Stuffing Guidelines

What would a holiday meal be without stuffing, or dressing as some call it?  If you like a generous amount of stuffing, estimate about 1 cup per person.  The stuffing will probably not all fit in the turkey, so place the rest in a buttered casserole dish and dot the top with butter and bake separately in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Simple guidelines to a great stuffing:

Stuffing can be made 1-2 days in advance.  Take stuffing out of the refrigerator an hour before you start roasting the turkey to bring it to room temperature.  Cold stuffing will slow the cooking process.  Make sure to stuff both cavities and use toothpicks to secure skin folds.  Immediately place in oven.  Do not stuff the turkey in advance because bacteria can grow.

Do not overstuff, because stuffing needs room to expand during cooking. 

Stuffing must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165°F to be safe. Check it with an instant-read thermometer inserted all the way into the center of the stuffing.

Remove stuffing immediately after roasting the turkey.  Place in a heat proof-serving dish, and keep warm in a 200-degree oven.

Do not leave stuffing and other leftovers out for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers immediately following the meal to prevent spoilage.