Cajun Style Turducken

How to make a Turducken! If you're looking for a truly delectable dish to serve at your next party or family gathering then consider preparing a turducken for your friends and family. A turducken is simply a turkey that is stuffed with a duck that is stuffed with a chicken, and layers of flavorful dressings and stuffings. In the last few years, the turducken has become a popular main course for both Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals. Regardless of the occasion you're celebrating, this twist on a traditional roasted turkey is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Follow the recipe below to prepare a turducken of your own at home.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (20 to 25-pound) whole turkey, deboned with wings and legs still intact.
1 (5 to 6-pound) whole duckling, deboned
1 (3 to 4-pound) whole chicken, deboned
Poultry seasoning blend

Cornbread Stuffing:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups cornbread (crumbled)
1/2 pound chopped chicken livers
1/2 pound chopped chicken gizzards
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
Poultry seasoning, salt and black pepper (add according to taste)
Butter or olive oil for sautéing vegetables
Chicken broth

Cajun Rice Dressing:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
4 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups beef broth
Salt and black pepper (to suit taste)

Shrimp Stuffing:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups cooked rice
2 pounds chopped shrimp (raw)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
Salt and black pepper (to suit taste)
Dash of red (cayenne) pepper

Kitchen string Cotton thread and a large needle

Cooking Directions:

1. Have the birds deboned by your butcher to save yourself quite a bit of time, but if you're a particularly adventurous cook you can do it yourself. Just be sure to keep the wings and legs on the turkey, that way the finished turducken will still look like a turkey.
2. It's best to prepare each stuffing ahead of time so that they have time to cool before you are ready to assemble your turducken. A basic stuffing recipe is listed below, and it can easily be adapted for any flavor that you choose.
3. Assembling the Turducken: Begin by placing the turkey skin side down and seasoning it well with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Then spread the cornbread stuffing over the turkey. Next, place the duck on top of the cornbread stuffing and spread the Cajun rice dressing over it. You will then place the chicken on top of the Cajun rice dressing and add the shrimp stuffing. Each stuffing layer should be approximately 1/2 inch thick. Any leftover stuffing can be placed in casserole dishes and baked at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 30 minutes.
4. Once you've stuffed each bird, fold the sides of the turkey together to close the bird. Enlist someone to help hold the turkey closed as you begin to sew up the opening. The stitches should be spaced about 1 inch apart. You finish sewing the Turducken tie the legs together, just above the tip bones. Be sure to place the Turducken breast side up while cooking.
5. Once the turducken is assembled, place the turducken in a large roasting pan and cook in a 325°F (160°C) preheated oven. Alternatively, you can place the turducken on aluminum foil or in an aluminum pan, and then cook on a 350°F (175°C) grill or smoker.
6. Regardless of which method you choose to use you should cook the bird until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest area on the bundle reaches an internal temperature reaches 180°F (85°C)* . The USDA recommends that a stuffed turkey of this size will generally take 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours to cook, but your best bet is to rely on the meat thermometer.
7. For Cornbread Stuffing: Brown chopped chicken livers and gizzards over medium heat in cooking oil. Add celery, onion, and bell pepper cook until soft. Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add crumbled cornbread to vegetables and meat. Pour chicken broth into mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. Adjust seasoning and cool before stuffing bird.
8. For Cajun Rice Dressing: Brown ground beef over medium heat in cooking oil. Add celery, onion, bell pepper and garlic cook until soft. Season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Add the cream of mushroom soup to the pot and heat through. Mix cooked rice with beef and vegetables. Pour beef broth into mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. Adjust seasoning and cool before stuffing bird.
9. For Shrimp Stuffing: Sauté celery, onion, and bell pepper until soft. Pour in diced tomatoes. Add chopped shrimp, cook until slightly pink. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Combine with cooked rice. Add a little water if stuffing seems dry. Adjust seasoning and cool before stuffing bird.

Makes 24 servings.

*165°F (75°C) is the minimum temperature for cooking poultry, but 180°F (85°C) will ensure that the turducken is fully cooked all the way through.

Authentic Turducken recipe and photograph compliments of CajunGrocer.com.