Turducken: Exotic Holiday Dish Requires Special Safety Precautions | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog
Home / Blog / Turducken: Exotic Holiday Dish Requires Special Safety Precautions | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog
Turducken — a layered poultry dish made popular in Louisiana and often served during the holidays — is a deboned stuffed chicken inside a deboned stuffed duck inside a deboned stuffed turkey. Though the finished product closely resembles a whole turkey, it poses more health threats than typical poultry dishes. Safe steps in handling, cooking and storage are important to prevent foodborne illness when preparing a turducken. If you plan to include one in your holiday festivities, take steps to protect your health, and familiarize yourself with the following safety tips, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
“Safe Handling of Turducken Ingredients
When creating a turducken at home, bring the raw birds directly home from the store and refrigerate (40 °F or below) immediately—within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
Make sure the raw poultry is wrapped securely and place it on a plate or casserole dish to prevent cross-contamination, or raw juices getting onto ready-to-eat food.
Store the raw turkey, duck, and chicken no longer than 2 days before deboning, assembling and cooking.
If the turducken has been purchased through mail order, make sure it arrives frozen with a cold source in an insulated carton. Transfer it immediately to the freezer. If the turducken arrives warm, notify the company. Do not use the product.
Creating a Turducken
Before and after handling any raw meat or poultry, always wash hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds.
While handling and deboning the three birds, keep the raw poultry and their juices away from other food.
Make the stuffing immediately before assembling the turducken.
Make sure the birds and stuffing are not out of the refrigerator in the “Danger Zone”—between 40 and 140 °F—more than 2 hours while assembling the turducken.
Pack the stuffing loosely, not too tightly, to promote efficient heat transfer during cooking.
After cutting raw poultry, wash cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water.
After washing, you may choose to sanitize cutting boards by using a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water.
Another good and easy way to wash the cutting board is to run it through the dishwasher after use. Non-porous acrylic, plastic, glass and solid wood boards can be washed in a dishwasher (laminated boards may crack and split).
Roasting the Turducken and Handling Leftovers
For home-prepared turducken, roast immediately after assembly.
Roast the turducken in an oven set no lower than 325 °F.
When roasting a purchased USDA-inspected turducken, follow the package directions.
When roasting a purchased frozen turducken without package directions, cook from the frozen state in an oven set no lower than 325 °F to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F to ensure a safely cooked product.
Use a food thermometer to ensure that all layers of the turducken and stuffing reach a minimum safe internal temperature of 165 °F. The thermometer should be placed at the center of the thickest part of the turducken to determine the safe internal temperature.
Slice and serve the cooked turducken within 2 hours after cooking. If it is not intended to be served within 2 hours then slice and cut in smaller portions before putting in the refrigerator to cool fast. A whole cooked turducken may not cool to a safe temperature within the time needed to prevent bacterial growth.
After slicing and serving the turducken, refrigerate any leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking. Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
Use the leftovers within 3 to 4 days after cooking or freeze for longer storage.”
