Stuffing, fillers and dressings....Awesome!

It has been a tradition to stuff animal cavities, under the skin, in the snout, in every way possible for a 1,000 or more years. The flavor transformation is remarkable.

Traditionally fruits, vegetables and starches were used, but modern cuisine has also now added seafood products, cured meats and the latest fusion cooking - such as this basic Peruvian style, fruit, chorizo and rice stuffing.

 

 

A word of caution:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that cooking animals with a body cavity filled with stuffing can present potential food safety issues. These can occur because when the meat reaches a safe temperature, the stuffing inside can still harbor bacteria (and if the meat is cooked until the stuffing reaches a safe temperature, the meat may be overcooked).

For turkeys, for instance, the USDA recommends cooking stuffing/dressing separately from the bird and not buying pre-stuffed birds. (Stuffing is never recommended for turkeys to be fried, grilled, microwaved, or smoked).