You Should Never Grill A Stuffed Turkey. Here's Why

As a tradition that dates back to ancient Rome, stuffing refers to filling meat with seasonings, spices, and vegetables for a one-dish meal in which both the meat and the veggies benefit. Turkey stuffing is an indispensable Thanksgiving staple that uses different types of bread along with veggies and seasonings for a much heartier dish. However, If you're going to grill your turkey, you should leave the stuffing out of it. In an interview with Tasting Table, Brazilian grill master and private chef Silvio Correa warned us of the perils of grilling a stuffed turkey to taste, texture, and health.

"Grilling a stuffed turkey is not recommended because the stuffing may not reach a safe temperature of 165°F without overcooking the meat," Correa said. "Instead, I suggest cooking the stuffing separately and serving it alongside the turkey for the best results."

Despite stuffing being traditionally cooked inside the turkey, the custom has fallen out of favor due to the risks of foodborne illnesses. An internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit not only indicates that your stuffing is cooked all the way through and safe to eat, but it's also the minimum internal temperature for turkey. To Chef Correa's point, the turkey will reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit and surpass it before the stuffing does, resulting in dry, flavorless meat. If you take the turkey off the grill when the meat is done but the stuffing isn't, the meat will taste good, but your stuffing might make the dinner party sick!

While you should heed Chef Silvio Correa's advice of grilling your turkey and cooking your stuffing separately, you can still grill both dishes. That's the beauty of a grill; it's large enough to cook multiple dishes simultaneously at different temperatures. So, you can grill turkey over the direct heat of a hot 450-degree grill for three hours, while placing your stuffing recipe over indirect heat for the remaining 30 or 40 minutes so both can be ready at the same time. We've got plenty of tips for grilled turkey, from simple rules like oiling the bird to prevent sticking to ambitious prep work like grilling a spatchcocked turkey.   

If you really want to up your stuffing game, you can use the grill to toast the bread you'll add to the stuffing. Grilling bread will ensure a smoky flavor and charred, crispy exterior to pair with a grilled turkey. A smoky flavor would really work with the sweet, spicy, and savory notes in this cornbread and chorizo stuffing with poblano peppers; the grill is a great medium for charring the poblanos, and you can even brown the chorizo over the grill in a cast iron skillet like this Lodge skillet. Wood chips like hickory or maple would bring unique tasting notes to the mix. Maple wood chips would upgrade this sausage and sourdough stuffing recipe.