cooking. You also need to cook anything that touches the turkey to a temperature of 165˚F.

So to properly cook both the bird and the stuffing it can majorly dry out the stuffing, even though you’re basting the bird and making sure it will be moist and tender. Another problem is that the stuffing is also at risk of becoming gummy when cooked this way. It can be difficult to get the stuffing just right when it’s inside the bird. To ensure the best stuffing it’s ideal to just bake it in a separate pan from the turkey or chicken.
The Official Advice Stuffed Bird Safety
In addition to recommending that you cook your stuffing separately, the Centers for Disease Control advises to be careful with poultry by using separate utensils and cutting boards for raw meat and by washing your hands for at least 20 seconds after you handle raw poultry. This helps to avoid cross-contamination.

They also advise that if you want to stuff the turkey add the uncooked stuffing to the cavity right before baking, not ahead of time. They also advise to let the stuffing and the bird rest for 20 minutes after you remove them from the oven. When they’ve finished cooking this helps to give the stuffing a little bit of extra cook time inside the bird. This is just an extra precaution to give you the best chance of avoiding any yucky germs when you make a stuffed bird.











