How to cook stuffing in the oven: In the bird vs. out

 

 There is indeed a lot of debate about whether or not to stuff a turkey for adamant cooks on both sides of the aisle. The fact is, it's okay to prepare stuffing inside the bird as long as you meet those basic protection guidelines. It's true the turkey juices produce a more moist, succulent stuffing, but they don't have to produce a tasty result. If you do the bird stuff, follow some basic measures to ensure food safety.

 

Heat the stuffing in the oven or get the pipe heated on the stove right before filling the turkey cavity. Using your thermometer and get it as close to 165 ° F as you can before joining the egg. The temperature decreases a little as soon as it's inside, but it would take less time to get back to 165 ° F than if you used cooler or room temperature packing. (The USDA advises that this temperature be achieved in order to eliminate any unhealthy bacteria.) Also, if you cover the cavity with very hot stuffing, the heat will make the turkey start cooking a little faster from the inside out. Stuff the bird right before you put it in the oven.

Don't pack the stuffing into the cavity densely. The mixture is going to expand a bit as it heats, because you want the hot air from the oven to enter.