Traditional Stuffing
Stuffing is such a personal matter. You probably have your mother's recipe (or your grandmother's, if you're lucky). I swear by my great-grandmother's German stuffing. And it's so good, it's converted everyone who has tried it!
But your favorite is your own. I'll give you several recipes for stuffing, but if you have one you love, keep using it!
There are only a few tricks to the best stuffing.
- Make the stuffing slightly dry if you are going to stuff the turkey with it. It will expand and become more moist as the turkey roasts.
- The bread you use should be dried overnight at room temperature, or sliced and baked in a very low oven for about an hour. Bread that's too moist will make a soggy, sticky stuffing.
- Make sure to spoon the stuffing lightly into the turkey cavities. We want to get that stuffing to 165 degrees, and it won't if it's packed too tightly!
- Crockpot or slow cooker stuffing recipes are fabulous time and oven-savers. Did you know that if the mixture is baked inside the turkey, it's called stuffing, but if it's not, it's called dressing? If you choose to bake your dressing in the oven, make it more moist by adding some butter, cold water, or poultry stock.
Be sure to read Stuffing Science to learn about food safety and the science behind the best stuffing.
Traditional Stuffing Recipes
Easier Stuffing
Just grab a stuffing mix off your grocer's shelf and prepare it according to the package directions. If you add a little butter and a bit of chicken stock to the mix it will improve the flavor and texture.
Or use your crockpot or slow cooker to make the stuffing (then it's called dressing!). The stuffing will be beautifully moist, it's easier (and safer) to cook an unstuffed turkey, and you have to make the stuffing ahead of time so one job is done!
- Crockpot Apple Stuffing
- Crockpot Cornbread Stuffing
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Stuffing
- Homemade Stuffing Mix
- My Great-grandmother's Stuffing in the Crockpot
- Traditional Crockpot Stuffing
Easiest Stuffing
Buy a complete Thanksgiving dinner from a restaurant or specialty shop that includes roasted turkey and the stuffing. You can drizzle it with a bit of butter or chicken stock to spice up the flavor a bit.
