The Great Stuffing Debate!

November 18, 2009

First of all, is it called stuffing or dressing?  And do most people actually prefer it cooked in the bird?

Growing up, I've always known it as stuffing and traditionally it was made outside the bird and by one of my aunts and more often than not, it was heavy on the celery. For awhile, I thought stuffing was just okay, not great but good. Then, I tried oyster stuffing and realized I really hadn't been eating what I now consider stuffing. I'm talking about rich, fatty, flavorful stuffing that could be eaten as a main course be itself. call me crazy, but I simply love a good oyster stuffing.

Traditionally what kind of stuffing, or "dressing" do you eat? I'm curious to find out what the norm is?


Other kinds of stuffing I absolutely adore:

Shiitake Mushroom Stuffing- Recipe Girl
Southern Cornbread Dressing by Deep South Dish
Gluten Free Thanksgiving stuffing by Off the Wheaten Path

Not Stuffed Yet? Quick Links to More Stuffing!

Herbed Stuffing With Chestnuts and Raisins on Foodista
Mushroom Stuffing on Foodista
Oyster-Bacon Stuffing on Foodista
Above Photo by Maggie Hoffman

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Comments

Gary Kissinger's picture

It is called "Filling" in Pennsylvania Dutch (German) land and was usually used to fill the turkey, although my mother always made a separate dish in addition! I spent 3 years during the holiday season trying to duplicate my mother's recipe - and I finally succeeded! It is quite simple: potatoes, bread, celery, onions, and a little chicken or turkey broth. No, I'm not divulging the exact measurements!

georgie's picture

I LOVE a good sausage dressing...it is a jimmy dean recipe that my MIL has made for years...

Sharene's picture

Just to let you guys know, the difference beween stuffing and dressing is that dressing is made outside the bird and stuffing refers to it being placed inside the bird.

kim rich's picture

Stuffing is stuffed into the bird...it is generally moister since its cooked inside. Dressing is the same but is cooked outside the bird. Since I'm quasi vegetarian and like things drier rather than moist, mom makes dressing for me...and stuffing for the rest of the family (and with raisins for dad...gross!).

Joan Russell's picture

bread,onions celery,potato's cook giblets onions & celery w/ sage. pour over bread add some potato's & whipped eggs add salt.],pepper & sage to taste. put a stick of butter(if turkey is l more then 10 lbs. stuff turkey & leftover in pan in oven. baste w/ turkey drippings. mmm good!

Tim's picture

Growing up in St. Louis as the "baby" in a family of 9, there wasn't a bird big enough that you could fill with enough stuffing, so I seem to recall there was stuffing/dressing in the bird and another done in a casserole. When I married someone whose mother's side of the family was from Kentucky and southern, I discovered both sausage and oyster stuffing. The marriage didn't last, but my love of all things stuffing/dressing--inside, outside, whatever--did.

Jim's picture

Dressing is always outside the bird. Make your own cornbread. Have a lot of pride in what you do. NEVER use sweet cornbread as it is the work of the devil. Cook a hen and add all the meat to the dressing as a special treat. NEVER use broth. Use stock for extra taste. Good comments will make all your work worthwhile.

Lexi's picture

It should be called stuffing!!!!!!!! Also I love any kind of stuffing. I saw this on T.V. since i`m 8 I love watching T.V. and STUFFING

Rick's picture

To answer the question - dressing is made and cooked outside of the bird, stuffing is made outside and then cooked in the bird. I tend to add cranberries and chopped nuts to stuffing, along with the normal things. Dressing would also have the giblets added and if baked in the oven placed in a water bath to help keep moist. Unless, it is a Turducken, then 3 stuffings are used cornbread, wild rice and sage and I add the same things to what if left over, to tie the three different dressings together - nuts, mushrooms, oysters, bacon, giblets from the three birds or what ever is around the kitchen - all served separately.

Kim's picture

My dad always cooks the turkey on the weber grill so it gets that smoked taste. He always stuffed the bird or gallinacho as he calls it with a sage stuffing /dressing and makes extra that gets warmed on the grill.Soooo yummy.

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