Stuffings and dressingsAlthough these terms are used interchangeably, the key difference between the two is the the stuffing is, be design, meant to be put inside of the body cavity of the animal being cooked, whereas a dressing is prepared separately and served as a side dish. For the purpose of this post we will talk about stuffing and dressing used for turkey, duck, goose and other fowls traditionally cooked for holiday meals.
A stuffing cooks with the bird, and both picks up the taste of the bird, and well as add its own dimension to the dish, by way of seasonings. Note also, a stuffed bird takes longer to cook than an unstuffed bird. Dressings, when prepared separately, often need an addition source of moisture while cooking, and typically use broths, fruit juices, and fruits.
Commercial, dual use dressing and stuffing are widely available and quite good. But a homemade version adds that much more to the experience. I will offer two traditional American dressings, that can be made shortly before serving the fowl. Each recipe should serve 8 to 10 people, 1/2 cup servings.
Southern Cornbread, Sausage, and Apple dressing (Stove top)
In a large skillet or saucepan, on medium high heat, cook until slightly browned, 1 cup of sage pork sausage. Reserve sausage. In the sausage fat add:
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 large onion, diced
2 peeled, cored, and diced apples
Sautee until onions are translucent, reduce heat to low then add:
2 cups of baked cornbread crumbs
1 cup of chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt (less if broth is salty)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Reserved sausage
Stir until until cornbread is moist. Heat covered on low until ready to serve.
New England Oyster Dressing (oven)
This recipe is best with fresh oysters, but canned, drained oysters work just as well. It can be made during the last 45 minutes of cooking for the turkey, in the same oven if there is enough room. Otherwise, it can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated at the last minute.
Pre-heat oven to 325F (160C).
Spray a two quart covered casserole dish with vegetable oil.
In a large skillet or large saucpan over medium high heat cook:
1/2 pound of diced bacon, until moderately done
To bacon and drippings add:
1/2 diced large onion
4 celery stalk, with tops, chopped
Cool until tender, about four to six minutes, then add:
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
6 cups of plain restaurant style croutons (buy in box or bag)
Remove from heat and mix thoroughly, add:
3 beaten eggs
3 cups oysters, chopped (about 2 pints whole)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Season to taste with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1-2 teaspoons poultry seasoning mix
Transfer to casserole dish and bake covered for 45 minutes
