When you combine the flavors of smoked turkey with the Cajun Holy Trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers, along with the smoky, spicy Andouille sausage, you have a delicious meal. I have made this for Thanksgiving and Christmas too.
Although not traditional Louisiana fare, this recipe for spicy Andouille sausage stuffing with shrimp and brined and smoked turkey has Cajun flavors. Back in the 1980s, I created this stuffing for the Great American Seafood Festival at our Lehr’s Greenhouse Restaurants in San Francisco and San Diego. It has been one of our family favorites ever since. This also pairs very well with the Bourbon Cranberry Sauce and the Yams with Bourbon and Pecan Crust that I’ve included at the bottom of the page. Make your favorite pumpkin and pecan pie, very nice!.
Brown the Andouille sausage in olive oil in a sizable sauté pan. Once browned, add the onions and sauté them until they become transparent, lowering the heat to medium. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes, followed by the bell peppers and celery. Increase the heat and sauté the vegetables until they start to soften. Add the Cajun spice and white wine. Cook for another few minutes. Turn the heat off and allow to cool down.
* Optional step, shrimp stock. Put the shrimp shells, onion peels, and ends in a small pot. Then, pour in two cups of chicken or turkey stock. Cook for 5 minutes and strain. Use this as the alternate for the regular turkey stock.
Stir together the bread cubes and parsley with the veggie and sausage mixture. Pour the stock over to moisten. Please note that the bread shouldn’t be overly wet; if it isn’t very dry, reduce the stock. Add the raw shrimp to the mix.
* Note – Cornbread option: This dish tastes great when made with cornbread, as I used to do. Because it was difficult to find regular corn meal while we were living in Mexico, we ended up making the cornbread with baguettes instead. Substitute the cornbread for the baguette. To prevent the corn bread from becoming overly gummy, reduce the stock.
Absolutely! Smoking a turkey with stuffing is a delicious and convenient way to prepare a show-stopping Thanksgiving meal. The stuffing cooks inside the turkey, absorbing its flavorful juices and creating a moist and flavorful dish.
How to Stuff a Smoked Turkey
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to stuff a smoked turkey:
Ingredients:
- 15-pound whole turkey
- 1 cup Kosmo’s Turkey Brine
- 1 gallon water
- Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
- Swine Life Miss Grind Rub
- 14 oz Pepperidge Farm Seasoned Bread Cubes
- 1 lb country sausage (browned and drained)
- 22 oz chicken broth
- 1 cup Granny Smith apple (chopped)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 stick butter
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 2 teaspoons Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage (chopped)
Instructions:
- Thaw and prepare the turkey: Thaw the turkey completely and remove the giblets and neck. Place the turkey in an oversized ziplock storage bag. Add 1 cup of Kosmo’s Turkey Brine and 1 gallon of water. Squeeze out the air and close the bag. Place the turkey in a large plastic bowl or tote and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Prepare the stuffing: In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain. Leave 1 tablespoon of sausage drippings in the pan and sauté the onion, celery, and apple for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes with the sausage mixture, melted butter, egg, herbs, 1 teaspoon of AP seasoning, and chicken broth. Stir to incorporate and set aside.
- Season the turkey: Spray the turkey skin with cooking spray and season with Killer Hogs AP Seasoning followed by Swine Life Mississippi Grind.
- Stuff the turkey: Fill the cavity with the stuffing and tie the legs together with butcher twine to hold everything inside.
- Prepare the smoker: Set your smoker to 300 degrees using a combination of hickory, maple, and cherry wood pellets for flavor.
- Smoke the turkey: Place the turkey on the smoker and cook until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached in the thickest part of the breast and in the stuffing. Use a wired probe thermometer for accurate temperature monitoring.
- Rest and serve: Once the turkey and stuffing reach 165 degrees, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving and serving.
Tips for Smoking a Stuffed Turkey
- Use a probe thermometer: This is crucial for ensuring both the turkey and stuffing reach a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Don’t overstuff the turkey: The stuffing will expand as it cooks, so be sure to leave some room for it to expand.
- Use a smoker with a lid thermometer: This will help you maintain a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process.
- Start the turkey breast-side down: This helps the breast cook more evenly.
- Baste the turkey with melted butter or cooking spray occasionally: This will help keep the skin moist and prevent it from drying out.
- Rest the turkey before carving: This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.
FAQs
Q: When do you add the stuffing to the smoked turkey?
A: You’ll add the stuffing to the turkey halfway through the cook time So the turkey will cook on its own for 3 hours; you’ll add the stuffing, then it will cook for the final 3 hours. If the stuffing were cooked for the full 6 hours with the turkey, it would dry out.
Q: Can you use any type of stuffing?
A: Yes, you can use any type of stuffing you like. However, it’s important to choose a stuffing that is moist and will not dry out during the smoking process.
Q: How long does it take to smoke a stuffed turkey?
A: The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey. A general guideline is to allow 20-25 minutes per pound. So, a 15-pound turkey would take approximately 5-6 hours to cook.
Q: Is it safe to eat stuffing that has been cooked inside a turkey?
A: Yes, it is safe to eat stuffing that has been cooked inside a turkey, as long as the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees.
Q: Can I use a different type of wood for smoking?
A: Yes, you can use any type of wood you like for smoking. However, hickory, maple, and cherry are popular choices for smoking turkey.
Smoking a turkey with stuffing is a delicious and convenient way to prepare a Thanksgiving feast. By following these tips and instructions, you can ensure a perfectly cooked and flavorful turkey that will impress your guests.
Brining your turkey for smoked turkey
Brining your turkey is a crucial step that enhances its flavor and keeps it moist.
If at all possible, prepare your brine two days before smoking the turkey. It will allow the salt and sugar to dissolve.
Unwrap and thoroughly rinse the day before you intend to prepare smoked turkey. Note: Use a natural turkey instead of one that has been pre-brined. I enjoy smoking a 12- to 14-pound turkey because the brine can seep in fairly well in a day. This brine has a low salt content because we don’t want the turkey to become too dry from a strong cure. Additionally, avoid extending the brining time unless the turkey is larger.
Brine For a 12-14 lb Turkey
2 tablespoons Cajun blackening spice
One tablespoon of spice rub made from mesquite or one more tablespoon of Cajun blackening spices
1 tablespoon black pepper
Five garlic cloves crushed with a knife’s flat side or one tablespoon of garlic powder
3 tablespoons Kosher salt
When the water reaches a boil, add the spices and stir thoroughly. Cool and chill to refrigerator temperature 45 degrees. When cold place the turkey in the brine. When brining a turkey in a pot, make sure it’s submerged. Make sure the bird is thoroughly covered in brine if using a brining bag. Eliminating air in the bag will help. Brine the turkey for up to 24 hours.
Seasoning and Smokin’ turkey
After the turkey is removed from the brine, it must be prepared for smoking. Use Cajun seasoning to season the turkey; paprika can be used if you prefer a less spicy taste. Next, add a generous pinch of black pepper and kosher salt.
Smoked turkey is a low and slow operation
I’m from California, so mesquite wood chips are something I’m used to. Hickory or apple wood chips are nice too.
The turkey will smoke for approximately 6-7 hours.
Four to five cups of apple, mesquite, hickory, or wood chips
If you’re using an electric or gas-fired smoker, set the temperature to 250 degrees.
When using a smoker that runs on wood or charcoal, light your fires for low, indirect heat. If your grill has enough space for two sides to receive indirect heat, then do so. If not, you will have to turn your turkey over about every 1.5 hours while it cooks. Underneath the turkey, place a pan or foil pan and fill it with ½ inch of water.
After the coals and/or temperature have stabilized, put your turkey in the smoker.
Smoke the turkey at 250 degrees for 6 hours.
Adding your wood chips will depend on how to burn them over coals or according to the smoker’s instructions. Although soaking is necessary for coals, some gas smokers do not In my instance, I used dry chips and a gas-fired smoker. I suggest wrapping dry chips in foil and poking holes in it if I’m using my Weber kettle. Then place the packet directly on the coals. Change them out every 1 ½ to two hours.
When cooking over coals, pay attention to your temperatures and add more wood or hot coals as necessary. Additionally, check the water in the pan and add more as necessary.
This is how you should cook your turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. In all honesty, I pull mine off at 155, but the USDA recommends 165.
Before carving, let your smoked turkey sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
A family favorite when we make smoked turkey
¼ cup olive oil
2 ½ cups chopped celery
2 ½ cups diced onion
2 ½ cups chopped red and green bell peppers
1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
3 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley finely chopped
1 lb. Andouille sausage thinly sliced
1 lb. shrimp, peeled deveined and shells reserved.
1 tablespoon Cajun spice
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
¼ cup white wine
8 cups baguette cubes stale (see note regarding cornbread option)
2 cups turkey stock (see note regarding shrimp stock)
Brown the Andouille sausage in olive oil in a sizable sauté pan. Once browned, add the onions and sauté them until they become transparent, lowering the heat to medium. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes, followed by the bell peppers and celery. Increase the heat and sauté the vegetables until they start to soften. Add the Cajun spice and white wine. Cook for another few minutes. Turn the heat off and allow to cool down.
* Optional step, shrimp stock. Put the shrimp shells, onion peels, and ends in a small pot. Then, pour in two cups of chicken or turkey stock. Cook for 5 minutes and strain. Use this as the alternate for the regular turkey stock.
Get a big casserole dish ready that can hold all of the stuffing, including the bread.
Stir together the bread cubes and parsley with the veggie and sausage mixture. Pour the stock over to moisten. Please note that the bread shouldn’t be overly wet; if it isn’t very dry, reduce the stock. Add the raw shrimp to the mix.
Pour into the casserole, dust with paprika. Cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350.
* Note – Cornbread option: This dish tastes great when made with cornbread, as I used to do. Because it was difficult to find regular corn meal while we were living in Mexico, we ended up making the cornbread with baguettes instead. Substitute the cornbread for the baguette. To prevent the corn bread from becoming overly gummy, reduce the stock.