Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try.

8 - 15 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER' S LOW FAT) Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven.

Listen for the popping sounds. When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the room, it's done.

Turkey stuffed with black beans and rice. It's been so long since I cooked this (I have converted my kitchen into a shoe closet) but here goes: 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed, cut up one green pepper add these to 2 cups uncooked rice and stuff the bird.

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While Botnst has an interesting take on "doneness" . . . I still can't fathom why American cooks want to fill the cavity with items that are 1) going to increase the mass of the bird, which is going to increase cooking time and potential drying; 2) wicking moisture away from the meat; or 3) increasing the risk of cross contamination.

1&2) that's what the cup of butter is for.

3) no risk if it's up to the proper internal temp.

That said, I don't stuff the turkey. I do, however have a corn bread dressing stuffed turducken.


Cook the bird breast side down for the first 2/3 of cooking time. This allows fats from the lower, dark meat to drain into the upper white meat and the breast sits in the juices. Then flip it over for the final 1/3 to finish cooking and brown the top.

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If the moisture isn't in the meat beforehand . . . that butter is just ending up as an oil slick at the bottom

By the time that stuffing core hits temp, the rest of the bird which is shielding the stuffing will be well on the road to dryness.

Smoke, Fry or my most recent favorite convection.

Because they apparently don't watch as much Alton Brown as you do

I audited some classes at Johnson & Wales when they had a campus in Chas., SC in the early '90s, and they said essentially the same thing. Haven't stuffed one in years and never intend to again. My mother never did, because in VA you make oyster dressing, which wouldn't be conducive to stuffing into a bloody tureen like a turkey

I'm still looking for the T-Rex spray bottle.

I'll be cooking up just a Turkey breast for myself, wife, and sister this T'day.
My days of fat filled stuffings (bacon, butter, etc) ended with a heart attack last fall.
I'd love to make up a nice stovetop or oven dressing that contains minimal fat.
Is anyone going to post actual recipes in this thread?

I could write about a wonderful cheesecake recipe I know, but doing so would make my drools ruin my keyboard.

We already picked up our Turkey and thought we were ready to go. It was a nice Butterball and I just found about a huge recall for Butterball Turkeys. You may want to check yours if you bought one.

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Ok LOL big time!

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My Mrs. makes a really good stuffing from whole wheat bread, chopped apples, raisins, chopped celery, chopped onions and secret seasining. (Salt and pepper, I think). It makes a lovely moist and tastey stuffing.

I think maybe my favorite side dish is cranberry salad.....I like it with nuts in it.

Mashed potatoes and gravey....yummmmm.

Sweet potatoe casserole with pecans and brown sugar.....

Pumpkin pie with whooop cream!

Oh hell, its pretty hard to think of any traditional thanksgiving dishes I don't love!

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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

A low fat "dressing" is pretty much a bread casserole, so it's important to start with really good bread. I'd consider a mix of dark whole wheat bread cubes, mixed with some from a lean french loaf. Saute (in olive oil) chopped onions, carrot and celery, fresh chopped sage, parsley and garlic, moisten with low sodium chicken stock/broth. That would the base.

To the base you can add a meaty type mushroom or whatever type of low fat sausage you find.

Washed Down With A Nice Glass of . . . Tang?

The saving grace was a sublime cranapple dessert. There was a tartness to the apples and sweetness to the cranberries mixed with pecans and syrup in a dish that resembles cobbler filling.

NASA takes special pride in desserts.

"All our desserts are wonderful," Perchonok said.

MIT Alton Browns website has the T rex squirt bottle. Anyways my brine (which is really just Alton Browns brine but altered for my tastes) recipie is 1 gallon chicken broth, 1 cup salt, 1 cup sugar, 3 oranges cut in 1/4s, 2 lemons again 1/4ered, 1 whole large garlic bulb cut in half, 3 sprigs rosemary, 3 sprigs thyme and boil all that together then add 3 lbs ice. Allow to sit for 12-16 hrs and then bake at 350 for what ever the recommened time is for your bird and enjoy. Ohh I also stuff the cavity with sage and onion.