Thanksgiving Side of the Day: Sausage and Kale Dressing by Sara Levine in Holidays, November 15th, 2010
The age-old question remains: What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing? Traditional wisdom holds that stuffing is actually cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked separately and served alongside. Makes sense, right? But in my experience, it really comes down to geography. My family (from New York and Pennsylvania) never stuffs the bird, but we always call our savory bread pudding-style side dish ”stuffing.” Go further South, and everything is “dressing,” as I learned at my first Thanksgiving with my fiancé’s family in Louisiana.
I’m not sure why Food Network Magazine decided to call this one dressing—maybe there was a Southerner in the room. Call it what you wish; it’s filled with many ingredients I love—kale, fennel sausage, focaccia—and is definitely going to show up on my spread this year.
TELL US: What stuffing and/or dressing will be on your Thanksgiving table?
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Tags: Thanksgiving, thanksgiving sides
Stuffing and dressing are the same! Stuffing is in the bird, dressing isn't!! They are interchangeable. The only choice is to stuff or not!!!
My Dad and Mother always stuffed the turkey. I do not stuff anymore it is to soggy. I enjoy it crispy but moist. Make it with cornbread and other breads,stuffing,dressing whatever you call it, it's yummy!!! Enjoy Your Thanksgiving be thankful and eat!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stuffing is made with bread cubes, broth, herbs, and veggies whereas dressing is made with cornbread and eggs + ( broth with herbs and veggies)
Having family from both the north and south, I can tell you that which you prefer is a matter of taste. Stuffing may or may or may not be cooked inside the bird, however it is made with bread cubes or crumb and is usually wetter and has a stronger sage taste to me. Dressing in the south consists of cornbread and depending on the recipe may or may not use bread as well. My experience is my family from the north and midwest grew up eating stuffing, and in the south, cornbread dressing. There are hundreds of various recipes all of which sound tasty! The previous post about "dressing" coming from England where they dressed the bird sounds logical, and using cornbread may have come about in the south because of what was more economical back in the day. Which ever, I prefer cornbread dressing, with celery, onion, boiled eggs, sage, salt and pepper and broth or stock used to moisten. Sometimes adding some of the turkey or chicken meat in is delish as well! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
i grew up in Michigan, but my mother is from Alabama. it has always and will always be dressing with homemade cornbread cooked in cast iron skillet with celery, onions, giblets, stock and sage and of course eggs. Stuffing is with bread and more sage flavor. It is about how your family makes it and where they came from, but hands down dressing is the best! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Hi, you have an awesome way of writing. I will favorite it and come back in the future. Thanks.
Grew up in Massachusetts with Irish heritage. We always called it Dressing and we do cook inside the turkey. The interesting portion of our dressing is that it is a combination of bread and potato with pork and giblets. I have never found other families who make this mixture but they should. It is fabulous.
Could you please share the recipe. it souunds wonderful
Dressing goes on a wound and stuffing goes in a turkey. But seriously, we have always considered the two to mean the same thing, the best part of Thanksgiving if you don't consider the home made cranberry sauce.
The first helping is dressing. The second helping is filling. The third helping is stuffing.