Foodborne illness isn’t the only reason to skip stuffing your turkey this Thanksgiving. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released yet another statement warning the public that stuffing your Thanksgiving bird can lead to bacteria growth (which can result in food-borne illness), the USDA isn’t completely against the idea and still provides a few steps on how to safely stuff the bird. Nevertheless, there’s another major reason to completely avoid stuffing the cavity and cook it in a casserole dish instead.
According to multiple chefs, not only does stuffing a bird increase the risk of foodborne illness, but also stuffing the cavity of your turkey can result in an unevenly cooked bird.
“It takes longer for the turkey to cook because of the elements on the inside of the turkey,” says Chef Bill Hazel, Owner of Bill’s Grill. “The internal temp of the turkey doesn’t reach the proper temperature.”
Because the bird is stuffed, this can cause an uneven roast and can result in an undercooked or overcooked bird, which can mess up that perfectly timed Thanksgiving cooking schedule.
