How to make stuffing/dressing?

[Mr_Dove]

I did a few searches and found lots of recipes for stuffing/dressing. Problem is that I've never made anything other than stovetop.

I've eaten home made stuffing before and my usual complains are
1. lack of flavor. bland
2. too much mush

Usually when i make stovetop I'll throw it in the oven for a while to dry it out a bit so that its not mush.

Once I find out the basics of making stuffing/dressing I'll look throug the many recipes on the site here.

 

[AllenOK]

All I can tell you, is to use really, REALLY, dry bread. Also, don't use to much stock, as this will just get soaked up by the bread and turn the bread to mush.

If you are going to stuff the bird, I'm not sure if you really want to use much stock, if any, at all, as the stuffing will soak up all the juices that come out of the bird during the cooking process.

 

[goboenomo]

Just leave a loaf of bread out of the bag for a day or two. Or however much you plan to eat. Or however much you plan to eat.

 

[Mr_Dove]

stovetop tells you to

1. boil your liquid (water and butter) in a small saucepan
2. mix in the dry bread stuffs
3. let sit for a few minutes
4. eat

Is home-made stuffing the same way? boil the liquid, add the bread, let sit, and eat? At what point do you add additional flavorings like rosemary?

I intend to bake the stuffing at some point to make is less mushy too.

 

[Andy M.]

I follow the recipe on the back of the Bell's seasoning with a few mods. It's the way my mom did it.

 

[auntdot]

All I can suggest is that you look at the recipes and try one that seems about right.

The lack of flavor suggests those you have eaten did not have enough spices, herbs, or related foods to make them taste good to you.

Many add meat, including sauage, others add fruits and veggies, including such things as onions, celery, bell peppers, or hotter chiles, diced apples, raisins, and many others.

The often served Thanksgiving stuffing often has sage and thyme. Other spices may include rosemary or marjoram, parsley is added by many.

Always find a splash of a hot sauce, keeping the heat under the detectable level for most guests, gives it a bit of zing.

This is just the beginning, cause stuffin's and dressin's can be made with many different ingredients. But there is no need for them to be bland.

Have used stovetop, in a hurry, but always zing it up.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Toots]

This is how I make a very basic dressing.

Toast one package of plain white bread (the cheap stuff)
Tear the bread up into chunks and place in a large bowl
Meanwhile, saute 2-3 stalks of celery and 1-2 white onions in butter until cooked. Add celery/onion mixture to bowl of bread.
Add canned chicken broth or turkey stock and salt/pepper and some dried sage (you can also add poultry seasoning if you wish) to the mixture. You want to add enough liquid to get the dressing pretty soggy. I then place it in a casserole dish, cover it and bake it for about 45 minutes on 350. I like to add the juice/broth from my the turkey to the dressing while its cooking.

This is a very basic but good recipe, you can fancy it up but this is much better than Stove Top and not much work.