Is stuffing better with or without eggs?

Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread. Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing's irresistible gooey center . And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

What temperature should stuffing be cooked at?

How do you safely cook stuffing? The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F .

Why add eggs to stuffing?

It's a matter of preference, but adding a beaten egg to your stuffing mixture acts as a binder and keeps the bread moist . Moisture is what holds all the ingredients together, rather than turning it into something resembling croutons and roasted vegetables.

How soggy should stuffing be before baking?

The stuffing should be moist but not wet . If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

How to tell if stuffing is done in the oven?

If stuffing your turkey, be sure to cook until the internal temperature of the stuffing mixture reaches 165F and IMMEDIATELY remove the stuffing from the turkey once the turkey is out of the oven. Refrigerate if not eating right away. For oven-baked stuffing, the same internal temperature should be reached (165F).

Why put mayo in eggs?

The mayo helps to stabilize the mixture and incorporate more egg into the eggs, making them fluffy . Plus, the extra fat can also make them silkier, and more rich.

Why is Thanksgiving stuffing so good?

Something magical happens when stale bread meets butter, celery and tons of sage. Flavors meld and the bread turns soft and gooey and outshines everything else on the Thanksgiving plate . If it were up to me, I would only eat stuffing and stone crabs the whole day.

Why is my stuffing always mushy?

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush . Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

How to keep dressing from being gummy?

Gummy Stuffing Though many people like their stuffing like more of a savory bread pudding, others prefers a dryer dressing. If your stuffing is too wet and gummy, turn it out onto a baking pan or cookie sheet. Break it up and spread it in an even layer. Then bake until dried to the desired level.

How to fix watery dressing?

A cornstarch slurry—equal parts cornstarch and water—should be heated until it thickens, then blended into the dressing . Arrowroot powder and tapioca starch can be used similarly for gluten-free options. They should be mixed with liquid to form a paste before incorporating into the dressing.

How do you keep stuffing warm and moist?

He uses the hot broth on stuffing, too, rather than putting the stuffing in the oven to heat it up (and risking drying it out). "I make indentations in the trays of stuffing with a spoon," he says, "I put the hot chicken stock in it and it keeps it warm."

After Tweaking My Stuffing Recipe For Years, I Finally Settled On This Easy Method (2024)

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Emma Christensen

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories

updated Oct 22, 2020

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After Tweaking My Stuffing Recipe For Years, I Finally Settled On This Easy Method (1)

Learn how to make an easy stuffing (dressing) for Thanksgiving with this step-by-step guide.

Serves8 to 10

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After Tweaking My Stuffing Recipe For Years, I Finally Settled On This Easy Method (2)

Anyone else here think that the stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner? I love its mix of textures and flavors — crunchy roasted nuts with soft broth-soaked bread and chewy morsels of spiced sausage. Oh mama, that’s good stuff! As the self-designated stuffing-maker in our house, I’ve tweaked and tested my recipe over the years until finally settling on this one easy method.

I find that the key to good stuffing is twofold: the proportion of ingredients and the amount of stock used to soak the bread. With the ingredients, you want a little taste of each thing every few bites. For me, this means a healthy cup or so each of nuts, sausage, vegetables, and fruit. The bread binds everything together, so I always pick a good one. Sourdough is my favorite, though one year I used pumpkin bread for a fantastic sweet-savory twist.

I always bake my stuffing separately from the turkey, opting for more control over the cooking rather than tradition. I also like my stuffing fairly moist, like a panade, so I add enough broth to come about 3/4 up the side of the baking dish — this is roughly 3 to 4 cups when baking in a 3-quart casserole dish. If you don’t like your stuffing quite so saturated, use less stock.

A few other tricks for great stuffing? Toast the bread until it’s completely dry; this helps it to absorb the stock and also hold its shape during cooking. Toast the nuts while you’re at it. If you don’t like fruit in your stuffing, add extra vegetables instead. You can toast the bread and cook the sausage filling the day ahead to save yourself some time on Thanksgiving, but wait to mix it with the egg or stock until just before cooking.

How do you like your stuffing? Have your own tips or suggestions to share?

Toast the bread and nuts. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into small cubes, removing the crusts if desired. Divide the cubes between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Toast for 10 minutes. Stir the bread cubes and spread back into an even layer. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Continue toasting until the bread is completely dry and the nuts are toasted, 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. (Image credit: Emma Christensen)

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How to Make Easy Thanksgiving Stuffing

Learn how to make an easy stuffing (dressing) for Thanksgiving with this step-by-step guide.

Serves 8 to 10

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

1 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) loaf
crusty bread
1 cup
walnuts, almonds, pecans, or other nuts, coarsely chopped
1 pound
uncooked sausage (casings removed), ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken
1
large yellow onion, diced
3
medium celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons
fresh sage, thyme, or oregano leaves, minced
1
large apples or 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or other dried fruit (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons
kosher salt
3
large eggs, lightly beaten
2 to 4 cups
low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

Equipment

2
rimmed baking sheets
Large skillet
3- or 4-quart baking dish
Aluminum foil

Instructions

Toast the bread and nuts. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into small cubes, removing the crusts if desired. Divide the cubes between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Toast for 10 minutes. Stir the bread cubes and spread back into an even layer. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Continue toasting until the bread is completely dry and the nuts are toasted, 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Cook the sausage. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage or other ground meat and sprinkle with salt. Break the meat up into crumbles and cook until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes (see how in this post). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a large bowl and drain off all but a few teaspoons of fat from the pan.
Cook the vegetables. Add the onions to the same pan, season with salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and continue cooking until the celery is softened, about 5 minutes more. Add the fruits, if using, and the fresh herbs. Cook until the apples are just starting to soften, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to the bowl with the meat.
Combine the stuffing ingredients. Add the bread and nuts, eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish. Transfer the stuffing into a 3 to 4-quart baking dish. IIf you have leftover stuffing that doesn't quite fit, bake it separately in ramekins.
Add the broth. Pour the broth evenly over the stuffing. If you prefer your stuffing on the dry side, add 2 to 3 cups of broth; if you like moist stuffing, add 3 to 4 cups.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake until crispy. Uncover the stuffing and continue baking until the top is crispy and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let cool briefly before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make-ahead stuffing: This stuffing can be prepared through Step 3 the day ahead. Store the bread cubes at room temperature and refrigerate the sausage filling ingredients separately.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.