Turducken is an interesting dish that combines three proteins in one entree.

�A turducken is a de-boned turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed with a small de-boned chicken,� explained chef Leonard Bailey, director of The National Institute for Culinary Arts at Mountain State University. �The cavity of the chicken and the rest of the gaps are filled with a highly seasoned bread crumb mixture or sausage meat, although some versions call for a different stuffing for each bird.�

The result is a relatively solid layered piece of poultry, suitable for slow cooking by braising, roasting grilling or barbecuing.

Turducken is not suitable for deep frying, Cajun style, Bailey said.

�To deep fry, the body cavity must be hollow so it will cook evenly,� he said.

Believed to be Cajun in origin, turducken is an American dish, Bailey said.

�It�s usually associated with our outdoor food culture and true barbecuing and crawfish boils.�

Turducken can be prepared at home in the span of 12 to 16 hours by anyone willing to take on the tedious task of removing the bones from the birds.

It takes about four hours to prepare the birds and about 12 hours to cook the turducken.

Bailey offered this recipe:



Turducken



18-pound whole turkey

6 cups cornbread

8 ounces dried cranberries

1 loaf cubed white bread

1 large diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped sage

3 cups cooked chicken-flavored rice

1 cup cooked wild rice

4 pounds whole duck

2 large diced onions

2 pounds Italian sausage

3 cups chicken stock

1 bunch celery, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

3 pounds whole chicken

6 cloves chopped garlic

chopped scallions

1 cup diced pancetta

3 diced carrots

2 teaspoons basil

1 teaspoon oregano



De-bone the birds without tearing the skin. Start at the back bone. Pound out the meat and refrigerate. This should look like a square sheet.



For the cornbread stuffing: Saut� sausage with onions, garlic add cornbread; stock cook until desired texture. At the end, add cranberries and scallions. Cool to 40 degrees F.

For rice stuffing: Mix the two rices together. Cool to 40 degrees F.

For bread stuffing: Saut� pancetta with onions, celery and carrots. When soft, add bread seasonings and stock cook until desired texture. Cool to 40 degrees F.



Remove the birds from the cooler. Lay the turkey out skin side down on the table; stretch out and lay cornbread stuffing over the meat.

Place the duck skin-side down over the cornbread stuffing; stretch out and add rice stuffing. Now place the chicken skin side down and add bread stuffing. Roll the chicken, roll the duck around the chicken, now roll the turkey around the duck. Tie with butcher string and bake or slowly smoke until the birds reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

Those not ambitious enough to try turducken but want something a little different for the holidays might find preparing a duck an easier alternative.

�Duck has a rich flavor because of its high-fat content, but you have to be careful. It can have a very strong, unpleasant flavor if it isn�t cooked well,� Bailey said.

Duck a L�orange, which combines the sweet citrus of oranges with the savory flavor of the meat, is relatively easy to prepare, Bailey said.

The following recipe should give even a beginner good results, the chef said.



Duck a L�orange



One 6-pound duck, cut.

1/2 cup of sweet red wine.

1 tablespoon of orange peelings.

1 clove garlic, minced.

3 tablespoons of salad oil.

1 tablespoon of potato starch.

1 1/4 cups of orange juice.

1 tablespoon of honey.

1/4 teaspoon of ginger.

Pinch of pepper.

1 cup of orange sections.



Puncture the duck generously with fork; then place on rack in roasting pan. Pour most of the sweet red wine over the duck pieces.

Roast at 325 degrees F., basting occasionally, for about 2 hours, 30 minutes or until done.

In a medium saucepan, saut� the orange peel and garlic in oil. Mix in the potato starch until smooth.

Slowly add the orange juice, honey and remaining wine, then simmer for 1 minute.

Mix in the ginger, pepper and orange sections, then simmer for 5 minutes more.

Serve hot sauce with roast duck.