Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Best Stuffing Recipe | Whats Cooking America (2024)

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How To Make Turkey Stuffing

Whether you call it “stuffing” or “dressing,” what’s not to love about turkey? Everyone knows that theturkeystuffing is the best part of a turkey dinner and is one of my favorite dishes for Thanksgiving dinner. Do not be afraid of making turkey stuffing or dressing (whatever your region of the county calls it). It is so easy to prepare. Also be creative – add your family’s favorite ingredients.

Pleasecheck out my Thanksgiving Turkey dinner menu which includes Linda’s Turkey Stuffing.

Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Best Stuffing Recipe | Whats Cooking America (1)

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Turkey Stuffing Recipe - Turkey Dressing Recipe:

Prep Time

30 mins

The below recipe is a only a guideline for making your turkey stuffing. Depending on your family's taste, add or delete ingredients (onions, celery, mushrooms, and or nuts) to make to your liking. Be creative!

Course:Side Dish

Cuisine:American

Keyword:Turkey Dressing Recipe, Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Author: What's Cooking America

Ingredients

  • 1/4cupbutteror margarine
  • 1largeonion,chopped
  • 2cupscelery,chopped
  • 1poundmushrooms,fresh and sliced
  • 1loafday-old bread,toasted and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10 to 12 cups)
  • 1egg,beaten
  • 1 to 2cupschicken stockor stock from the turkey giblets
  • 1cupwalnutsor pecans, chopped
  • Saltand freshly-ground pepper to taste
  • Sage,dried and crushed, to taste
  • Thyme,dried and crushed, to taste

Instructions

  1. Making Giblet Stock:To make turkey giblet stock, place the turkey giblets (giblets and neck), water, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat; bring to a simmer and simmer for about 1 hour, uncovered. Remove from heat and strain the stock into a container for use with the stuffing. Alternatively, you can use chicken stock or just plain water with this recipe.

  2. What are giblets? A whole raw turkey is usually packaged with the giblets (sometimes sealed in a bag in the body cavity). The giblet bag in the turkey you buy usually includes the heart, liver, gizzard (a part of the turkey’s stomach), and neck. Giblets are those extra parts of the turkey you do not roast on Thanksgiving, but cook separately and use in your stock or gravy preparation. Check out how to make Perfect Turkey Giblet Gravy.

  3. Important – whether you are using the giblets or not, remember to take them out of your raw turkey.

  4. Making Turkey Stuffing:In a large pot (large enough to hold all the prepared stuffing) over medium-high heat, melt butter or margarine. Add onion, celery and mushrooms; saute until soft.

    Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Best Stuffing Recipe | Whats Cooking America (3)

  5. Mix in bread cubes and egg with enough chicken broth to moisten. Add nuts, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme; stir until well blended. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, because heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment.

  6. Proceed to stuff turkey in your usual way. NOTE: Do not cool the stuffing. Spoon it directly into the turkey cavity right after preparation. Stuff the turkey loosely - about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound.

  7. Check outAdvice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely.

    Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Best Stuffing Recipe | Whats Cooking America (4)

  8. Immediately place the stuffed, raw turkey in an oven set no lower than 325 degrees F.

    Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Best Stuffing Recipe | Whats Cooking America (5)

  9. To cook your stuffed turkey, check outGuidelines For Roasting a Whole Turkey.

  10. The USDA has come up with a one-temperature-suits-all for poultry safety: 165 degrees F. For safety and doneness, theinternal temperatureshould be checked with ameat thermometer

  11. Makes enough to stuff a 20-pound turkey

Variation Ideas:

Grandma’s Oyster Dressing
This oyster dressing must be served as a side dish and not as a turkey stuffing in the turkey.

Sweet Onion Cornbread Stuffing
This wonderful cornbread stuffing will delight your family and friends. It is easy-to-make and so delicious! Use it as a great stuffing alongside of your poultry dishes.

Different Types of Cooking Styles:

Barbecued Turkey
Outdoor barbecuing or grilling is a very easy and efficient way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey. No mess in your oven or the kitchen. Your turkey will be crisp outside and juicy inside.

Cajun Fried Turkey
This way of cooking your turkey is anything but greasy as the deep-frying process seals the outside and the turkey remains incredibly juicy, while the skin gets wonderfully crispy.

Outdoor Turkey Pit Cooking Recipe– Turkey In the Hole Recipe
This style of pit cooking is also know as “Bean Hold Cooking.” If you have the time and place to cook your holiday turkey in an outdoor pit, wouldn’t this make a great Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey dinner.

Oven Roasted Turkey
It is hard to beat the classic roast turkeywith the wonderful aromas that waft from the oven kicking off the anticipation for the holiday meal. Roasting a large turkey is one of easiest ways to accommodate a large crowd of family and friends.

Smoked Turkey
Smoking a turkey is no different from barbecuing in your back yard. You follow all these rules without even noticing them in most cases so go ahead, give it a try, you will not be dissatisfied when you try a smoked turkey.

Turducken
What the heck is that? Well it is a de-boned turkey (except for wing bones and drumsticks), a fully hand deboned duck, and a fully hand deboned chicken, all rolled into one.

Tofurky/Tofurkey Recipe with Vegan Gravy
I am not a vegetarian or a vegan, but I have several family members who are. For them and my many readers who are also vegetarians or vegans, I created this page on how to cook Tofurky.

Turkey Dinner Information:

Turkey Basics
How to purchase, stuff, and roast a turkey – Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey – How to thaw a frozen turkey – How to prepare turkey for stuffing.

Perfect Turkey Gravy
Homemade gravy, made using the turkey giblet stock, pan drippings, and meat juices from the roast turkey, is an essential part of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Guidelines for Brining Poultry
This is the secret that chefs never tell you about. It’s very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade, as it keeps food moist and tender.

Let’s Make Turkey Stock
Don’t throw out those leftover turkey bones! My favorite thing to do the morning after Thanksgiving is to make homemade turkey stock from the turkey carcass. It is so easy to do and so delicious!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Save your valuable kitchen time on Thanksgiving day by using this easy-to-make mashed potato dish for your next Thanksgiving dinner. This is the recipe I use every year for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Using a Cooking or Meat Thermometer
Have you ever cut into a turkey to see if it has finished cooking? You DEFINITELY need to use a cooking thermometer! A cooking thermometer or meat thermometer should not be a “sometime thing.” Use it every time you prepare foods like poultry, roasts, hams, casseroles, meat loaves and egg dishes.

Internal Temperature Cooking ChartsCooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measure theinternal temperaturesof your cooked meat, poultry, seafood, baked goods, and/or casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your food is cooked perfectly. Always follow internal cooking temperatures to be safe!

Advice on Handling Leftovers Safely
Leftover” foods are cooked foods that you or your family do not eat within 2 hours after they are cooked. The chance of food poisoning increases the longer you store a food after it is cooked. Improper handling or storing cooked food is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the home.

Related Recipes

Categories:

Christmas Side Dishes Thanksgiving Turkey

Comments and Reviews

2 Responses to “Turkey Stuffing Recipe”

  1. Dimitri Koroslev

    I plan to smoke a 12 lb turkey for a group of 9 on Tgiving. I saw your recipe for stuffing but I don’t think it would be advisable to cook it in the turkey. I don’t want to prolong the cooking time. I would appreciate your comments about cooking the stuffing separately or in the turkey while smoking.

    Reply

    • Linda Stradley

      Yes, if you are smoking your turkey, you would need to cook your stuffing separately in the oven. I would be afraid you couldn’t get your stuffing to the proper internal temperature. Check out our Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing Recipe.

      Reply

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FAQs

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

It's all about personal preference. If you want a sturdier dressing, eggs can help do that. I don't use eggs in this recipe, though, because I like a lighter, more crumbly texture in my dressing.

Why add eggs to turkey stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

What is the best kind of bread to use for stuffing? ›

Breads such as sour dough, French bread or Italian loaves are for the best bread for stuffing. Their soft-but-sturdy interiors are the perfect texture for stuffing. The pieces retain their shape without crumbling.

How moist should stuffing be before baking? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

16 egg substitutes
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›

The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes. "Making stuffing ahead saves time, allows stove and oven space for other things, and making it ahead gives time for the flavor to fully develop," Chef David Tiner, Director at Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, tells Southern Living.

Should stuffing be cold when putting in turkey? ›

Give stuffing a head start by heating it up before placing inside the turkey. Like the turkey, stuffing needs to reach the 165 degree mark. If the bird is done before the stuffing, remove stuffing from the cavities and continue to cook in a baking dish.

Why don't we use turkey eggs? ›

Why Don't We Eat Turkey Eggs? When you take the higher cost of production plus the longer time required and combine it with the relative scarcity of the eggs, what you end up with are turkey eggs that cost around $2 to $3 per egg, or up to $36 per dozen.

Why put mayo on turkey? ›

Second, using mayo makes the skin super crispy while keeping the inside of the turkey incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful. Third, this recipe couldn't be easier. Mayo adds moisture throughout the cooking process, keeping the meat moist so there's no need to brine it beforehand.

Should you toast bread before making stuffing? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

Can I cook stuffing at 325 instead of 350? ›

The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Which flat bread is perfect for stuffing? ›

Freshly made pita crisps and puffs up like a ball, perfect for stuffing with the filling of your choice: shawarma, falafel, muhamarra or any other Middle Eastern goodies. Tabun (or taboon) is softer and flatter: use as open sandwich rather than trying to stuff it.

Why put eggs in stuffing? ›

Eggs add richness to the stuffing, and makes it cohere better. I'd use two eggs per pound of bread. I'm a no egg person - and I still stuff the bird (but also do a batch out of the bird).

Why is my stuffing gummy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

How to keep stuffing from burning? ›

If the stuffing is too dry, it can easily burn, so adding chicken broth is essential to keep the stuffing moist and prevent it from burning.

What are the two main differences in dressing and stuffing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

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