Thanksgiving Stuffing

How many of you look forward to the side dishes, more than the turkey on Thanksgiving?  Me, me, me!!!   So, that would definitely be me.  No question.  Ever since I can remember, I would look forward to the side dishes on Thanksgiving, but especially to eating a generous serving of Thanksgiving Stuffing.  Boy, oh boy was it good.

This is stuffing is the king of the Thanksgiving side dishes.  For me, Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving without Thanksgiving Stuffing.  Period.

After every Thanksgiving, the thought of saying, “next year we’re all going to a restaurant to celebrate Thanksgiving” comes to mind.  This is after prepping and cooking all week to create 10 or more dishes for 16 to 20 adult family members (plus small children).  Not to mention the days of cleaning after Thanksgiving.  As you can imagine, I am exhausted!  Well anyway, a few month later (after I am fully recovered), the thought leaves my mind as I envision a Thanksgiving without my delicious Thanksgiving Stuffing.

Warm, comforting, and full of delicious flavor, Thanksgiving Stuffing is the epitome of a carb-lovers dream, and let’s face it, Thanksgiving isn’t exactly the day most of us choose to diet.

Is it Stuffing or Dressing?

It’s not so much what goes into the mixture that makes this either a stuffing or dressing, than how it is baked.  Traditionally, “stuffing” refers to a mixture that’s stuffed into something (usually turkey or chicken), hence the name; while dressing is baked separately.  So, technically, this is a dressing.  However, noting is preventing you from stuffing this into your turkey.  Just keep in mind that it will alter the cooking time of the stuffed turkey.

For all purpose sake, we are going with the term “stuffing” since it is the more well known term.

Steps to warm and comforting Thanksgiving Stuffing:

The list of ingredients is long.  I recommend that you have everything out and ready to go.  This will greatly expedite the process.

Butter an extra large casserole dish generously.

The Bread

Start by tearing the English Muffins, Bagels, Sweet Hawaiian Rolls, and French Sandwich Rolls into 1 to 1- 1/2 inch pieces.  Basically, you’ll have about 20 cups of cubed bread.  What we are looking for is a variety of different textures and flavors.  Add the bread directly to the buttered baking dish.

I like using the English Muffins and Bagels because of their nice, firm texture.  The few Hawaiian Rolls adds a little bit a sweetness to the Stuffing. Not so much that it becomes a sweet dish, but it add a little hint of something interesting to balance out the other savory flavors.  The French Sandwich Rolls add some variety to the texture.

Next, boil the chicken livers with the 1 tablespoon of the salt in 1 cup water until the liver is cooked through.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.  Chop the liver and add it to the bread.

If you want, you can add the turkey gizzards in as well.  I personally prefer the chicken liver because it is much softer, and blends better with the other ingredients.

Melt the 8 tablespoons butter in a saucepan.  Sauté the onion and celery on medium heat until just starting to get tender.

Add the onion and celery to the bread, and give it a stir.

Add all of the additional ingredients (excluding the turkey drippings/juice).  I start with the herbs and spices.

Then, add the rice, wild rice, and chicken stock.

Lastly, I add the heavy cream, sour cream, and eggs.

Give it a good stir, until well incorporated.

Cover with a lid or foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.  Add a cup of the turkey dripping/juice after about 1 hour of cooking.  If you don’t have turkey stock ready, you can add more chicken stock.

Bake another 30 minutes uncovered.

Enjoy.

If you do have leftovers, you can always transform this stuffing into a satisfying and hearty breakfast.

For more side dish ideas, visit out side dish page.