Member-only story
Basic Stuffing Recipe for the Slow Cooker
Holiday Dressing Is Easily Prepared in a Crock-Pot
I originally published this post and recipe on the Suite 101 platform where it was my most popular post of the 50 or so I created there. With the demise of the platform and with the pending US Thanksgiving holiday, some readers might like a reposting of the article. I have updated some links.
With safety concerns for stuffing a turkey, cooks need a safe way to prepare stuffing. The slow cooker ensures that stuffing or dressing will be ready and tasty just before the turkey or goose is ready for carving.
Safety
The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service suggests that stuffing be prepared outside of the bird. Bacteria can be transmitted via the stuffing if the bird is not cooked properly. The internal temperature of stuffing whether cooked in the turkey or in a separate casserole or slow cooker should be at least 165 degrees. This is because the stuffing may not reach the same temperature as the turkey; thus, a properly cooked bird may have stuffing that has not reached a temperature sufficient to kill all the bacteria. A good alternative is to cook the stuffing separately using a slow cooker.
