You say stuffing, I say dressing

No two families can agree on the proper stuffing or dressing recipe let alone decide on the correct name to use.  There are many opinions out there about which is the correct term to use.   In the "Joy of Cooking" it indicates stuffing means to stuff the cavity of the turkey where dressing is baked it in a pan.   Yet others claim it is regional term and had nothing to do with the turkey.  Southerns use dressing because it is more "gentile" then stuffing which is a northern term.

I don't know... we used both in our house and we are from the north.  We just roll that way...LOL!

The differences do not stop with the proper name.   All will agree that dressing is a bread type casserole, but what goes it in varies widely.   Some are traditional recipes and others are personal preference.   Like so many other dishes we have and will talk about, it is good to know the history and to see where we fit in.  

Like many things. we can date stuffing  back to ancient Romans.  Apicius, a Roman chef who is believed to have lived in the 2nd century BC  - 1st century AD,  wrote one of the oldest known cookbooks called  ‘ Apicius de re Coquinaria’, which included recipes for stuffing a variety of animals with vegatables, herbs, nuts and spelt, a popular known wheat.  However, we are sure it dates farther back then that.  In the Middle Ages dressing was known as “farce” which comes from the French word  farcir, which means “to stuff”.   Stuffing first appeared in print in 1538.   In the 1880’s the Victorians decided to change the name to dressing… apparently the fickly people they didn’t like the crude name of stuffing.

There is a bit of vanity that comes with making dressing.  We all think ours in the best and will politely smile when we taste others and say…”Mmmmm that is good” and when the creator turns their back we look at our family member and say…”but ours is better”.   You know you have done it. 

There is a pride that comes with a Thanksgiving meal and dressing is a traditional dish that is the staple of a proper table setting.  It is hard to know what the Pilgrims used for stuffing when they landed on Plymouth rock in 1621 but by the early 19th century oyster stuffing was popular.   It was a coastal dish and not readily know to the pioneers who were establishing homestead on the frontier. 

Oyster Stuffing

Yet with the expansion of the railroad it became more known throughout the country. Frontier families view the dish as an upper class dish and was not widely received. 

As the south began developing there was a shift in using a bread base dressing to a cornmeal base.   In time the Cajun influence appeared adding andouille sausage.  There is the Pennsylvania Dutch version which uses mashed potatoes instead of bread.  And lets not forget the Wild rice stuffing from the Great Lakes area which usually had dried cherries, cranberries and/or apples.  There is still the Chestnut dressing that is ever so popular and reminds us of old England which lives in our minds thanks to Charles Dickens.

Corn Bread Stuffing

Like all the families out there, the Williams family has traditional dressing which was created by our father.  I am going to guess he learned how to make this dish from his mother and probably his grandmother who lived with him when he was a child.   She came from Belgium so I am guessing there is a bit of Bavarian influence in the dish.  After our father passed it fell to me, Pam, to take up the helm.   I am not sure how that happened since I was only 21 at the time and really not a cook.  But I took it on proudly.  Like many dressings I tried “fancying” up this dish and putting my own spin on it.   Changing spices or adding in fruit or changing the meat.   Every time it failed.  And it failed BIG!!!  Finally I was told to stop it and make it right.   Tough crowd I was working with.   Like most families a “traditional” dish is not written down.  You watched, paying close attention and took mental notes.   So back to the basics I went.   I have not strayed from the path since.

So here it is.   Our family recipe.  And yes the proportions are up to you but I will give you a few guidelines.

What you need:

1 – ½ ground beef.   Use good ground beef whenever possible.  

One chopped onion

2-3 stalks celery - chopped

1 -2 bags Sage bread crumbs

Salt and Pepper

What you need to do:

• Brown the ground beef and drain grease.
• Sauté onions and celery.
• Place ground beef, onions and celery in a large mixing bowl.  Add at least one bag of sage bread crumbs.  
• Slowly add water and begin mixing.  Now get in there with your hands and mix…clean hands of course.   
• Add water as you go until mixture is moist.  This is the hard part to explain.   It is experience and a touch thing.   Remember the moister will evaporate if you bake it in a pan in the oven.  However it will stay or possibly become moister when put in a crock pot.    This is a judgment call and guess.

To cook in the oven:   Place in an oven proof pan at 350 until warmed through and crunchy on the top.

Crockpot method:  place in crock pot on a low to medium setting and cook until warm.   Depending on your crock pot you will get a crunchy bottom and side to the dressing.

I do both methods depending on where we are having Thanksgiving.  As you know, there is never enough oven space. (that is a design flaw with the Thanksgiving meal….LOL)

(ok this years I am going to add sautéed fennel… wish me luck.   I will probably get yelled at for messing with it.)

Now that we have our dressing in order, we need to discuss the bird.  You know what we're talking about....the TURKEY.   Whether you stuff your turkey or bake your dressing in the oven separately, it is important to make sure all your side dishes compliment the turkey. 

But before we get to the recipe, here are a few facts for you:

• In 2012, the average American ate 16 pounds of turkey..
• 88% of Americans surveyed eat turkey on Thanksgiving
• 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, 22 million on Christmas, and 19 million on Easter.
• In 2011, 736 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the US.
• In 2013, 242 million turkeys were raised in the US.
• The average weight of a turkey sold at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.
• The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds.
• The wild turkey is native to northern Mexico and the eastern US.
• The turkey was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the 16th century.
• Turkeys live almost 10 million years ago.
• Male turkeys gobble and can be heard a mile away.  Female turkeys do not gobble.
• Turkey's can see in color.
• Turkey's are related to pheasants.
• Wild turkeys can fly; domestic turkeys cannot fly.
• The Native Americans hunted wild turkey for its sweet and juicy meat as early as 1000 AD.

Turkey is clearly the most recognized part of any Thanksgiving meal.  And there are any number of ways to prepare a turkey, including smoking it on the grill, deep frying the whole bird, roasting it over an open fire on a spit, and the old reliable way of roasting it in the oven. If you are looking for a great way to ensure that your turkey is moist and tender, regardless of how you cook it, then we suggest you brine your turkey.  

Brining a turkey takes a bit of extra work, but it is so worthwhile.  I'll admit that in the beginning I thought brining was the same as pickling.  I didn't get it until I did some investigation.  Here's what I learned.  The reason brining makes meat more tender and moist is because of the very nature of meat protein.  The meat, which is essentially muscle, has a structure that, when cooked, tightens up.  This is true especially in overcooked meat. That is why it is dry and tough.  Brining fills the meat with tasty liquid and helps in the roasting process to keep the it moist and tender.  Now even brining really only works if you don't overcook it!!!!  Here's a guide to help you know how long to cook your turkey.

So today, in honor of the lovely turkey, we offer you a recipe for brining your turkey and enjoying it's juicy goodness.

Turkey in Disguise!  :)

What you need:

1 10-12 lb turkey (thawed)

1 Cup kosher salt

1/2 Cup light brown sugar

1 Gallon vegetable stock

1 Tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoon allspice berries

1 1/2 teaspoon sliced fresh ginger

1 gallon heavily iced water.

What you need to do:

In a large stockpot over a medium-high heat, combine stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and ginger.  Stir occasionally to dissolve the solids and bring to  boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate overnight.

Put the stock, water and ice in a 5 gallon bucket.  Place the thawed and cleaned turkey in the brine, breast side down.  Weight the turkey down if necessary to keep it submerged.  Set the turkey in the refrigerator or a cool are for at least 8 hours.  Turn the bird half way during the brining process.  

Remove the turkey and rinse it thoroughly inside and out.  Discard the brine.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place turkey in roasting pan.  Stuff as you like.  Roast turkey for 30 minutes.  Turn down over to 350 degrees for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours or to a temperature of 161 degrees internally.  Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

The 2 Prickly Pears bid you a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving.  Enjoy your family and friends, and give thanks for all the blessings in your life.  We are taking Thanksgiving week off from our blog because we have lots of holiday preparations, just like you.  We'll be back in December to talk about all kinds of baking fun.

Now, go out and make something good!