Stuffing Questions
When and how do I stuff the Chef's Pride turkey?
Always stuff just prior to placing the turkey in the oven, never in advance. Mix the stuffing ingredients together just before you're ready to stuff the turkey. Loosely spoon the stuffing ingredients into the cavity, allowing about ¾ cup per pound. Don't over pack. A 10-pound turkey should hold approximately 7 cups of stuffing.
Are Chef's Pride turkeys free of hormones and antibiotics?
All Chef’s Pride turkeys are USDA Grade A inspected. Chef’s Pride turkeys contain no growth hormones or antibiotics. It is unlawful to feed or inject any type of hormone or antibiotic to a Grade A poultry product per Federal Regulations.
Chef’s Pride processed turkeys are then flash-frozen and packaged in a Pereflex shrink bag designed for the protection and preservation of frozen turkey products. The Pereflex bag meets the requirements for food contact material under the appropriate Food Additive Regulations.
What ingredients will I need for basic stuffing recipes?
Chopped vegetables such as celery, onions and carrots. Dried spices such as sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Liquid such as canned chicken, turkey or vegetable broth. Unsliced day old bread that has been cubed and dried. Occasionally a binding agent such as egg whites or whole eggs are used to bind the stuffing together.
How do I make stuffing?
Use day old unsliced white bread, a loaf or baguette of French bread, crumbled corn bread or even whole wheat bread. Some people prefer a mixture of breads. Generally, a 1 pound loaf will yield about 10-12 cups of bread cubes.
Cut the bread into ½ to 1 inch cubes. Spread the cubes out on a baking sheet and leave to dry, uncovered overnight. Alternatively you may dry the bread cubes in the oven at a low temperature (about 200°F) for about an hour. Dry bread soaks up moisture and makes a moist but not mushy stuffing.
Sauté the vegetables in butter. Then add spices and other seasonings of your choice. Continue to sauté until the vegetables are tender. Add the liquid and simmer about 10 more minutes. (For 10 cups of bread cubes, you will need 1 - 1 ½ cups of liquid). Place dried bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread. Mix to soften and penetrate the bread, but do not over mix. Check for flavor and adjust to seasonings to taste.
