BASIC BREAD STUFFING OR DRESSING
About 10 cups; 13 servings
For a note on the wisdom of stuffing poultry, please read About Stuffings and Dressings. This recipe yields enough to fill a 13 × 9-inch baking dish, or one 14- to 17-pound turkey with enough left over for a small baking dish. To stuff a chicken or 6 to 8 Cornish hens, halve the recipe. For a larger turkey, increase the ingredients by half.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toast on a large baking sheet, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes:
- 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
Transfer to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, if baking in a dish; if stuffing a bird, preheat the oven to the temperature indicated in the recipe. Melt in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides:
- 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
Add and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
Remove from the heat and stir in:
- ½ cup minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Add to the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together:
- ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
Adjust the seasonings. If you desire a firm dressing and are baking in a dish, toss with:
- (2 large eggs, well beaten)
If stuffing poultry, spoon the stuffing into the bird(s). For dressing, transfer to a buttered 13 × 9-inch baking dish and drizzle with:
- 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
For soft dressing, cover the dish with foil. For crispy, browned dressing, leave the dish uncovered and dot with:
- Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
If the stuffing is in a dish, bake until browned as desired, 30 to 45 minutes. If the stuffing is inside a bird, ensure that the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165°F.