Red, White, and Blue Turducken

Step 1

Step 2

It’s best to prepare each stuffing ahead of time so that they have time to cool before you are ready to assemble your turducken. A basic stuffing recipe is listed below, and it can easily be adapted for any flavor that you choose.

Step 3

Basic Stuffing

Step 4

1 batch of cornbread crumbled (recipe listed below)

Step 5

1/2 cup chopped celery

Step 6

1/2 cup chopped onion

Step 7

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

Step 8

Poultry seasoning, salt and black pepper (add according to taste)

Step 9

Butter or olive oil for sautéing vegetables

Step 10

Chicken broth

Step 11

Sauté celery, onion, and bell pepper until soft. Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add crumbled cornbread to vegetables and mix. Pour chicken broth into mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. Adjust seasoning and cool before stuffing bird.

Step 12

For Cranberry Stuffing

Step 13

Double the recipe and add 2 cups of frozen cranberries (thawed)

Step 14

Pork Stuffing

Step 15

Double the recipe, but substitute 1 loaf of French bread (cubed) for the cornbread. Also, add 1 lb. ground pork or pork sausage (removed from casing) and brown in skillet after vegetables are soft.

Step 16

Blue Cornbread Stuffing

Step 17

Follow the basic recipe and be sure use cornbread made with blue cornmeal.

Step 18

Basic Cornbread Recipe

Step 19

1 cup cornmeal (use yellow for cranberry stuffing and blue for blue cornbread stuffing)

Step 20

1 cup all purpose flour

Step 21

¼ cup sugar

Step 22

1 tablespoon baking powder

Step 23

1 teaspoon salt

Step 24

1 cup milk

Step 25

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Step 26

1 egg

Step 27

In combine all ingredients until blended. Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a 400˚ oven.

Step 28

Assembling the Turducken

Step 29

Begin by placing the turkey skin side down and seasoning it well with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Then spread the cranberry stuffing over the turkey. Next, place the duck on top of the cranberry stuffing and spread the pork stuffing over it. You will then place the chicken on top of the pork stuffing and add the blue cornbread stuffing. Each stuffing layer should be approximately ½ inch thick. Any leftover stuffing can be placed in casserole dishes and baked at 350˚F for approximately 30 minutes.

Step 30

Once you’ve stuffed each bird, fold the sides of the turkey together to close the bird. Enlist someone to help hold the turkey closed as you begin to sew up the opening. The stitches should be spaced about 1 inch apart. You finish sewing the Turducken tie the legs together, just above the tip bones. Be sure to place the Turducken breast side up while cooking.

Step 31

Once the turducken is assembled, place the turducken on aluminum foil or in an aluminum pan, and then cook on a 350˚F grill or smoker. Alternatively, you can place the turducken in a large roasting pan and cook in a 325˚F preheated oven.

Step 32

Regardless of which method you choose to use you should cook the bird until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest area on the bundle reaches an internal temperature reaches 180 ˚F (165 ˚F is the minimum temperature for cooking poultry, but 180 ˚F will ensure that the turducken is fully cooked all the way through). The USDA recommends that a stuffed turkey of this size will generally take 4 ½ to 5 ½ hours to cook, but your best bet is to rely on the meat thermometer.

Step 33

If you find that all the preparation needed to make your own turducken is a bit overwhelming, consider purchasing a ready made turducken from CajunGrocer at http://www.cajungrocer.com. The CajunGrocer Turducken is a favorite amongst Louisianan’s, and it was voted best turducken by The Wall Street Journal and was featured on The Food TV Network. Although the red, white and blue themed Turducken is not yet available for purchase, your guests will enjoy any of the available varieties of this delicious stuffed dish.