Precooked Turkey Stuffings Recipes | Safe Alternatives | Cajun Boudin Stuffing vs. Dirty Rice Stuffing

Is Your Turkey Dressing Safe?

Each year thousands of Americans get food poisoning around the holidays because the Thanksgiving or Christmas turkeys were not safely prepared and cooked correctly. The same thing applies to turkey dressings.

It takes more heat to penetrate the inside cavity of a large bird. By stuffing its cavity with raw foods you are inviting a potential disaster for you, your family and guests. Salmonella is hideous and can even kill by attacking the weakened immune systems of the very young and elderly.

To be truly safe is to maintain a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F. throughout the bird--especially the dressing when turkey giblets are used in the recipe.

On the other hand, when you stuff your turkey with safe alternatives (delicious ones) you diminish the risk of food poisoning. Here are a few alternatives which are safe to use as turkey stuffing because they are all already precooked.

Cajun Boudin Stuffing

Below are a few boudin recipes (pork and chicken) which call for 'casing' so it can be made into sausages. Just omit the part about making them into sausages and use the boudin as a stuffing instead. Everything is precooked.

Can I freeze the stuffing until I am ready to stuff the bird, you ask? 

Sure you can. Just let it thaw in the refrigerator and not out in the open. If you prefer not to stuff the turkey, you can always heat-up the Cajun dressings in the microwave oven before serving.

The following links will take you to some delicious and safe turkey stuffing recipes.

1. Secret Chicken Boudin Recipe (3-part video)
2. Boudain (a/k/s Boudin) Balls
3. Pork Boudin (3-part video)

Cajun Rice Stuffing

1. Gaspard's Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe (video)
2. Cajun Dirty Rice (Rice Dressing)  

Cornbread Stuffing 

1. 3-Meat Cornbread Dressing

I sincerely hope that you got a few good ideas from these popular Cajun recipes. Whatever you decide, remember--safety first. 

Here is wishing that you and yours have a great and wonderful holiday season. God bless.

You can learn more about making your holiday foods more safe by visiting "Environment, Health and Safety Online".

Also, check out this excellent resource that will put your next Thanksgiving celebration on the right track. Click Here!

Bon Appetit!
KT