Turkey Stuffing or Dressing?

Do you call it stuffing, or dressing? It really doesn't matter as long as you have plenty of it and lots of gravy. Since Thanksgiving is one of my all-time favorite meals. I always looked forward to my mom’s traditional stuffing with meat in it as a side dish. 

Stuffed Turkey

My wife made her stuffing without meat and a distinct flavor of sage in it. I now prefer it over mom’s stuffing with round steak in it. Sorry mom! There is still a great debate over the stuffing should be cooked inside of the turkey or outside. I prefer some of the stuffing cooked in the turkey and extra on the outside. It’s really up to you. If you do cook the stuffing inside of the turkey, you must make sure that stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 160°F in the center of the stuffing.

Turkey is done baking

Turkey carved and ready to eat

INGREDIENTS (enough for a 12 lb. Turkey)

9 cups white bread*, stale, cubed

1 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup onion, diced

1-1/2 cup celery, diced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp. celery salt

2 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock

1 whole egg, slightly beaten

NOTE: *I prefer a solid white bread like Breadsmith's Honey White, or Rustic Italian. 

Extra stuffing

DIRECTIONS

Cut the bread into 1/2" x 1/2" cubes and set to the side. Chop the celery and onions and set them to the side as well. In a large skillet melt the 2 sticks of butter, and sauté the onions and celery until soft and tender, but not browned. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the seasonings and the parsley. Add the chicken or turkey stock and heat. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add a couple of spoonful’s of the hot liquid into the beaten eggs, whipping constantly so that the eggs do not cook. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes until well mixed. Do not add the stuffing to the turkey until you are ready to bake. If you are adding the stuffing to the turkey, fill the cavity loosely and tie the legs together. Fill the neck end as well. Thirty minutes before the turkey is finished cooking, place the remaining stuffing in a casserole dish and bake until the turkey is finished cooking. Allow the turkey to rest before removing the stuffing. The internal temperature of the turkey should be at least 165°F in the center of the stuffing. Enjoy! 

Dinner is served no room for vegetables is there?

© TMelle 2012