Turducken - Turkey Duck and Chicken

I missed posting in time for Thanksgiving this year, I still want to share the story when my boss/landlady & I made a Turducken. This can be used for Christmas as well. It was Thanksgiving of 1985 & I was watching WDSU channel 6, the NBC affiliate in New Orleans. The station was per usual profiling something new & different to do for Thanksgiving that year. That was @ the time Chef Paul Prudhomme's star was rising; that was the year Chef Paul first went public w/his recipe. Of course the recipe has evolved over time. This was the simpler way it was given out that Thanksgiving when we tried our hands @ cooking the Turducken.

It called for a boned chicken, duck & turkey w/ three different stuffings between birds. Beginning w/the smallest bird into the larger bird ending w/ the turkey. Of course since we both were foodies we thought we'd give it a try. There were far fewer ingredients then than now. I myself only used one stuffing: cornbread. (My favorite.) What was cool about it @ that time (& not too many people knowing about it) was the carving of the bird. It was rather dramatic when cut from port to starboard revealing the birds & stuffing layers w/no bones! We were very lucky in that we lived around the corner from one of the Whole Food markets that more than happily boned the various birds for us. That would have been a far greater adventure than either one of us would have cared to try!

These are the ingredients that were snail mailed to us that year for just the birds.                  

Inside shot

1 chicken (3 to 4 lbs)

1 duckling (5 to 6 lbs)

1 turkey (15 to 20 lbs)

Duck or Chicken giblets (2 lbs) 

The recipes for the three stuffings were also given; I've included only 2 different dressing/stuffing recipes. If you care to be adventurous & try stuffing between each bird you to can chose your preferred choice for the third.
Baked Oyster Dressing
2 tsp unsalted butter
1 pint shucked oysters and their liquor

Chef Paul Prudomme

2 tbs vegetable oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
3 bay leaves
1 tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 cups 1-inch cubes French bread
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 11-inch baking pan and set aside.
Drain the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, and cayenne and saute for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add the bay leaves, garlic, and parsley, and saute for 1 minute. Add the water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the green onions, oyster liquor, and the bread cubes. Stir to mix well, and remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread and vegetable mixture with the oysters and cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 1 hour, or until bubbly and golden brown.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Cornbread Stuffing (Make the corn bread first)

This cornbread is made with cornmeal and flour, along with egg, and bacon drippings. (If your heart kin take it)
Corn Bread1/2 cup cornmeal (sifted before measuring)
1 1/3 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda

Best way to make cornbread cast iron slillet

1 1/2 tsp baking powder                1/2 tsp salt, if desired                    2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tbs butter or (bacon drippings)
Preheat oven to 350°.

Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl.
Stir beaten eggs into the dry ingredients. Stir in the buttermilk and 1 cup whole milk.
Heat the butter in a 9 X 2-inch iron skillet. When skillet is very hot but butter has not browned, pour in the batter.
Carefully pour the remaining 1 cup whole milk on top of the batter; do not stir.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake 50 minutes, or until cornbread is set and baked through.
Dressing (again make the corn bread first) 1 cup butter or margarine, divided 3 cups white cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tbls sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda7 large eggs, divided
3 cups buttermilk
3 cups soft breadcrumbs
2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)
1 large bunch celery, diced (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage (1 tbs dried rubbed sage may be substituted for fresh sage)
6 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1 tbs pepper

Place 1/2 cup butter in a 13- x 9-inch pan; heat in oven at 425° for 4 minutes.
Combine cornmeal and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 3 eggs and buttermilk.
Pour hot butter into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan.
Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
Crumble cornbread into a large bowl; stir in breadcrumbs, and set aside.
Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions and celery, and saute until tender.
Sir in sage, and saute 1 more minute.
Stir vegetables, remaining 4 eggs, chicken broth, and pepper into cornbread mixture
Pour evenly into 1 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
Cover and chill 8 hours.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.