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Paula Deen turducken takes 1 hour 20 minutes and a turkey, duck and chicken to make a boned, stuffed roast with cornbread dressing between layers. Save this show-stopping Southern holiday roast for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a big Sunday dinner, because it feeds a crowd of 40.
Brine all three birds overnight in the salt and brown sugar mixture, because that is what keeps every layer juicy through a 3 hour roast. Skip it and the chicken and duck can dry out long before the turkey is done.
Paula roasts it hot for just 15 minutes, then drops the roaster to 225°F so the three birds cook through gently. A 1/4-inch layer of cornbread dressing between each bird also holds everything together, so the slices come out with turkey, duck and chicken in every bite.
What you need for this recipe
Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack
It holds a bird this big and keeps the heat even through the long, low roast.
Buy on AmazonRegency butcher's twine, 500 ft
It draws the skin together so the three birds stay one tidy turkey shape.
Buy on AmazonThermoPro instant-read thermometer
It tells you when the chicken in the center hits 155°F.
Buy on AmazonPantry pick Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb
A light, flaky kosher salt that is easy to pinch and less salty by volume.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Paula Deen Turducken
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Hard40
servings40
minutes3
hours15
minutes650
kcalThree birds, boned and stacked with cornbread dressing between each layer, roast low and slow into one golden bird. Carved across the middle, every slice shows turkey, duck and chicken with the dressing in between.
Ingredients
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 gallon water
1 (18-21 lb) skin intact and boned except for drumsticks turkey
Paula Deen House seasoning
1 (3-4 lb) boned duck
1 (3-4 lb) boned chicken
1 cup self rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self rising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 plus 5 more, beaten eggs
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
7 slices dried in warm oven white bread
1 sleeve saltine crackers
2 cups chopped celery
8 tablespoons Butter
1 large chopped onion
7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
Directions
- Make the brine: Mix 1 cup kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar into 1 gallon of water until completely dissolved. Let the turkey, duck and chicken sit in the brine in the refrigerator overnight, and cool the water to room temperature first if you heated it.
- Bake the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine 1 cup self-rising cornmeal, 1/2 cup self-rising flour, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, then pour it into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, then let it cool.
- Make the dressing: Crumble the cornbread, 7 slices of dried white bread and 1 sleeve of saltines together in a large bowl. Saute 2 cups chopped celery and 1 large chopped onion in 8 tablespoons butter for 5 to 10 minutes until transparent, then pour it over the bread mixture.
- Season the dressing: Add 7 cups chicken stock to the bowl and mix well. Then stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning and 5 beaten eggs.
- Preheat the roaster: Preheat the roaster to 500°F. It needs to be fully hot so the birds get a strong start when they go in.
- Layer the birds: Lay the turkey skin side down and dust it with House Seasoning, then spread a 1/4-inch layer of dressing over it. Set the duck skin side down on top, season and add another 1/4-inch of dressing, then repeat with the chicken.
- Truss the turkey: Start at the neck and push a metal skewer about 1/2-inch from the edge and up through the other side. Run butcher's twine between the skin and the skewer and pull both sides together. Keep going down to the legs, drawing in the duck and chicken skin with every other skewer.
- Shape and season: Tie the turkey legs together so it looks like a standard turkey. Then dust the skin with paprika.
- Roast low and slow: Roast the turducken for 15 minutes, then turn the roaster down to 225°F to finish, which takes about 3 hours. Pull it once the internal temperature in the chicken reaches 155°F.
- Rest and carve: Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Then cut straight across the middle of the breast and plate thin slices that show turkey, duck and chicken.
Tools for this recipe
- Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack, Regency butcher's twine, 500 ft, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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FAQs
Can I cook a turducken in a smoker?
Yes, the recipe's own note says to smoke it at 225°F for about 5 hours. Rotate it every 20 to 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 155°F and the outside reaches 165°F, and keep fire flare-ups to a minimum.
Can I make the cornbread dressing ahead of time?
Baking the cornbread a day ahead is smart because it needs to cool and crumble anyway. Keep the finished dressing in the refrigerator until you stuff the birds, and don't leave it out at room temperature for long.
Do I have to boil the brine to dissolve the salt and sugar?
No, stirring until everything dissolves is enough. If you do heat the water to speed it up, let it cool to room temperature before the birds go in, since warm brine isn't safe for raw poultry.
How do I know when the turducken is done?
Go by the internal temperature of the chicken, the innermost bird, and pull the roast at 155°F. A meat thermometer is the only reliable way to check, because three layers hide the doneness signs you'd normally see.
What's the biggest mistake people make with a turducken?
Skipping the overnight brine or carving too soon are the two big ones. The brine keeps the layers juicy, and the 20 minute rest lets the stack hold together so your slices don't fall apart.
This week on Amazon
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack, Regency butcher's twine, 500 ft, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer.
See the dealsPaula's newest cookbook Southern Baking.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
