Stuffing or Dressing?

[Trip]

I swear my husband buys the biggest turkey he can find, 22 1/2 this time] to get the most stuffing he can. He needs leftovers later on in the day, and that last spoonful of stuffing is met with sadness..

I make a sausage stuffing, and wonder why people choose not to stuff the bird, but cook it seperatley, it seems to me it has to taste differently, than if it absorbed the juices..

SO, with that being said, I just watched Throwdown, with Bobby Flay, and saw 2 dressings made, and thought...hmm...MAYBE I will try it one day, but, NOT for Thanksgiving or Christmas...

So, what do you do, and why......family recipe, secret ingredient?

[nlb1050]

Trip,

I too make a sausage stuffing but always make more than can fit in the bird (no matter how big) so some gets cooked as dressing. Of course there still is not enough to last until the whole turkey is gone.

[Trip]

Nancy, the first turkey I ever made for the holiday, I didn't realize that, there was a bag of goodies in each cavity...My Mom had this thing, where, RIGHT after the meal, she had to remove all the meat, for fear of germs. go figure......

Anyway, when she went to remove, what she thought was more stuffing from the neck end, to her utter horror, she found the bag, that I hadn't.
She pulled me in the kitchen and said.."shhh." don't tell anyone!!! It's one of my fondest memories of holiday chaos;)

[Cruise Cynic]

Trip> Did you learn a new word or two that day? Fecal & Coliform?

Seriously.... I hope nobody was ill.

[katlady]

These days I don't stuff the turkey because if you BBQ or do the high heat method, then it is hard to stuff the bird. My mom is the holder of the secret family stuffing recipe. My mom was born on the big island of Hawaii her stuffing is NOT made with Bread it's made with Rice. It wasn't until I was into my 20s that I had a bread stuffing. I like rice stuffing better.

[Inis46]

I am a family traditionalist....at least when it comes to the turkey stuffing. Pepperidge Farm cubed, not the pitiful crumbed kind, herb stuffing with cooked celery and onion in it for extra flavoring. Stuff the bird and have plenty left over for another side dish of it and I use chicken stock instead of water for extra flavoring.

[JamesRT]

Mam,
Corn bread stuffin's the way to go!

[beenie weenie]

Depends on how many people we will be cooking for. I have found that when we go beyond about 8 people, I usually need much more stuffing than I can stuff into the largest bird. But Trip I do think it tastes better when stuffed, sans goodie bag. .

I love the Allstate or State Farm insurance commercial where the guy is on TV pointing out that last year 15 people burned their homes down attempting to deep fry a turkey.

People this is a bad idea, I don't care how good it tastes, just resist the urge....

[VTJen]

Well, I certainly am not a stuffing or dressing expert. I will admit the awful truth...I use the stuff out of the red cardboard canister.

On Thanksgiving my mother-in-law is in charge of the dressing. I certainly hope someone writes the directions down at somepoint as I hate to think of the day when her offspring and their offspring are without it.
It is something I think you need to have grown up with to truly appreciate. It's ok, but I don't get all ga-ga about it like the rest do. She has to make tons, for the day and then to send home with each of her children. Not real sure what is in it beyond the dried bread cubes, pork, ground beef, cloves. It is some old French family recipe. The flavor sort of reminds me of MeatPie.

My kids adore it and are pretty upset they will not be getting any, so I guess when we get our extra's, much to my husbands horror, I will pop it in the freezer and pull it out for them when they get home. They can have my share.

[nlb1050]

Beenie,

For deep fried turkey you really have to do it outside. If the turkey isn't real dry of any water the oil definitely does splash over. And you can't do a really big turkey.

Hubby loves to do it but not for Thanksgiving. We place some large tiles on the ground under the burner then if the oil spills it isn't all over the ground and starting a fire.

Can't beat the taste of the crisp skin!


Trip,

The first turkey my sister-in-law cooked she left the bag inside and only when she was getting the stuffing out did she find it. No one got sick and everything tasted fine.

That is something that a lot of people do the first time.

[Mike M]

Dressing here:

We make a "somewhat" traditional dressing, using the giblets and a bit of wild rice. Otherwise it's the traditional seasonings but I insist of fresh herbs vs. the dried ones. Try it and you'll see a wonderful difference.

I also use dried bread instead of the packaged bread cubes and chicken stock,instead of water.

I have never developed a taste for cornbread or oyster stuffings.

One reason for "not" stuffing a turkey is that it does suck up more of the juice of the bird and can make it dry.

Take care and happy Thanksgiving.
Mike

[LS80]

Don't stuff the bird either.........I use package turkey gravey along with the water......so it has more turkey flavor........then just before I put it in the oven I put some of the juice from the turkey in it & bake it in the oven........tastes almost as good as in the bird........



Sharon

[REDWITCH 13]

I stuff the turkey. My Mom,her Mom before her and her Mom before her...always did this.
I use somewhat fresh bread. My brother works for a commerical bread company, so I get lots. I use celery and onions that I saute in butter and then add the broken up bread and cook until the butter is absorbed. Salt and pepper and then moisen with chicken broth.
I have one 22 pound turkey, one 8 pound and one turkey breast. My children love the stuffing so much that I have to make this much. I also have cheese cloth to put more sauted bread in and place under the turkey breast. Still, there is never enough....
This year we will have 17 around the Thanksgiving table. I am very blessed.

Darlene

[rinker250]

Originally Posted by beenie weenie

I love the Allstate or State Farm insurance commercial where the guy is on TV pointing out that last year 15 people burned their homes down attempting to deep fry a turkey.

People this is a bad idea, I don't care how good it tastes, just resist the urge....

Deep frying is ok IF you take a few precautions...the most important is to move the fryer to the middle of the yard with nothing above it.

[Delft]

Fecal and coliform are not things to worry about if you "left the bag" in the turkey. Many people use the giblets, and neck to add to dressing and to gravy. I personally dont, but it is more than safe to eat. As with any poultry, any meat, you MUST cook it properly through and through!

"Many whole turkeys have a giblet package and turkey neck tucked inside the turkey cavity or under the flap of skin at the front of the breastbone. When the turkey has sufficiently defrosted during the cooking process, you can carefully remove these packages with tongs or forks.

You can safely leave the giblets in the turkey during the whole cooking process if the giblets are paper wrapped and were inserted at the plant, which is the case with most whole birds. However, if the giblets were packed in a plastic bag, and the bag has melted during the cooking process, do not use the giblets or the turkey because harmful chemicals may have leached from the plastic into the surrounding meat. If the plastic bag is intact, the giblets and turkey should be safe to use."

Many people boil them and dogs love them...........Mine might, but they are not getting it! I do cook the neck as one person LOVES to have that. ( very dark meat)

I do switch between stuffing the bird or making a dressing..............and I dont do the same thing every year.

Our thanksgiving was over last month, but there were no complaints with the cooking, and I already have a 24 lbs turkey for Christmas eve.

[Trip]

You can also find more stuffing real estate, if you put some between the skin and the meat. I also never close the openings, preferring to fill all I can...

I saute onions and celery & sausage meat, add to the tons of bread, mix 2 cans Campbells cream of celery soup and then add salt, pepper, garlic pwder, and of course Bells Seaoning..Voila,and YUM:)

I once tried to slip in chestnuts...my kids vowed to picket if I did it again. I would hate to think what would happen if I tried cornbread or oysters!!!

[Cruise Cynic]

For those who are "Turkey Challenged".... check this out:

http://www.lilydale.com/_bin/about/pressReleases.cfm

[mteague]

Cornbread dressing....it's the Southern Way!

1- 12" skillet of cooked white cornbread, cooled and crumbled
4 cups diced cooked chicken or giblets (I prefer chicken...hate giblets!)
8 boiled egss diced
6 raw eggs
2 c. diced onions & 2 c. diced celery sauteed in one stick of butter
chicken broth and turkey drippings
salt
pepper

Mix all of this in a BIG BIG BIG bowl, adding enough turkey drippings and broth to make a soupy mixture. Pour into a BIG disposable aluminum pan and bake at 375 degrees until lightly brown on the top.....about an hour and a half.

Usually served with a gravy made with a roux

In a dutch oven, combine equal parts oil and flour (about 1 cup or a cup and a half) Stir constantly over medium heat until it is a dark caramel brown. Remove from heat, add 1 c. diced onions and stir until they are wilted (one or two minutes). Add enough water to fill the pot over half full. Add 1 can of chicken broth, 1 cup of diced cooked chicken, 1 diced boiled egg, salt and pepper to taste. Return to a simmer and simmer for about 45 minutes. You can add turkey drippings in place of the broth.

I apologize for the EXACT measurements......I don't cook with measuring cups, so I just have to guess!

Melody

Melody

[LS80]

Trip........Bells Seasoning???? Is that a Eastern thing?????




Sharon

[TBug]

Add a couple of cans of cream of mushroom soup to your dressing/stuffing. Makes it more moist.

[Donna]

I use regular "french" bread that I tear up and use in the stuffing and also add bacon to the traditional stuff. I will still stuff the bird, always have and no one has ever become ill because of it. I also cook it for the required time in the oven..

Gosh, I'm getting hungry as I type :-)

[Mike M]

We weren't going to do a turkey for Thanksgiving because we'll be traveling on Thanksgiving Day but today our son showed up with a 14lb. turkey and asked if we'd cook it for him and make stuffing. Couldn't say no but I told him that with all the stuff we're doing on Wednesday he may be eating by himself.

He said that was OK because he'll go to his sister's for Thanksgiving dinner and still have plenty of leftover, turkey stuffing and gravy from what we cook for him.

BTW: I also use a butter soaked cheese cloth that is draped over the turkey. It really keeps it moist, gives it that "golden brown" look, after you pull off the burnt looking cheese cloth, and you add even more of that healthy butter!!!

Take care,
Mike

[Trip]

Sharon, I thought the whole world knew about Bells Seasoning:):) I guess it'a combination, of sage like spices that that make up the only stuffing taste I have ever known....Try a google search, to see what I mean...

[Comet Cruiser]

Hi,

We missed our Canadian Thanksgiving this year cause we were on a cruise and we loved the cruise but now have to wait til Christmas for our turkey.

My family receipe for dressing is pretty simple and we stuff a bit in the turkey but most of the dressing is wrapped in foil and cooked separately in the oven.

We break up about 5-6 loaves of bread, cook onions in melted butter in frying pan then add onions and butter to the bread and add raisins and savory and salt and pepper. My sister always says I add too much savory, but I don't think so......it tastes GREAT!

We usually have about 12-15 ppl for dinner and have the biggest turkey we can get, most times it's around 23-25 lbs...lots of leftovers for everyone to take home. It's great the next day with turkey, cranberries and stuffing!.........Can't wait for Christmas dinner

Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone!
Gail
Comet Cruiser