THE TURDUCKEN: BONELESS TURKEY STUFFED WITH A BONELESS DUCK AND BONELESS CHICKEN "ONE BIG BIRD"

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The Turducken: Boneless Turkey Stuffed with a Boneless Duck and Boneless Chicken

Roasting time for The Turducken is 12 hours and preparation time is 5 to 6 hours...adding music and your favorite beverage will help!

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 18h

Yield 20 to 25 servings

Number Of Ingredients 30

3 pounds coarsely ground pork
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch chili pepper flakes
Pinch ground mace
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch ground bay leaf
Pinch ground sage
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
3 teaspoons bacon fat
1/2 pound butter
4 pounds frozen chopped spinach, thaw and remove excess liquid or 3 pounds freshly chopped spinach
2 cups sauteed onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
One 6-pound fresh whole duck
One 4-pound fresh whole chicken
1 cup olive oil, divided
About 5 tablespoons blackening spice, divided
One 25-pound fresh whole turkey
2 tablespoons freshly chopped garlic
5 pounds favorite cornbread dressing
3 whole roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 quarts of your favorite turkey gravy

Steps:

  • For the andouille sausage stuffing: In a large bowl, mix the pork, liquid smoke, garlic, salt paprika, black pepper, chili pepper flakes, mace, allspice, ground bay leaves, sage and cayenne pepper, if using, with some cold water. In a pan or on a flat-top, brown off the sausage mixture in about 3 teaspoons of bacon fat for flavor. Once the sausage mixture is browned, chill immediately.
  • For the Spinach stuffing: Melt the butter in large skillet. Add the spinach, onion, fennel seed, salt and white pepper and saute for 5 minutes until hot. Set aside to cool.
  • Preparation of the duck and chicken: It is wise to de-bone the duck and chicken first for practice. Place the fresh chicken breast-side down on large cutting board. Starting at the bird's neck, you will cut through the skin along the length of the spine. Using the tip of the knife and starting from the neck end, separate the meat from the rib cage on 1 side. Disjoint the wing from the shoulder blade and reserve for stock. Work towards the thigh bone, cut through the ball and socket joint and "pop" loose using upward pressure with your hand from under the bird. Using your thumbnail, loosen the "oyster meat" (the most tender part) from the frame. With the knife, remove the thigh and leg bone, but keep the leg attached to the bird. Repeat the process on other side of chicken. When both sides are finished, the bird will lay flat. Grab rib cage by the neck area and gently pull towards back to remove the entire carcass and breast bone cartilage. Repeat the same de-boning procedure for the duck. In a well ventilated area or with an exhaust fan on high, preheat a large cast-iron pan to very hot. Rub the boneless chicken and duck with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with blackening spice on both sides. Place skin-side down in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes then turn over and repeat. Refrigerate.
  • De-bone the turkey using the same procedure as the chicken and duck with 2 exceptions: The turkey wings should be left attached to the meat and the bone-in drumstick should be disjointed from the boneless thigh meat and left attached to the meat. The final product should be a flat boneless turkey (except for the wings and drumsticks).
  • To stuff the turducken: Place the turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Rub the meat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon blackening spice. Spread an even layer of cornbread dressing over the meat about 3/4 inch thick and pat down with hands. Spread 1/4-inch layer of spinach stuffing. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the andouille sausage stuffing. On top, place 6 to 8 slices of roasted red bell peppers. Place the chilled duck, skin-side down, on top of layered stuffing. Repeat the layered stuffing as above. Arrange the chilled chicken, skin-side down, on top of the stuffed duck. Spread the remainder of the stuffing on top of chicken. Press down gently with hands to compact all ingredients.
  • To truss the turducken: This may take another person's help. Lift the sides of the turkey together. Have a helper hold the bird closed while sewing the back of the turkey together using butcher's twine, making the stitches about 1 inch apart, starting at the back of turkey and working towards the neck. Be careful since the Turducken has no boney frame. Roll over breast-side-up and finish sewing the neck portion of bird. Tie off and cut twine. Now sew up the opening at the leg section of turkey. Truss the legs together with twine. For extra support, tie butcher's twine around the bird's width every 3 inches down along the bird's length. Position your hands evenly under the turducken and lift into a large roasting pan with rack inside. The pan should be at least 3-inches deep to catch drippings during cooking. Rub the entire exposed skin of the bird with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of blackening spice and salt. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Wrap the drumsticks with aluminum foil. Place parchment paper over the entire bird. Loosely tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 200 degrees F for 12 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove all foil and parchment paper the last hour of roasting time and turn up temperature to 325 degrees F. Baste with the drippings. When done, remove from the oven and let set in the roasting pan for at least 1 hour. With 2 heavy duty spatulas, insert underneath and remove the turducken from the rack to place on carving platter. Remove all butcher twine, including pulling out the portion along the spine. To serve, cut the turducken in half lengthwise, then cut servings crosswise in approximately 1-inch thicknesses. Serve with gravy and enjoy.

Belinda Cruz
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The turducken was a bit too complicated to make. I think I would have preferred a simpler recipe.


Adeel Boby
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I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who is looking for a unique and delicious dish to serve at their next special occasion dinner.


Alexander Startflow
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The turducken was cooked perfectly. The meat was moist and juicy, and the skin was crispy. The gravy was also delicious.


Faila Mbuto
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The turducken was a bit too expensive for my taste. I think I would have preferred to just buy a regular turkey and duck separately.


Anita Sarker
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I've made turducken several times now, and I've never been disappointed. It's always a crowd-pleaser, and it's a great way to show off your culinary skills.


Zacharion Mack
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The turducken was a bit too salty for my taste. I think I would have preferred it if the recipe had called for less salt.


humayoun kabir
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I'm so glad I tried this recipe. The turducken was absolutely delicious. I'll definitely be making it again for our next special occasion dinner.


md shuvo
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The turducken was a bit dry, but the gravy helped to make it more moist. Overall, it was a good dish, but not amazing.


Tei Esther
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I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The turducken was just okay. I've had better turkey and duck separately.


Eva Ali pradhan
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The turducken was a lot of work, but it was worth it. It was a huge hit at our party, and everyone raved about how delicious it was.


Peter Crouch
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I've never had turducken before, but I'm definitely a fan now. It's a unique and delicious dish that's perfect for a special occasion.


Haider alu
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The turducken was a bit too rich for my taste. I think I would have preferred it if it had been made with just chicken and duck.


Udoka Victoria Victoria
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I'm not a fan of dark meat, so I was worried that I wouldn't like the turducken. But I was pleasantly surprised! The dark meat was moist and flavorful, and it paired perfectly with the white meat.


Sheila Mims
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The turducken was a beautiful centerpiece for our Christmas dinner. It was cooked perfectly, and the gravy was delicious.


tsend ayush
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This was my first time making turducken, and it was easier than I thought it would be. The hardest part was finding a butcher who could bone the birds for me.


Metilda Botha
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I followed the recipe exactly, but my turducken didn't turn out as well as I hoped. The chicken was overcooked, and the duck was undercooked.


Helena Gado
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The turducken was a bit dry, and the flavors didn't really blend well together.


Sylvia Raseck
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I've made turducken twice now, and it's always been a success. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it for the wow factor.


sana kamal
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The turducken was a huge hit at our Thanksgiving dinner! It was so moist and flavorful, and the combination of turkey, duck, and chicken was amazing.