You are encouraged not to cook your stuffing inside the turkey because of?

Answer 1

Food safety. Raw turkey juices are penetrating into the stuffing. The stuffing does not heat up as quickly as the rest of the turkey (due to it being on the inside) which can create a great bacteria growing ground (food, a bit of heat and moisture). If the stuffing doesn't reach a high enough temperature to kill the bacteria, you may give your family & friends a food-borne illness (ie. salmonella, etc). Another thing that can happen is the bacteria (before it dies) can produce toxins and then you may poison your guests. Although countless people do cook stuffing in their turkeys and majority don't get sick, you are risking illness and possibly death for your guests. It is especially dangerous for young children, infants, elderly, women who are pregnant and anybody who has a compromised immune system. For these groups less bacteria and toxin is needed to make them ill and/or the results of getting sick from these is more serious. So, for example, with a pregnant woman a smaller amount can cause damage to the fetus (it could even cause the fetus to abort). Food safety. Raw turkey juices are penetrating into the stuffing. The stuffing does not heat up as quickly as the rest of the turkey (due to it being on the inside) which can create a great bacteria growing ground (food, a bit of heat and moisture). If the stuffing doesn't reach a high enough temperature to kill the bacteria, you may give your family & friends a food-borne illness (ie. salmonella, etc). Another thing that can happen is the bacteria (before it dies) can produce toxins and then you may poison your guests. Although countless people do cook stuffing in their turkeys and majority don't get sick, you are risking illness and possibly death for your guests. It is especially dangerous for young children, infants, elderly, women who are pregnant and anybody who has a compromised immune system. For these groups less bacteria and toxin is needed to make them ill and/or the results of getting sick from these is more serious. So, for example, with a pregnant woman a smaller amount can cause damage to the fetus (it could even cause the fetus to abort).