Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

www.fsis.usda.gov

Turkey Basics: Stuffing

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 provider and employer.

 Reviewed September 2011

PhotoDisc

Food Thermometer 

Essential When Stuffing a 

Turkey

 For optimal safety and uniform 

doneness, cook stuffing separately. 

However, if stuffing a turkey, it’s 

essential to use a food thermometer 

to make sure the center of the 

stuffing reaches a safe minimum 

internal temperature of 165 °F.

 Cooking a home-stuffed turkey 

is somewhat riskier than cooking 

one not stuffed. Even if the turkey 

has reached the safe minimum 

internal temperature of 165 °F as 

measured in the innermost part of 

the thigh, the wing and the thickest 

part of the breast, the stuffing may 

not have reached a temperature 

high enough to destroy bacteria 

that may be present. 

 Bacteria can survive in stuffing 

that has not reached 165 °F, 

possibly resulting in foodborne 

illness. 

Frozen Turkeys Stuffed 

at the Plant Under USDA 

Inspection

 The USDA does not recommend 

buying retail-stuffed, uncooked 

turkeys from a store or restaurant.

 However, some turkeys 

purchased frozen have been stuffed 

at a plant under USDA inspection. 

These turkeys are safe when cooked 

from the frozen state as per the 

manufacturer’s package directions.

1. Prepare Stuffing Safely

 If you plan to prepare stuffing 

using raw meat, poultry, or 

shellfish, you should cook these 

ingredients before stuffing the 

turkey to reduce the risk of 

foodborne illness from bacteria that 

may be found in raw ingredients. 

The wet ingredients for stuffing 

can be prepared ahead of time and 

refrigerated. However, do not mix 

wet and dry ingredients until just 

before spooning the stuffing mixture 

into the turkey cavity. 

 If stuffing is prepared ahead 

of time, it must be cooked 

immediately and refrigerated in 

shallow containers. Do not stuff 

whole poultry with cooked stuffing.

2. Stuff Loosely

 Do not cool the stuffing. Spoon 

it directly into the turkey cavity 

right after preparation. Stuff the 

turkey loosely – about 3/4 cup of 

stuffing per pound. The stuffing 

should be moist, not dry, because 

heat destroys bacteria more rapidly 

in a moist environment.

 Do not stuff turkeys to 

be grilled, smoked, fried, or 

microwaved.

3. Cook Immediately

 Immediately place the stuffed, 

raw turkey in an oven set no lower 

than 325 °F.

4. Use a Food 

Thermometer

For safety and doneness, check 

the internal temperature of the 

turkey and stuffing with a food 

thermometer. 

 If the temperature of the turkey 

and the center of the stuffing 

have not reached a safe minimum 

internal temperature of 165 °F, 

further cooking will be required. 

Do not remove the stuffing from 

the turkey before it reaches 165 °F 

because the undercooked stuffing 

could contaminate the cooked meat. 

 Continue to cook the turkey until 

the stuffing is safely cooked. 

5. Let It Rest

 Let the cooked turkey stand 

20 minutes before removing the 

stuffing and carving.

6. Refrigerate Promptly

 Refrigerate the cooked turkey 

and stuffing within 2 hours after 

cooking. Place leftovers in shallow 

containers and use within 3 to 4 

days. Reheat leftovers to a safe 

minimum internal temperature of 

165 oF. 

 

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purposes. However, the included image from PhotoDisc, used under license, is 

protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere, and may not be 

saved or downloaded except for printing of this publication.

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to 4 p.m. ET (English or Spanish). Recorded food 

safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

For automated 

responses via the 

Internet 24 hours 

a day and a live 

chat during 

Hotline hours.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline AskKaren.gov

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