Crockpot Turkey Breasts and Stuffing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you cook stuffing and turkey at the same time? ›

You can cook the bird and the bread in the same pan with delicious results.

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

One advantage of not stuffing the turkey and baking the stuffing separately is the turkey will take less time to get fully cooked. A 12 to 14 pound stuffed turkey will take 3.5 to 4 hours to bake while an unstuffed bird will take 3 to 3.75 hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why Cooking Stuffing in Your Turkey Is Dangerous. The USDA advises that whole turkeys be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill any potentially harmful bacteria. That temperature includes any potential stuffing deep in the turkey's cavity. At temperatures below 165°F you risk exposure to salmonella or E.

Harmful bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F possibly resulting in foodborne illness.

Cooking time takes longer for a stuffed turkey. For example, a 20 pound stuffed turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours to cook.

"The stuffing should be added immediately before cooking [the turkey]," says Baker. Avoid overstuffing the neck and body cavities and use about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. "For example, no more than 15 cups of stuffing should be used in a 20-pound bird," she says.

Classic Aromatics

Add halved onions, carrot chunks, celery and fresh herbs to the cavity of your turkey, inserting them loosely. These flavor builders are the base of stock and most soups. As your turkey cooks, they'll steam and infuse your bird with moisture and flavor.

Season the turkey cavity at both ends. Stuff some of the stuffing into the main cavity, but be careful not to pack it in - there must be enough space between the stuffing and breastbone to fit the handle of a wooden spoon. Stuff the smaller cavity at the neck end, again leaving a little space.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

Should turkey and stuffing be room temperature before cooking? ›

The stuffing should also be at room temperature. Timing. Stuff your turkey right before it goes into the oven to avoid risk of contamination.

We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).

Does a turkey taste better unstuffed? Yes. Cooking the stuffing inside the bird is supposed to improve the flavor of the stuffing, not the bird. On the other hand, the stuffing doesn't really cook all that well deep inside all of that meat.

No. Always stuff the turkey just before putting it in the oven. You can, however, make the stuffing the night before and refrigerate it until you're ready to roast the turkey. Be sure to let the turkey and the stuffing rest at room temperature one hour before stuffing.

For whole turkeys it is generally not recommended to stuff the cavity of the turkey nowadays, as the extra cooking time required for the stuffing can cause the rest of the turkey to become overcooked and dry. Instead put the stuffing in dish and cook it separately.

Yes, the last thing in your oven should probably be the turkey (unless you're grilling or deep-frying). But any turkey should rest for at least 30 minutes before carving, so take full advantage. Your oven will be free to bake a batch of biscuits, or reheat any oven-baked side dishes that need to be warm before serving.

When roasting, any stuffing placed in the cavity of the bird should read and internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Remove the turkey from the oven when cooking is completed and let stand 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.

You can bake several dishes at once by setting your oven to the average temperature called for across recipes. If, for instance, one dish requires a temperature of 350℉ and another needs to bake at 400℉, set the temperature to 375℉ and keep a close eye on food as it cooks.

The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.