QuiltE

Likewise here ... the crockpot when I want more stuffing than the bird will hold!

Or do it all in the crockpot ... leaving the bird empty, and it will cook faster.

Karamarie

Mine goes in the crockpot also.

Onebyone

I make dressing year round. I grew up on chicken, turkey, duck, squirrel, rabbit, quail, venison, even ham dressing. What ever meat was left over dressing was made with the meat in the dressing. Saute celery, onions, and all seasonings were added to the cornbread batter before baking the cornbread. That was crumbled up with any older bread we had and then eggs and lots of stock was added to make it pour able but not soupy. Add the meat and bake in a water bath until set. I never knew anyone that stuffed the turkey until I met non southerners. LOL

Wonnie

My grandmother and mother prepared the bread slices for their stuffing by letlng their bread slices lay on the counter for at least 3 days to dry and, when they were ready to make their stuffing/dressing they covered it with cold water letting it soak in and then they squeezed it dry again with their hands. I could never get it as dry as Gramma and Mom. Does anyone else do it that way or do you use purchased unseasoned bread cubes and add broth? They, also, used uncontionable amounts of butter to saute mega amounts of celery and onion and, when
translucent, they poured it on top of the squeezed out bread slices and added at least 3 eggs, dependent upon the amount of bread used, and a lot of salt and pepper. I add a good tablespoon of sage to mine. They put as much of their stuffing in the turkey or chicken as it will hold and bake the rest separately but I bake mine as earlier discribed on this thread.

Wonnie

oops! spelling error above....should be unconscionable

sinceresissy

I just made corn bread stuffing or dressing yesterday and I had cooked some chicken breasts in the pressure cooker that I shredded and put in the stuffing and we had an easy casserole dish. I got rid of some old hot dog buns in the dressing also. We like the crunchy parts too but next time I think I will add a little more liquid. I thought it was a bit dry but everyone loved it.

Onebyone

I've never soaked or squeezed bread for dressing. Too much extra work for no reason. If I don't have enough cornbread I use plain bread as is. I don't dry it out. The bread absorbs the amount of stock needed to be the right consistency if it's dry or fresh.

mac

I liked the way America's Test Kitchen did it. On one of their programs they took off the legs and wings of the turkey, so that the bird would cook faster. Then they made their dressing and put the legs and wings on top of the dressing and baked it in a separate casserole dish. The turkey parts flavored the dressing and for those really worried about stuffing a turkey because of the bacteria problem, your stuffing still had the turkey flavor and no worries about anyone getting sick.

I suppose that if you like the Rockwell picture of a baked turkey, this won't do for you. However, since I carve the turkey in the kitchen no one ever sees the turkey in our house. We usually cook for about 19 people and there just isn't room for the pretty turkey on the table.

I also agree that if you bake your dressing in a slower oven for a longer period of time, you won't get the crusty crunch that some people dislike. Otherwise, the sliced bread idea is pure genius.