Consumers across the island of Ireland will be delighted to hear that new guidelines on cooking the perfect Christmas turkey reveal that it’s safe to stuff the cavity. The new advice comes from unique new research, commissioned by safefood to reveal the best cooking times for the safest and tastiest turkey!
Dr. Thomas Quigley, Director, Food Science, safefood said, “Our previous advice recommended not to stuff the turkey cavity, but we also know that many people like to do so. Our new research looked at finding the safest cooking times for stuffed turkeys without compromising on taste and has found that it’s safe to stuff provided that additional cooking time is built in”.
safefood guidance is based on cooking a turkey in a fan assisted oven using a breadcrumb stuffing. Previous safefood consumer research revealed that 6 in 10 people stuff the turkey cavity and almost a quarter (23%) stuff the neck. Just 18% cook the stuffing outside the turkey.
“This research is the first of its kind on the island into cooking stuffed turkeys in fan assisted ovens. Given their popularity and their quicker cooking times, and that we know so many people like to stuff their turkey, it is reassuring that by using our recommended cooking times, it’s possible to produce a safe and tasty stuffed turkey”, continued Dr. Quigley.
The new research also revealed that the ideal cooking times to produce the tastiest turkey are different depending on the turkey’s weight and whether it’s stuffed in the neck, cavity or not stuffed at all. When stuffing a turkey, it is important to remember that the safefood cooking times are based on the combined weight of turkey and stuffing.
Dr. Thomas Quigley, Director, Food Science, safefood said, “Our previous advice recommended not to stuff the turkey cavity, but we also know that many people like to do so. Our new research looked at finding the safest cooking times for stuffed turkeys without compromising on taste and has found that it’s safe to stuff provided that additional cooking time is built in”.
safefood guidance is based on cooking a turkey in a fan assisted oven using a breadcrumb stuffing. Previous safefood consumer research revealed that 6 in 10 people stuff the turkey cavity and almost a quarter (23%) stuff the neck. Just 18% cook the stuffing outside the turkey.
“This research is the first of its kind on the island into cooking stuffed turkeys in fan assisted ovens. Given their popularity and their quicker cooking times, and that we know so many people like to stuff their turkey, it is reassuring that by using our recommended cooking times, it’s possible to produce a safe and tasty stuffed turkey”, continued Dr. Quigley.
The new research also revealed that the ideal cooking times to produce the tastiest turkey are different depending on the turkey’s weight and whether it’s stuffed in the neck, cavity or not stuffed at all. When stuffing a turkey, it is important to remember that the safefood cooking times are based on the combined weight of turkey and stuffing.
