Happy Thanksgiving! Stuff that turkey safely

Smithsonian Magazine offers tips for safely stuffing a turkey to avoid gastrointestinal illness:
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/11/24/stuff-the-safe-way/

1. Forego the tradition and cook the stuffing outside of the bird.
Both Alton Brown and food scientist Harold McGee advocate for this method.

2. Use ice packs while thawing the turkey.
McGee has an innovative way to cook the dark meat of a turkey (which he says is best at 180 degrees) while not overcooking the white meat. While thawing the turkey, he puts ice packs over the breasts of the turkey. When the rest of the bird has reached 60 degrees, the breast will only be at 40. While he doesn’t approve of stuffing a turkey at all, this method could allow the stuffing to reach a safe temperature before the meat gets overdone.

3. Cook the stuffing separately and stuff it inside the turkey while it’s resting.
This is Alton Brown’s preferred method. You can ensure that your stuffing has reached the proper temperature and then let it soak up some turkey flavor while the bird rests.

If you must stay traditional and cook the stuffing inside of the bird, the USDA has a few recommendations:

1. Stuff loosely.
The denser the stuffing in the bird, the more time it will take to get it to a safe temperature. Allow for expansion, and stuff the bird loosely. The USDA recommends ¾ cup for every pound of turkey.

2. Cook any raw meat, poultry or shellfish product before stuffing it into the turkey.

3. Stuff with a moist stuffing.
Heat destroys bacteria faster in a wet environment than in a dry one.

Picture from Food Mall.

Read Smithsonian Magazine online:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/