I used to always cook my stuffing inside the bird, but you have to cook your turkey much longer with the stuffing inside, and longer cooking dries out the turkey meat, especially the white meat. I now cook my stuffing in a crock pot, as I can make much more stuffing there, and I can cook the turkey at higher temperatures for a shorter period of time, resulting in much moister turkey. See http://mcraigweaver.com/Recipes/turkey.htm
This was a great post! I just wanted to let you know we linked to it from here:
http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Make_Stuffing
Again, great stuff (no pun intended!)
I make both. I prefer the one made outside the turkey, but I've been told by a few people that my inside stuffing is the best they've ever had. I think it's because I add a dash of cayanne, just to give it a little something different.
Southern. Dressing. Better.
I don't think i've ever had "stuffing." Especially not something with sausage or oysters or cranberries or apples or anything like that.
And I LOVE my mama's dressing.
My mom's always done it inside, which I will do someday...I like it b/c it soaks up all the turkey's juices, and makes a very flavorful, moist stuffing. I can't imagine having it any other way, but hey, what mom does is best...:)
Both! :-)
There is so much stuffing that not all will fit in the bird. So some gets stuffed and some gets baked in a side dish pan.
Mmm Stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving Dinner!!!
I eat Turkey Day at my parent's house every year, and refuse to miss it. They make the best food!! We started making a deep fried turkey a few years back, and they are to die for, but have no place to put the stuffing. So, now every year they make 2 birds. One deep fried, and the other stuffed and baked. Wouldn't miss it for the world. In fact, I request only Thanksgiving off every year, don't care about XMas or New Years.
I have never actually cooked a turkey, but I just put a chicken in the oven and I stuffed it. I have done chicken both inside and outside.
I ordered my Turkey from New Orleans this year. It is a Cajun Deep Fried Turkey and I ordered dressing on the side.
I'm with the rest of the Southern contingent...it's dressing, not stuffing, it definitely has a smoother or moister consistency, and it's prepared in massive quantities outside the turkey. I look forward to it allll year long...
DEFINITELY outside -- I don't eat meat, so why would I infuse my delicious stuffing with turkey juices? Nobody has ever complained... and if they do, they can cook their own turkey next year instead of mooching off of mine! (Yes, I cook a full turkey even though I don't eat meat)
I make mine in the slow cooker, frees up the oven for room.
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 ounces sliced mushrooms
12 cups dry bread cubes
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed
2 eggs, beaten
DIRECTIONS
Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.
Both. We mix the inside stuffing up with the outside stuffing. I agree that the inside stuffing is too greasy alone so this way it spreads out the goodness. My mom uses Julia Child's recipe for italian sausage, mushroom, and black olive stuffing. OMG...it is the best!
We do both at our house - a nice, smooth texture from the moist insides of the turkey, and something with a little more crunch from the pan that roasts alongside it.
And being in the South, I'm very familiar with the Stuffing/Dressing concept and differences, but since my family is not Southern, we only do stuffing. (I make an amazing stuffing with chestnuts, granny smith apples, and sausage!)
Following Alton Browns instructions, I did the stuffing inside last year, but wasn't able to get them 'synced up', so it's back in the casserole dish.
And I'm one that holds to it being "stuffing" in the bird and "dressing" when cooked seperately.