I'm getting ready to wrestle the turkey and I was wondering how many people actually cook the stuffing in their turkeys? I cook the dressing on the side.
This kind of makes me wonder how our parents, grand-parents, etc. survived.Originally Posted by Natalie_ca
No. I cook it separately with the turkey parts (neck, liver etc).
Stuffing is the perfect environment for bacteria growth. It is moist and slow to heat up and cool down.
The best thing to do is to cook the stuffing outside the bird - in its own oven dish or on the stove.
If you stuff your bird, stuff it loosely just before it goes into the oven and remove the stuffing as soon as it comes out.
Stuffing should reach a minimum internal temperature of 74 C (165 F). In fact the best thing to use if you are cooking a stuffed turkey is a cooking wand because it conducts heat to the centre of the bird and provides a more even cooking temperature:
http://www.roastingwand.com/
Heavens you are making me hungry. I do agree that the stuffing in the bird is much more flavourful and moist - forget the turkey, just give me the stuffing.Originally Posted by rapunzel47
Always inside the bird! And Marge's tip about cheesecloth is the way to go. It makes it so easy to get all of the stuffing out of the bird, not leave any bits in corners. If there's too much stuffing for the bird, the rest gets done in a dish, and what cooks in the bird is sooooooo much more flavourful and moist.
Food poisoning isn't that uncommon actually. People just think they've caught a "stomach bug".Originally Posted by Yosemite
This kind of makes me wonder how our parents, grand-parents, etc. survived.I honestly think people these days are far too concerned about bacteria.
Your statement pretty much confirms my feelings, our parents and grandparents lived miles from the nearest hospital and some of them never ever saw the inside of a hospital in their entire lives and didn't get sick. In fact they worked harder and longer hours than we do today and didn't take "time off". They didn't get "stomach flu" and take a day off work. The compromised immune systems, IMO, are often the result of not being exposed to bacteria at a younger age so the body can build up natural immunities to them in the first place, hence why food poisoning isn't that uncommon now.Originally Posted by strange_wings
Always to the side. My mother didn't like the hassle and DH's family seem to busy to get it together in time to go in it -besides this year they're smoking the turkey and ham.
Food poisoning isn't that uncommon actually. People just think they've caught a "stomach bug".
For a few, such as young children, elderly, or those with compromised immune systems, it's too risky and may turn into something much worse then just a simple case of food poisoning.
Not necessarily. There are several medicines that suppress the immune system. Some people have to have them or their own immune systems will destroy their bodies. One trigger that sets the immune system into that mode is exposure to bacteria. In those who are unlucky - have compromising genetic factors, the body kills the bacteria but can't find it's 'off switch'. Useless bit of info there.Originally Posted by Yosemite
The compromised immune systems, IMO, are often the result of not being exposed to bacteria at a younger age so the body can build up natural immunities to them in the first place, hence why food poisoning isn't that uncommon now.