Mom’s Turkey Dressing
Mom’s Turkey Dressing is a simple, old-fashioned turkey dressing recipe that is spectacular! It melts in your mouth with all the succulent juices from the turkey permeating each bite. This fabulous recipe has been in our family for years.
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Every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas this was the dressing Mom made for her turkeys. A few times she conceded to Dad’s desire for cornbread dressing and she made both, but she never made stuffing for turkey without this delicious batch being made too.
As far as dressings go Mom’s Turkey Dressing is relatively easy to make. The best stuffing is what actually goes into the turkey’s cavities because all the juices from the turkey get added to it and it is just so delectable words can hardly describe it.
Although, not all of the dressing will fit into the cavities so the rest of it I put in a greased casserole dish and bake it about 30-45 minutes or so until it heats through. Like I said, it’s very simple. I have used almost any kind of bread although we prefer whole wheat. My sister uses at least three or four different kinds of breads or artisan breads for her stuffing.
I dry out the bread on cookie racks for about three days so it’s really dried out. I use either chicken broth or turkey giblet broth (I used both this time). I also use celery, onions and then it’s seasoned with sage and poultry seasoning. This succulent dressing or stuffing can be made ahead (I made it the day before) and refrigerated until you need it the next day.
I did add additional turkey giblet broth to the casserole before I baked it though, because the bread had absorbed all of the broth and looked like it needed more.
I have no idea where Mom got this recipe. It may have been one she got from her mom. All I know for sure is that it’s an old family recipe. If you’re looking for an easy, yet tasty, dressing recipe to stuff your Thanksgiving turkeys with, or just to make as a side dish for chicken or fowl, Mom’s Turkey Dressing sure fits the bill.
When I initially posted this recipe in November 2012, my camera was an iPhone 3 so the pictures weren’t very clear. As a result, I’ve had to remake all those first year blog recipes where I used an iPhone and retake pictures of each one.
To that end, I remade this recipe for Christmas dinner 2015. The dressing is a little darker since I used wheat bread instead of white, but truly, any kind of bread can be used with good results.
I’ve eaten Mom’s Turkey Dressing every year for Thanksgiving since I was a young child!
Here’s the dressing that came out of the turkey cavities. It’s even richer in flavor than the extra dressing that is placed in the casserole dish, because all the rich, turkey broth marinates the dressing as the turkey cooks. Oh, it is so yummy.
Here’s a close up picture of Mom’s Turkey Dressing topped with Turkey Gravy.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients, plus homemade turkey giblet broth. The bread on the left had been sitting out for three days so it could dry out.
Set out a loaf of either plain white bread or wheat bread on cookie racks and allow the bread to stale for two to three days. You can use any kind of bread and even multiple kinds if you desire. Once stale, cut bread into cubes. Put into a large mixing bowl. Add seasonings.
The day before you plan on cooking your turkey, remove the giblets from the packet inside the breast cavity of the turkey. Place in a pot of water sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper and boil about two hours. Meanwhile, place butter in skillet. Add diced onion and diced celery and saute vegetables until soft. Add sauteed veggies to bread cubes (include all the butter from frying).
Here I added chicken broth. Stir ingredients to combine.
Spread the mixture into a greased 8×12″ glass baking dish. Refrigerate overnight if desired. The next day I added an additional cup of turkey giblet broth to the dish because the bread had absorbed all the broth from the day before.
Stuff part of the dressing into the cavities of the turkey before baking.
After the turkey is cooked remove all of the stuffing with a spoon. Place in a serving bowl.
Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, depending on how much stuffing you have. This is when it’s really nice to have a double oven!
Mom’s Turkey Dressing is always a hit whenever we serve it.
Here’s the recipe.
MOM’S TURKEY DRESSING
(Recipe from my mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)
Mom's Turkey Dressing
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 sharp knife to cube bread
- 4 large wire cooling racks to dry out the bread
- 1 large sauce pan with lid to cook turkey giblets and neck
Ingredients
- 1 loaf dry bread slices approximately, and any kind of bread, even cornbread will work (or an assortment)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1-2 medium onions diced
- 3-4 ribs celery diced
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. rubbed sage
- 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
- 3-4 cups giblet broth or chicken broth
Instructions
- Set bread out on racks two to three days ahead of time so the bread dries out and becomes stale.
- Early in the morning remove giblet pack from turkey and place in a pot of water.
- Salt and pepper heavily and bring to a boil for about one to two hours.
- If water cooks down too much, keep adding more so you have plenty of broth to work with.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl place cubed bread.
- Cook celery and onions in butter in very large skillet until tender.
- Add to bread mixture.
- Season mixture with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour about 3 cups giblet broth over bread mixture.
- Combine with a wooden spoon.
- Use to stuff turkey.
- Place remaining in greased casserole dish and bake at 350° about ½ hour.
- Serve topped with Turkey Gravy, if desired.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- dry bread slices (up to a loaf or so and any kind of bread, even cornbread, will work)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1-2 medium onions, diced
- 3-4 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. sage
- 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
- About 3-4 cups giblet broth or chicken broth
- Set bread out on racks two to three days ahead of time so the bread dries out and becomes stale.
- Early in the morning remove giblet pack from turkey and place in a pot of water.
- Salt and pepper heavily and bring to a boil for about one to two hours.
- Meanwhile, in bowl place cubed bread.
- Cook celery and onions in butter until tender.
- Add to bread mixture.
- Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour about 3 cups giblet broth on bread mixture.
- Combine.
- Use to stuff turkey.
- Place remaining in greased casserole dish and bake at 350° about ½ hour.
- Serve topped with [url href=”http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2012/11/28/turkey-gravy/” target=”_blank” title=”turkey gravy”]Turkey Gravy[/url] if desired.
Mom’s Turkey Dressing, though very simple in ingredients, is one of the best stuffing recipes you’ll ever find.
If you’re looking for a great dressing recipe for Thanksgiving turkey give this one a try sometime. Vary the breads, use cornbread, or add other fruits like apples, prunes, raisins or cranberries!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Tips for Preparing Holiday Turkey
Mom’s Turkey Dressing
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 sharp knife to cube bread
- 4 large wire cooling racks to dry out the bread
- 1 large sauce pan with lid to cook turkey giblets and neck
Ingredients
- 1 loaf dry bread slices approximately, and any kind of bread, even cornbread will work (or an assortment)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1-2 medium onions diced
- 3-4 ribs celery diced
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. rubbed sage
- 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
- 3-4 cups giblet broth or chicken broth
Instructions
- Set bread out on racks two to three days ahead of time so the bread dries out and becomes stale.
- Early in the morning remove giblet pack from turkey and place in a pot of water.
- Salt and pepper heavily and bring to a boil for about one to two hours.
- If water cooks down too much, keep adding more so you have plenty of broth to work with.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl place cubed bread.
- Cook celery and onions in butter in very large skillet until tender.
- Add to bread mixture.
- Season mixture with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour about 3 cups giblet broth over bread mixture.
- Combine with a wooden spoon.
- Use to stuff turkey.
- Place remaining in greased casserole dish and bake at 350° about ½ hour.
- Serve topped with Turkey Gravy, if desired.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Mom's Turkey Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 loaf dry bread slices approximately, and any kind of bread, even cornbread, will work
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1-2 medium onions diced
- 3-4 ribs celery diced
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. sage
- 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
- 3-4 cups giblet broth or chicken broth
Instructions
- Set bread out on racks two to three days ahead of time so the bread dries out and becomes stale.
- Early in the morning remove giblet pack from turkey and place in a pot of water.
- Salt and pepper heavily and bring to a boil for about one to two hours.
- Meanwhile, in bowl place cubed bread.
- Cook celery and onions in butter until tender.
- Add to bread mixture.
- Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour about 3 cups giblet broth on bread mixture.
- Combine.
- Use to stuff turkey.
- Place remaining in greased casserole dish and bake at 350° about ½ hour.
- Serve topped with Turkey Gravy, if desired.