Turkey Stuffing - Turkey Dressing
How To Make Turkey Stuffing - How To Stuff Thanksgiving Turkey


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Whether you call it "stuffing" or "dressing," what's not to love about turkey stuffing? Everyone knows that stuffing is the best part of a turkey dinner! Turkey stuffing is one of my favorite dishes for Thanksgiving dinner. Don't 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. The following recipe is how I basically make my turkey stuffing.

Don't forget to check out my Thanksgiving Turkey dinner menu which includes Linda's Turkey Stuffing.

Turkey Stuffing, Turkey Dressing

 



Turkey Stuffing Recipe -Turkey Dressing Recipe - How To Make Turkey Stuffing

Recipe Type: Poultry, Oven Roasted Turkey, Thanksgiving Turkey, Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner
Yields: enough to stuff a 20-pound turkey
Prep time: 30 min

 

Ingredients:

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!

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 loaf day-old bread, toasted and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10-12 cups)
1 egg, beaten
Stock from the turkey giblets and/or chicken broth (approximately 1 to 2 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Dried crushed sageto taste
Dried crushed thyme to taste


Preparation:

stuffing the turkey

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.

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; sauté until soft.

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.

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. Check out Advice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely.

Immediately place the stuffed, raw turkey in an oven set no lower than 325 degrees F. To cook your stuffed turkey, check out Guidelines For Roasting a Whole Turkey.

The USDA has come up with a one-temperature-suits-all for poultry safety: 165 degrees F. For safety and doneness, the internal temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.


Makes enough to stuff a 20-pound turkey


Variations:

If you plan to prepare stuffing using raw meat, poultry, or shellfish, you should cook the ingredients before stuffing the turkey to reduce the risk of food borne illness from bacteria that may be found in raw ingredients.

The wet ingredients for stuffing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. However, do not mix wet and dry ingredients until just before spooning the stuffing mixture into the turkey cavity.


 




Check out Linda helpful hints and tips on preparing your holiday turkey dinner: