Wait, People Still Cook Stuffing Inside the Bird?

Cooking stuffing in your turkey cuts an awkward holiday dinner short (with salmonella).

Every year in cooking groups, the same conversation pops up: do you call it stuffing or dressing? What’s the difference.

While the general consensus this year was that the names are either regional or interchangeable, there was a vocal minority who dissented.

One poster commented:

Stuffing goes IN the bird. Much more flavorful. That stuff in a separate dish is just bread casserole.

I was honestly surprised to see this. For most of my adult life, cooking stuffing inside the bird was verboten. For a meal that wasn’t going to end in the ER, you always cooked your stuffing outside the bird.

Wait, why?

If this is news to you, you’re probably wondering why the recommendation changed. And when.

While a few people seem to just be getting the memo now, the USDA has recommended cooking your stuffing outside the bird since 1996. That was the year the department sent a strongly worded press release.

They warned that stuffing your bird could lead to serious illness, or even death.