Straight Dope Message Board

[Leaffan]

The box says to stuff the bird with prepared stuffing.

I assume that means boiling and preparing the stuffing before stuffing it, but why? Surely dry stuffing will be adventageous to soaking up juices, etc.

So, dry or prepared? 1

[silenus]

Don't stuff the turkey!!!! Has Alton Brown lived in vain?

The box clearly says "Stovetop."

No, really. Don't stuff the bird. 2

[Sunny Daze]

It would be "prepared" but not "cooked". You would stir things together, but not cook them.

I think you can stuff the bird, but watch that you get the temperatures right for safe eating. 3

[Bayaker]

Stuff the bird if you want to. All this hoopla about THE DEATH OF MILLIONS!® caused by incorrectly heating stuffing and/or poultry is scaremongering at its worst.

To answer the question you actually asked: You do need to prepare it by the package directions(not really cooking anything except boiling the water) - dry, "uncooked" stuffing, and especially the freeze-dried(or whatever) flavor packet contents will not get near enough moisture just by absorbing juices inside the bird.

Hope your dinner is great!

But Stovetop itself is crap. Next time be brave and do it from scratch. It's really pretty easy. 4

[flaming yawn]

speaking of stuffing.. (btw I love stove top) my sister in law said she would bring stuffing this year to thanksgiving "it's really good it has green olives in it!" I have banned her from stuffing duty. 5

[dropzone]

Flaming yawn, what Sixties cookbook gave her that recipe? First rule of cooking is throw out cookbooks from the Sixties.

Stuffing a bird is okay if the stuffing is very hot when you put it in so it helps cook the turkey. But watch your temperature because it will cook faster than you expect. 6

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by flaming yawn

speaking of stuffing.. (btw I love stove top) my sister in law said she would bring stuffing this year to thanksgiving "it's really good it has green olives in it!" I have banned her from stuffing duty.

Originally Posted by dropzone

Flaming yawn, what Sixties cookbook gave her that recipe? First rule of cooking is throw out cookbooks from the Sixties.

I think it would depend on the exact recipe; this sounds better than the golden raisin stuffing one of my sisters makes. 7

[Beckdawrek]

Make dressing instead 8

[rsat3acr]

Just a personal nitpick with no intent to hijack. If it is made in the bird it is stuffing, if it is made outside the bird it is dressing. 9

[Beckdawrek]

Here we go! 10

[DCnDC]

Originally Posted by Bayaker

But Stovetop itself is crap. Next time be brave and do it from scratch. It's really pretty easy.

Amen! That dehydrated celery in Stove Top is one of the worst things I've ever eaten. Granted, I hate celery, but I would imagine that even if you like celery, what comes in that box is still pretty insulting. 11

[Suburban Plankton]

I love Stove Top Stuffing...but it should never come anywhere near a turkey dinner, much less be stuffed into the turkey itself.

It's sort of like the difference between your grandma's recipe for macaroni and cheese, and a box of Kraft; technically they are both "macaroni" and "cheese", but in reality they are two completely different foods.

The same goes for "real stuffing" vs. Stove Top. When we make stuffing, it starts with dried seasoned bread cubes (we usually buy Mrs. Cubbinson's), mixed with butter, water, and fresh vegetables. It takes about three minutes to put everything together, and it goes in the bird ('cause it's "stuffing"). 12

[TriPolar]

Originally Posted by rsat3acr

Just a personal nitpick with no intent to hijack. If it is made in the bird it is stuffing, if it is made outside the bird it is dressing.

Stuffing is dressing stuffed in a bird. 13

[Leaffan]

I prepared.

I stuffed.

I ingested.

I zzzz,,,


ETA: Thanks. 14

[Northern Piper]

Was Thanksgiving delayed a week because you were doing advance poll duty?

I'm just sitting down to a nice turkey soup made with leftovers from last week.


(PS - it's stuffing, and I've survived all these years eating it !) 15

[Northern Piper]

Originally Posted by Bayaker

Hope your dinner is great!

But Stovetop itself is crap. Next time be brave and do it from scratch. It's really pretty easy.

Preach it! 16

[Beckdawrek]

Originally Posted by TriPolar

Stuffing is dressing stuffed in a bird.

17

[DesertDog]

Originally Posted by silenus

Don't stuff the turkey!!!! Has Alton Brown lived in vain?

Mom always served it both ways, done in the bird and in a pan outside the bird. I preferred the latter because it was a bit crunchy around the edges. 18

[Smapti]

Originally Posted by Suburban Plankton

The same goes for "real stuffing" vs. Stove Top. When we make stuffing, it starts with dried seasoned bread cubes (we usually buy Mrs. Cubbinson's), mixed with butter, water, and fresh vegetables. It takes about three minutes to put everything together, and it goes in the bird ('cause it's "stuffing").

Feh. Quality stuffing begins with day-old homemade cornbread. 19

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by Beckdawrek

Make dressing instead

The year I brought my oyster dressing there was plenty for me! 20

[BobLibDem]

Stove top stuffing is superior in every way to stuffing the bird. Simpler and safer and I think tastes just as good.

Reminds me of an old Freak Brothers cartoon-
Phineas: "This stuffing is great. What did you stuff the turkey with?"
Fat Freddy: "I didn't stuff it- it wasn't empty" 21

[Spud]

Originally Posted by BobLibDem

Stove top stuffing is superior in every way to stuffing the bird. Simpler and safer and I think tastes just as good.

There is a big difference between stuffing done on the stove top (dressing) and Stove Top Stuffing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stove_Top_stuffing. 22

[Dr. Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by Suburban Plankton

I love Stove Top Stuffing...but it should never come anywhere near a turkey dinner, much less be stuffed into the turkey itself.

It's sort of like the difference between your grandma's recipe for macaroni and cheese, and a box of Kraft; technically they are both "macaroni" and "cheese", but in reality they are two completely different foods.

The same goes for "real stuffing" vs. Stove Top. When we make stuffing, it starts with dried seasoned bread cubes (we usually buy Mrs. Cubbinson's), mixed with butter, water, and fresh vegetables. It takes about three minutes to put everything together, and it goes in the bird ('cause it's "stuffing").

I must be some sort of heathen then because we have both Stove Top stuffing and Kraft Mac & Cheese at Thanksgiving dinner. 23

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by BobLibDem

Stove top stuffing is superior in every way to stuffing the bird. Simpler and safer and I think tastes just as good.

Reminds me of an old Freak Brothers cartoon-
Phineas: "This stuffing is great. What did you stuff the turkey with?"
Fat Freddy: "I didn't stuff it- it wasn't empty"

Well, you can make perfeclty good non bird non stovetop stuffing - the herbed dried bread cubes of your choice. I mince up an onion, a stick or two of celery, a large peeled carrot and toss it with the cubes along with chopped walnuts, a tsp of garlic granules and a tsp of poultry seasoning. I melt a stick of butter into a box or two [or equivalent homemade] chicken or turkey broth and toss the dry mix with it and pack it gently into a baking vessel [I like a nice casserole dish, like a COrning French WHite with lid] and bake it in a 350 degree fahrenheit oven for about 45 minutes or so. Comes out nice, like stovetop or whatever off brand stuffing and not that much more work overall, just more time cooking.

Originally Posted by DesertDog

Mom always served it both ways, done in the bird and in a pan outside the bird. I preferred the latter because it was a bit crunchy around the edges.

I have to admit I prefer it outside the bird for the same reasons. 24

[silenus]

Stove Top isn't bad for what it is. Meatless Mondays around Casa Silenus will use Stove Top, mashed potatoes and a vegetable to make dinner. Quick and easy. But when we still cooked our own turkey, it was always Mrs. Cubbison's cubes and a lot of add-ins. In a separate dish, never in the bird. 25

[Two Many Cats]

Originally Posted by Smapti

Feh. Quality stuffing begins with day-old homemade cornbread.

Made from corn you grew yourself, no doubt. And harvested not twenty minutes before grinding into meal. 26

[puzzlegal]

Originally Posted by Leaffan

The box says to stuff the bird with prepared stuffing.

I assume that means boiling and preparing the stuffing before stuffing it, but why? Surely dry stuffing will be adventageous to soaking up juices, etc.

So, dry or prepared?

It needs to be prepared. And it should be piping hot when it goes in the bird, so it helps, rather than hinders, cooking it.

I'm not a huge fan of muchy-bread stuffing even when it's been stuffed in the bird, and I REALLY don't see the point of mushy-bread casserole, which is what most dressing seems to be. But I make a wild rice & cranberry stuffing for ducks and geese that I adore. And if there's more than fits in the bird, I cook the rest in a casserole dish, usually with extra butter since it won't get bird-fat. (I suppose I could also add broth, but this way, I can serve it to the vegetarians.)

And there's a HUGE difference between the stuffing and the dressing, made with the same recipe. And the stuffing is vastly better. All that fat and drippings really improve the result.

I shove a thermometer down the center of the stuffing. And I make sure it reads 165F before I take the bird out of the oven. I don't think that's especially dangerous.

Oh -- and the secret to not over-cooking the bird is to make sure it's thoroughly defrosted. I leave it in a cool spot (but warmed than the fridge) to warm up a bit before I cook it, too. And also to give it adequate time to rest after you take it from the oven. That makes a huge difference in how moist the bird is. A whole roast turkey sitting at the back of the stove (back burners off) will stay hot for an hour or more. 27

[Kropotkin]

Originally Posted by kayaker

The year I brought my oyster dressing there was plenty for me!

Recipe, please! 28

[Northern Piper]

Originally Posted by Kropotkin

Recipe, please!

Seconded! 29

[Beckdawrek]

Originally Posted by Northern Piper

Seconded!

Cite! 30

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by Kropotkin

Recipe, please!

Totally nothing special, I just make generic bread stuffing with lots of butter but I mix in oysters, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce. If it's too dry I add oyster liquor. Into a greased casserole dish and bake. Under the broiler for a minute if needed. 31

[manson1972]

Originally Posted by Bayaker

But Stovetop itself is crap. Next time be brave and do it from scratch. It's really pretty easy.

Do you have a recipe that comes out tasting exactly like Stove Top Stuffing?

32

[Bill Door]

Originally Posted by Smapti

Feh. Quality stuffing begins with day-old homemade cornbread.

Cornbread? Corn isn't food, corn is what food eats. 33

[Fear Itself]

Originally Posted by Two Many Cats

Made from corn you grew yourself, no doubt. And harvested not twenty minutes before grinding into meal.

No, it must be harvested by the light of the Harvest Moon. 34

[Baker]

I love Alton Brown, but I make him cry as I love to stuff the turkey. It's so easy. Chopped dry bread mixed with chopped onion and celery(the veggies are lightly grilled in a pan first, and moistened somewhat by broth. Also a few seasonings. Stuff it up that bird's backside and cross and tie it's legs together. I do also like the same mix baked in a pan, but the bird's juices add extra flavor. 35

[DrCube]

I have to say, last time I made turkey for Thanksgiving, I spatchcocked the bird, and it was fantastic. Cooked in under 90 minutes, too, and it was over 20 pounds. I never saw a need to fill the cavity with stuffing, and now my favorite method doesn't even leave a cavity to be stuffed. I haven't tried it yet, but I suspect I could put a tray of dressing under the rack the bird is roasting on and get the best of both worlds this way. 36

[Balthisar]

I prefer to make my own stuffing, but I do love Stove Top in the same sense that I love Taco Bell. I’d never intentionally make Taco Bell at home, either.

Of course I stuff my birds, despite my adoration of all things “Alton.” Tradition is important, as is presentation. Simply stuff the bird with cooked dressing, at a temperature that will keep it pasteurized while waiting for the bird to cook. 37