Thanksgiving Food Safety

Cook Stuffing Outside the Bird

Most experts suggest you cook your stuffing outside of the bird in a casserole dish. Dressing placed inside the turkey is not recommended because it takes longer to cook and you risk overcooking the turkey meat in order to get the stuffing to reach a safe temperature to eat. If you must stuff the bird, follow this advice: bake your turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing. The stuffing must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F to be safe to eat. Many food safety specialists believe undercooked stuffing poses a high risk of getting you sick. If the turkey is undercooked, bacterial pathogens like Salmonella may be present in the cavity of the bird and can contaminate the stuffing. Salmonella can survive in undercooked stuffing and infect those who eat it.

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Review Date: 
November 13, 2014

Last Updated:
November 13, 2014