Stuffing Tips

Cooking Tip of the Day

These are some general tips for stuffing your turkey …. from figuring out how much you need…. to how best to cook it and store leftovers…….. I hope you find them helpful.

According to the Partnership for Food Safety Education, follow these tips to safely stuff your turkey:

How much do you need?

*Allow about 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey to pack it lightly in the turkey… you need room for the stuffing to expand, as it will absorb juices from the turkey.

Preparation Tips

*Stuffing should be prepared and stuffed into the turkey immediately before it’s placed in the oven. Never stuff the turkey ahead of time.

*Mix the wet and dry ingredients for the stuffing separately and combine just before using.

*Lightly spoon stuffing into the body cavity. Do not pack.

*Bake extra stuffing in a greased covered casserole (for the last 30 minutes of roasting time… for a crisp top, uncover the casserole for the last 5 minutes).

*Cooked inside or outside the bird, all stuffing and dressing recipes must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature.

*If the turkey is done and the stuffing is not yet 165 degrees F, remove the stuffing from the turkey and place it in a greased casserole dish and continue cooking until it reaches 165 degrees F.

Leftover Storage and Reheating Tips

*Remove leftover stuffing from the turkey immediately (within two hours)after dinner. Store in small, shallow containers and put in the refrigerator or the freezer.

*Use leftover stuffing within 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator. Cooked stuffing can be frozen for up to 1 month.

*Use an appliance thermometer in your refrigerator to ensure your refrigerator is at 40 degrees F or below.

*Reheat cooked leftovers to 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.

*When microwaving leftovers, make sure there are no cold spots in the food. Cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking.

For Food Safety Support:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – 1-888-SAFEFOOD – For questions about safe handling of the many foods that go into a holiday meal, including eggs, dairy, fresh produce and seafood.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Meat and Poultry Hotline – 1-888-MPHOTLINE (1-888-674-6854) M-F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. EST.

Open Thanksgiving Day, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. EST. Email questions to the hotline at mphotline.fsis@usda.gov

Or ask a food safety question at AskKaren.gov