Tasty Turducken: Recipe and Coupons

Legend has it that celebrity Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme created the Turducken dish for a 1983 festival in Duvall, Wash. However the truth, according to National Geographic, is that Turducken was created in November 2005 by Herbert's Specialty Meats of Maurice, Louisiana as a way to sell more meat. 

Whatever it's origin, the Turducken has grown in popularity for cooks looking for something a bit different than the standard Thanksgiving Day turkey. The basic recipe requires partially de-boning a turkey and stuffing it with a de-boned duck, which in turn is stuffed with a small de -boned chicken. Fill the chicken's thoracic cavity and the gaps between each bird with a highly seasoned breadcrumb mixture or sausage meat. The result is a solidly layered dish suitable for braising, roasting, grilling or barbecuing.

The following recipe provides step-by-step instructions to wow your family and friends on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients / Coupons:

• 10-12 lb Turkey (de-boned except wings and legs)
• 5-6 lb Duck (completely de-boned)
• 3-4 lb Chicken (completely de-boned)
• 10 cups bread cubed (and dried out)
• 3/4 cup butter melted
• 1.5 cups minced onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 2.5 tsp ground sage
• 6 ounces canned mandarin orange sections (drained)
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 3 tbs cranberry orange relish or whole cranberry sauce
• 1 package cornbread stuffing mix
• 1/2 tsp dried poultry seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Process:

1. Gather all ingredients, I recommend having your butcher de-bone the meat to save time.
2. Lay out the turkey and rub the skin with olive oil until covered, salt and pepper the skin to taste.
3. Combine in a large bowl 6 cups cubed bread, 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, 1/2 cup minced onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tsp sage, and 1 cup chicken broth. Toss together until all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
4. Lay the turkey skin side down; spread the mixture on the inside of the turkey until the center is covered with a thin layer. Make sure you cover a large enough area for the duck.
5. Place the duck on top of the stuffing mixture skin side down.
6. In a bowl combine 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup butter melted, 4 cups cubed bread, 6 ounces mandarin oranges, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp celery salt, 3 tbs cranberry orange relish/ whole cranberry sauce.
7. Spread the mixture on the inside of the duck.
8. Place the chicken skin side down on top of the mixture.
9. In a bowl combine 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 package corn bread stuffing mix, 1/2 tsp dried poultry seasoning, 1/2 tsp dried sage, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/5 cups chicken broth.
10. Spread the mixture over the inside of the chicken.
11. Tie the entire combination together so the turkey is the outer covering.
12. Cook at 350 until all layers are cooked through, may take over 4 hours depending on the sizes of the birds.
13. Enjoy

Photos by: Trevor H, morganglines, AdamSelwood, cfarivar, Katz Family