Turkey Stuffing / Dressing

[Jaymes]

BTW, here is an interesting page with the "original" Pepperidge Farm stuffing recipe, written by Margaret Rudkin, the founder of the company:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/etexts/recept/us...ad-stuff-1.html

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Very interesting, indeed.

Folks that don't routinely make cornbread dressing/stuffing might not know this, but it isn't made from ALL cornbread crumbs. It's a mixture of cornbread and white bread, as in my recipe, and fifi's, and everybody else's I've ever seen.

Sometime in the late 50's, I believe, my mother began using the Pepperidge Farm white-bread-based "Herb Stuffing" for the white bread portion of her cornbread dressing. And that's what I do today. I agree that it's a good product.

[Mabelline]

I was right there with Miz Margaret until she says to trim the whitebread crusts. To me, those and the dark pieces of the cornbread are my reason for existence in a turkey world!

I reckon that just like Jaymes, I grew up and even now, do dressing dishes with different meats. A good old pan of chicken and dressing, or porkchops and dressing, rabbit and dressing, will bring tears to any oldtimer's eyes. It was economically feasible when you are 50 miles from a store, and running down on taters in the middle of the summer.

Stovetop is ok by me, but can't be confused with scratch---as are most subs. But, hey, a turkey stuffed with matzo might be excellent- I came across one stuffed with crushed crackers once (ok, it was in a hunter's cookbook). But pitas, lavosh, and all those other scrumptious products must have been used at one time or another?

[forever_young_ca]

but do you guys use eggs in your "white bread" stuffings?

Eggs? - ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!

[Jason Perlow]

BTW, here is an interesting page with the "original" Pepperidge Farm stuffing recipe, written by Margaret Rudkin, the founder of the company:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/etexts/recept/us...ad-stuff-1.html

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Very interesting, indeed.

Folks that don't routinely make cornbread dressing/stuffing might not know this, but it isn't made from ALL cornbread crumbs. It's a mixture of cornbread and white bread, as in my recipe, and fifi's, and everybody else's I've ever seen.

Sometime in the late 50's, I believe, my mother began using the Pepperidge Farm white-bread-based "Herb Stuffing" for the white bread portion of her cornbread dressing. And that's what I do today. I agree that it's a good product.

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By the way, the Pepperidge Farm company archivist called me this morning, and told me that according to their documents, the Stuffing product was introduced commercially in 1940 (Their first large scale plant in Norwalk, CT was opened in 1947) from the business in Ms. Rudkin's home. The stuffing was one of the original products besides Melba Toast (which does not survive today) which were developed by Margaret Rudkin to use up stale bread returns.

If you want to see what the current Pepperidge Farm Bloomfield, CT operation looks like today, there's an interesting article here:

http://www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/Arti...,122568,00.html

If you think about all the automation involved, its really quite impressive.

[Dana]

My Grandma always made a 'white bread' dressing, and added a raw egg for a binder. It was gummy, and that's the way we loved it. Now, however, I make cornbread dressing as it has more texture, and frankly, more taste. I use a similar method to fifi and Jaymes except I cannot abide the HB eggs in either the dressing or the gravy. The whites are RUBBER from the extra cooking, and extremely unappealing to me. I always make mine dressing the week ahead of the big day, using a couple of turkey wings I've roasted and make stock out of. I bake it in a pan outside the bird, because the turkey gravy poured over the top of the crunchy crust is unbeatable. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

[Mabelline]

Bummer!!! I love melba toast and those Norwegian flatbrods!

[Jaymes]

Jason -- Pepperidge Farm sells both a white bread "Herb Stuffing" mix, and a Cornbread Dressing mix. Did any of your research happen to mention when they introduced their cornbread mix? I've never tried it, although as I said, I do use the white bread one. Cornbread is so easy to make, and I like the crusty bits from the bottom of the cast iron skillet, that I've never even been tempted to try Pepperidge Farm's version.

But now I'm curious.

[Abra]

Neither my grandma, my mother, nor I ever used Stove Top or Pepperidge Farm. The time-honored method in our family was to set out sliced white bread on the counter to dry overnight, then tear it up into chunks in the morning. Mix it with broth, raw eggs (of course, how else is it supposed to stick together?), sauteed celery and onions, a ton of sage, sometimes nuts or water chestnuts. I can't claim this is Yankee, since we're Left Coasters, but it's traditional.

Now, though, I like to try something new each year. I like a mix of sourdough, or ciabatta, and a good whole grain bread, lots of fresh herbs, toasted nuts, as well as the compulsory sauteed aromatics. And eggs, and homemade broth done with fennel fronds. And then whatever else strikes my fancy.

Oh yes, not to forget, I also have to make my mother-in-law's stuffing for my husband. The less I say about this the better, since in cyber-space, even your m-i-l might be watching.

[Jaymes]

Now, though, I like to try something new each year.  I like a mix of sourdough, or ciabatta, and a good whole grain bread, lots of fresh herbs, toasted nuts, as well as the compulsory sauteed aromatics.  And eggs, and homemade broth done with fennel fronds.  And then whatever else strikes my fancy.

Boy, I'd love to come to your house. This sounds exquisite.

As I said elsewhere, tradition at my house demands the exact same cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving year after year. But I love to make stuffings for other fall and winter meals. You've inspired me.

[Pan]

Jason -- Pepperidge Farm sells both a white bread "Herb Stuffing" mix, and a Cornbread Dressing mix.  Did any of your research happen to mention when they introduced their cornbread mix?  I've never tried it, although as I said, I do use the white bread one.  Cornbread is so easy to make, and I like the crusty bits from the bottom of the cast iron skillet, that I've never even been tempted to try Pepperidge Farm's version.

But now I'm curious.

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Keep making your own! It'll be much better.

[Jaymes]

Jason -- Pepperidge Farm sells both a white bread "Herb Stuffing" mix, and a Cornbread Dressing mix.  Did any of your research happen to mention when they introduced their cornbread mix?  I've never tried it, although as I said, I do use the white bread one.  Cornbread is so easy to make, and I like the crusty bits from the bottom of the cast iron skillet, that I've never even been tempted to try Pepperidge Farm's version.

But now I'm curious.

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Keep making your own! It'll be much better.

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Oh, I will, for sure. For one thing, cornbread is an important part of our entire Thanksgiving tradition. There's the aroma of it baking a day or two before. There's the sampling of it hot out of the skillet with lots of butter and honey. And then there's the "cornbread cereal" Thanksgiving morning.

But I am curious about when Pepperidge Farm introduced their cornbread version. And sales figures as well -- how much cornbread vs regular, and is it entirely regional, or does cornbread sell in all their markets. That sort of thing.

[rcarter]

I love the sausage stuffing recipe from Ris Lacoste, chef of the 1789 restaurant. Pork sausage, bacon and ham!1789 Stuffing Recipe

[patti]

I'll admit that when I've had an envie for stuffing and it's nowhere near holiday time, I've used Stove Top. Tasty and it satisfies me until it's time for the real thing. Also, when I make cornbread dressing, I sometimes add a bag of Pepperidge Farm to my homemade dressing concoction.

I could go for some good cornbread dressing right about now.

[bleachboy]

Well, I suppose I've decided. I'm gonna make two dressings this year. One -- for the daring -- will be a cornbread dressing similar to fifi's, but with roux, trinity, andouille sausage, crawfish tails, and "cajun spices". The other will be a fairly plain white bread dressing, possibly the one from How To Cook Everything. I'll probably do them a day ahead, since I've never entertained for 20+ before, and I'm pretty sure I'll be frantic on the day itself. I'm also making pumpkin cheesecake ahead of time. Hopefully the only thing I'll actually have to cook on Thanksgiving is the mashed potatoes. My wife is doing all the vegetarian stuff and everybody else is bringing at least one dish.

[patti]

Well, I suppose I've decided.  I'm gonna make two dressings this year.  One -- for the daring -- will be a cornbread dressing similar to fifi's, but with roux, trinity, andouille sausage, crawfish tails, and "cajun spices". 

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Sounds like cornbread dressing jambalaya. Please let us know how it goes.

[bleachboy]

Sounds like cornbread dressing jambalaya. Please let us know how it goes.

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I will! I'm gonna do a trial run this weekend. I ordered extra ingredients for that purpose. It's a holiday, so the trick is going to be to see how much pork fat I can cram into a dressing without overpowering everything or making it too greasy or soggy.

[andiesenji]

Viva, who made my MeeMaw's pork cake, first making pork mincemeat and letting it age a week, said she is going to try some of the mincemeat in dressing.

She has given me the idea to make up a batch and see how it combines with my chestnut and apple dressing. I have in the past added cracklings to the dressing.

I love cracklings!!!

[sarashrugs]

mom always made her Stuffing(never heard of "Dressing till i was in my twentys)white bread,onions,celery,loads of sage and some celery seedsand cooked some in the cavity and some seperate,but moistened nicely with the turkey stock---and always have a turkey,stuffing and cran-mayo sandwich next day---damn good !!!

                                        Dave s

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Yep that's the way we've always had it and that's how I'll make it this year.

[Abra]

I can't believe there's not already a thread on this, but I couldn't find one with a search, so here goes.

For many of us, Thanksgiving is all about the stuffing, by which, technically, I guess I really mean dressing, since I actually don't stuff turkeys anymore. But terminology aside, I love and adore stuffing, and will happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I can manage to have enough left over from Thanksgiving.

Every year I must absolutely make my mother in law's stuffing recipe, about which the less said the better. However, that's in fact a good thing! Because my loved ones who prefer that listless and stodgy rendition are happy, I get to make a new recipe each year purely to satisfy myself, and usually, I get to eat quite a lot of it all by myself. Which is why I call it stuffing not dressing, since I'm always stuffed, and dressing myself gets a lot harder right after Thanksgiving.

So this year I haven't found the right new recipe to try. Would you share? What's the absolute best? I tend towards bread, and meatless, but hey, I'm open to change. Please, blow me away with your stuffing excellence!

[bigbear]

The recipe must include pork sausage to have a chance of blowing my hair back.

[ruthcooks]

Like you, Abra, I've been looking for the perfect stuffing/dressing for forever. I had a long way to come, baby, since here's what I grew up with:

Wonderbread (or the like) heels dried and saved all year and torn into pieces. Some raw chopped onion, salt and pepper and enough dried sage to make it practically green. Now pour in boiling water and WHIP WITH A FORK UNTIL IT BECOMES A SOUPY MUSH. That's it. Yuk. You HAD to stuff this mess for it to have any flavor at all, but we always called it dressing.

I made a perfect dressing once, of sourdough bread and sausage, plenty of onion and butter, some celery and parsley and chicken broth. But I've never been able to duplicate it. I've made pecan stuffing balls, lemon and ham stuffing balls, mashed potato filling, Italian rice dressing and cornbread dressing. Funny thing about the cornbread: I love it when it's all prepared and could eat it by the pint, but once it's been cooked in a casserole I don't like it much at all.

Truth is, I like scalloped oysters better than dressing. Saltine crumbs soaked in butter, layered with oysters and their liquid, warm half and half poured over until the crackers are all soaked except for a layer on top which will get crunchy when it's baked at a fairly high temperature. Because my son-in-law is allergic to oysters, I have developed a version using all kinds of mushrooms (especially oyster mushrooms).

Have to go now. Will post some ideas I haven't tried later.

[Ling]

I made a perfect dressing once, of sourdough bread and sausage, plenty of onion and butter, some celery and parsley and chicken broth.  But I've never been able to duplicate it. 

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This is my favourite recipe--it includes sausage (I triple the amount ), sourdough bread, artichoke, plus the usual veg and cheese. I also throw in any type of cheese I have lying around, instead of sticking with parm like the recipe calls for.

sourdough, sausage, artichoke stuffing

[Gifted Gourmet]

I can't believe there's not already a thread on  this, but I couldn't find one with a search,

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here is a good discussion on stuffings of all sorts ... Stuffing a.k.a. Dressing, What's perfect for Turkey Day?

and a nice set of options from Goldmine ...

[Abra]

Thanks for the link, GG. My search should have turned that one up, but didn't. The eG search engine and I are not on the best of terms. And to make matters even more embarrassing, I see that I even posted on that thread. No wonder I thought it must exist!

However, having read through it all again, I realize that this thread isn't redundant, because we have a lot of different memebrs posting these days, and each one might hold the key to the ultimate stuffing.

Heels of bread dried and saved ALL YEAR?!?!?! Jeepers, Ruth, I think you win the prize. I've been eyeing that recipe Ling posted for the last couple of years, deterred only by the sausage. I'm glad to hear that it's really good.

I have a bunch of roasted chestnuts in the freezer that I'd like to get into this year's stuffing......

Edited October 29, 2005 by Abra (log)

[rooftop1000]

Hmmm...tend toward bread and meatless..... nope

I dont think I knew stuffing had bread until stove top came out. Grandma's stuffing...

1lb italian sausage

1lb ground beef

an onion

some celary

cooked rice

S&P

cook sausage, beef, onion and celary

drain off some of the grease

add couple of cups of cooked minute rice season and stuff the turkey

a big ole plate of meat rice with turkey gravy is my idea of heaven

tracey