# Dressing or Stuffing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365 "2013-11-20T18:14:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/21 "2013-11-20T19:02:51Z")
Moving over to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/22 "2013-11-20T19:04:22Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Boxed stuffing mix and sugar in the cornbread? Not in any part of the South I’m familiar with. I actually didn’t look at that recipe very closely. It’s always been made with plain cornbread as far as I’ve ever known. On Thanksgiving we have turkey and dressing. Dressing is made from cornbread and cooked and served separately from the turkey. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever eaten turkey that’s had anything stuffed in it. When I hear stuffing I think of moistened bread crumb/crouton like stuff. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/23 "2013-11-20T19:09:58Z")
Alton Brown says dressing (because stuffing is disgusting), so it’s dressing for me. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/24 "2013-11-20T19:57:52Z")
In my opinion, we stuffed the trurkey with bready stuff and therefore called it stuffing. There was not enough for all of the people who wanted more of the stuffing and so additional pans of the bready stuff was cooked in a pan. It is essentially the same thing and only differs as to where it cooks. Bready stuff that is cooked inside the turkey absorbs the turkey juices as it cooks, however due to density of the bready stuff it does not always get to high enough of a temperature to kill the bacteria from the raw turkey juices and is no longer recommended. Some people make other things into stuffing/dressing such as wild rice. In my Grandmothers kitchens dressing and stuffing the same ingrediants which primarily consisted of cornbread, herbs and broth. I personally don’t like either one as I find soggy bread to be vile, I also do not like dumplings and most types of pasta. I am considered strange by the rest of my family. I also don’t like marshmallows and sugar on my sweet potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/25 "2013-11-20T20:08:25Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Boxed stuffing mix and sugar in the cornbread? Not in any part of the South I’m familiar with. Thank you! Also, despite what this recipe states, the secret to good dressing isn’t the butter. It’s the broth or stock. Add as much as you think is needed. Then more. And another pint or so for good measure. One of the traditional pre-prandial nibbles at Grandmother’s house was always the yummy crunchy cornbread crusts that weren’t going to darken her pan of dressing. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/26 "2013-11-20T20:20:30Z")
stuffing … and gravy the more ooey gooey … as long as it is a vehicle to get the gravy in my mouth. My MIL cuts up all the weird throw away parts and sneaks them in the gravy…giblets and stuff…ick then pulls the stuffing out of the bird butt…why do I still go there? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/27 "2013-11-20T20:20:37Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Stuffing. But I’ll be danged if I eat anything that gets shoved into a bird’s ass. You must really hate eggs then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/28 "2013-11-20T20:27:59Z")
I use the terms interchangeably too, even though I’ve read that stuffing’s cooked in the bird, and dressing’s cooked outside the bird. I cook it outside the bird (mainly because I serve drumsticks only) but on the package it says stuffing. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/29 "2013-11-20T20:33:28Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > You might want to define how you mean the two terms. I know that some people use them interchangeably while others maintain there is a clear distinction. I don’t really give a darn how it’s defined, I really just wanted to start some arguements (mission accomplished!) For those who must have structure, in this thread stuffing is cooked inside the bird while dressing is cooked outside the bird. > [@sqeegee](#): > > I’ll also chime in that I thought they were the same thing. > > Wiki seems to agree. Wiki is egregiously wrong. > [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > Moving over to Cafe Society. Really? I’m looking for opinions, not recipies! No matter, 'tis only a small nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/30 "2013-11-20T21:22:11Z")
Whether it’s cooked in the bird or not (and it really shouldn’t be), it’s stuffing. [This](https://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/dressings/) is dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/31 "2013-11-20T21:53:23Z")
There really should be a “I love them both!” option. So I voted that I am wishy washy. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/32 "2013-11-20T22:20:43Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Whether it’s cooked in the bird or not (and it really shouldn’t be), it’s stuffing. > > [This](https://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/dressings/) is dressing. The king of defined polls wants to redefine mine? Miffed, I am. Completely miffed. But not swayed. Previous definition stands. > [@Baker](#): > > There really should be a “I love them both!” option. > > So I voted that I am wishy washy. Wishy washy is the correct option for you. If you can’t take a stand on such a profound issue as this, well… ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/33 "2013-11-20T22:59:09Z")
Savory poultry-ish bread pudding? Stuffing. But my grandmother disagrees, and so I will call it whatever she likes (dressing), as long as she continues to make it for me. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/34 "2013-11-20T23:08:59Z")
To me it’s stuffing. Dressing is what old people call it. The ones who call pants trousers and the couch a davenport (and black people colored). If you’re under 80, dressing goes on a salad, not in a bird. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/35 "2013-11-20T23:10:46Z")
> [@Alton Brown](#): > > Stuffing is evil. Good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/36 "2013-11-20T23:20:59Z")
I never heard of cooking a turkey without stuffing, nor have I heard of it served with “dressing” (I’m picturing something like salad dressing - is this correct, or is it, as others have mentioned, a synonym for “stuffing”?) Though I myself never eat stuffing. I like turkey with just gravy. Mmmm. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/37 "2013-11-20T23:21:06Z")
Ah, I thought this was just going to be about which word you use. I went for a while calling it stuffing to distinguish it from salad dressing, but I’ve went back to just calling it dressing. I do understand the idea that in-bird stuffing is inferior–you can’t devote primary interest to getting the stuffing cooked right. The bird is the primary dish. I could see why that would make it not as good. But, to be honest, I’ve never had that kind of stuffing. I’ve always been taught that you can get sick doing that. Plus my grandma’s (and now mom’s) dressing is just too amazing to need any extra flavoring from the bird. This is unlike my other grandma’s dressing, where I think she actually did her best to make it taste like the stovetop stuff. (Stovetop stuffing, btw, is the only time I still use the s-word. Alliteration is always, um, a-better.) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/38 "2013-11-20T23:29:08Z")
> [@RoniaBorkason](#): > > But my grandmother disagrees, and so I will call it whatever she likes (dressing), as long as she continues to make it for me. I’d say that wins the thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/39 "2013-11-20T23:31:28Z")
I use the term stuffing rather than dressing, but I always thought it was a regional distinction (dressing being a Southern thing) rather than a culinary one. As for actual taste, I didn’t know that there was a difference. My experience has been that some of the stuffing is cooked in the bird (unless the cook has concerns about the health implications of this practice), and some is cooked outside the bird so that there is enough for everyone plus leftovers. Whether the particular serving I eat comes from inside or outside the bird is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365/40 "2013-11-20T23:38:33Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I don’t really give a darn how it’s defined, I really just wanted to start some arguements (mission accomplished!) Well done! This is always a fun argument this time of year. 😃 My family calls it stuffing whether it’s inside or outside. I prefer it cooked outside the bird because it gets less mushy that way AND we can make a lot more of it. The inside of a turkey is just too small for how much stuffing we want to eat!!! And being a Yankee I am partial to bread stuffing rather than cornbread stuffing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-or-stuffing/674365.md?page=3)