Turducken Recipe
A turducken is a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, with stuffing in between the layers. It makes quite a showstopper at the Thanksgiving table.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 14 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ¾cups bread stuffing (prepared, room temperature; divided)
- 2cups cornbread stuffing (prepared, room temperature; divided)
- ½cup cranberry sauce (whole berry)
- ¼cup pecans (chopped)
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick, room temperature)
- 3cloves garlic (quartered)
- 6fresh sage leaves
- 2tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1(10- to 12-pound) turkey (deboned)
- 1tablespoon browning sauce (such as Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet)
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
- 1(4- to 5-pound) duck (deboned)
- 1(3- to 4-pound) chicken (deboned)
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
Place 2 1/4 cups of the bread stuffing in a bowl. Place 1 1/2 cups of the cornbread stuffing in another bowl.Step 3
Place the remaining 1/2 cup of bread stuffing in a third bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup of the cornbread stuffing. Add the whole berry cranberry sauce and pecans and toss gently to combine. You should now have 3 separate bowls of stuffings.Step 4
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the butter, garlic, sage, and thyme until the herbs are finely chopped.Step 5
Gently run your hand under the turkey skin to make sort of a pocket, but do not separate the skin completely from the meat. Distribute the herb butter mixture evenly under the skin.Step 6
Rub the skin with the browning sauce, then the olive oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.Step 7
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Flip the deboned turkey over so it is open and skin-side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread bread stuffing evenly over the turkey cavity.Step 8
Place the duck on top of the bread stuffing, skin-side down. Spread the cranberry nut stuffing on top of the open duck cavity.Step 9
Top with the chicken, skin-side down. Spread cornbread stuffing on top of the open chicken cavity. Skewer the back of the chicken closed.Step 10
Bring up the sides of the duck to cover the chicken. Skewer the back of the duck closed.Step 11
Repeat the process with the turkey.Step 12
Carefully turn the turducken over so it is seam-side down and breast-side up. If possible, remove all skewers except the last one holding the turkey together.Step 13
Place the turducken in a heavy roaster. Roast 3 to 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the very center of the chicken stuffing reaches 165 F. Baste once per hour with pan juices. If turducken begins to get too brown, tent loosely with heavy-duty aluminum foil that has been coated with vegetable spray.Step 14
Let the turducken rest 30 minutes before carving . Slice the turducken across the breast to show off each layer.