This Thanksgiving Dressing recipe is super simple and easy to make. It is moist and flavorful, thanks to the bacon and turkey giblets. And you don’t even need to make the breadcrumbs from scratch!
Thanksgiving dinner consists of so many different components, with the main element being the roast turkey of course. But don’t you forget about the side dishes, especially the dressing! Or do you call it stuffing?
Dressing or stuffing?
Nowadays, there isn’t a real difference between dressing and stuffing anymore. But stuffing refers to the stuff you, well, stuff the turkey with. And dressing is the same stuff except it’s cooked outside the turkey.
And just to be sure, we don’t stuff the turkey anymore due to food safety reasons. Cooking it outside in a pan will ensure the dressing is cooked properly and everyone goes home safe and happy.
What it’s made with
This simple stuffing recipe starts with a box of store bought seasoned breadcrumbs. It may not be completely “gourmet” but sautee up some bacon, turkey giblets and vegetables, and you’ll have yourself a delicious traditional stuffing recipe you can be proud of.
Also, when you prepare an entire Thanksgiving dinner for 10 from scratch, I think you could use a few time saving side dishes.
Prepare the dressing
About 2 hours before you want the dressing to go into the oven, start preparing the mixture.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet on medium high heat until golden brown and crispy. Drain the fat often and save for later. Remove the bacon and put on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add some of the bacon fat back into the pan and cook the celery, carrots and onions until the onions are translucent and are beginning to brown slightly. Remove the vegetables and put them in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle some more bacon fat back into the skillet and cook all the minced turkey giblets until brown. Remove from heat and transfer it to the mixing bowl with the vegetable mixture.
- Add cooked bacon and a box of Mrs. Cubbison’s traditional stuffing to the mixing bowl. Toss to combine and distribute evenly.
- Add melted butter and chicken or turkey stock to the dry dressing mixture.
- Mix to combine and allow the dressing to hydrate for at least an hour before baking.
Cook’s Tips
- Allowing the breadcrumbs mixture to properly hydrate before baking will yield moist dressing.
- After hydrating for an hour, if some of the breadcrumbs still look like croutons, that means they are not properly hydrated and will need some additional liquid.
- You can buy Mrs. Cubbison’s Traditional Seasoned Stuffing at any grocery store, it’s about $2.
- If you use a different type of breadcrumbs, it may require a different hydration ratio. We tried the cornbread stuffing one year, same brand, it was a bit dryer.
- You can use homemade breadcrumbs for your dressing but you will need to add herbs and other seasoning since the one we use in this recipe is already pre-seasoned.
- You don’t need to grease the baking dish.
Storage
Leftover stuffing should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container, it will last 3 – 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 325°F until warm.
More recipes for Thanksgiving dinner
- Ryan’s Turkey Brine
- Easy Turkey Gravy
- Creamed Corn au Gratin
- Sweet Potato Rolls
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Spiced Apple Cider
- Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
Thanksgiving Dressing
Equipment
- 9”x13” Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 box Mrs. Cubbison’s Traditional Stuffing
- 1 cup celery (about 2-3 stalks, cut into 1/4” cubes)
- 1 cup carrots (about 1 large carrot or 2 medium, cut into 1/4” cubes)
- 1 cup onion (about a 1/2 large onion, diced into 1/4”)
- Giblets from turkey (including gizzards, heart and liver, finely chopped or minced)
- 1/2 lb of thick cut bacon (cut into 1/4” strips)
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
- 2 cups of stock (chicken or turkey, more as needed)
Instructions
Prepare at least 2 hours before going into the oven
- Cook the bacon in a skillet on medium high heat. Drain bacon fat every 5 minutes or so, you’ll probably drain it at least twice if not more. Save the fat for later. When bacon is golden brown and crispy, drain one last time and put the cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate or bowl.
- Drizzle some of the bacon fat back into the pan and add the celery, carrots and onions. Cook until the onions are translucent and are beginning to brown slightly. Remove and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle some more bacon fat back into the skillet and cook all the minced giblets until brown, about 5 – 7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer it to the mixing bowl with the vegetable mixture.
- In the mixing bowl with the vegetables and giblets, add cooked bacon and the whole box of Mrs. Cubbison’s dressing. Toss to combine and distribute evenly.
- Melt the butter in the microwave, this should take 1 ½ – 2 minutes. Pour melted butter over the breadcrumbs mixture, add the chicken stock and mix to combine.
- Allow the dressing mixture to hydrate for at least an hour. After an hour, if the mixture still looks like it needs a little more hydration (ie. if some the breadcrumbs still look like croutons and not properly hydrated), add an extra 1/2 cup of stock and mix again.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Transfer dressing mixture to an oven safe baking dish and spread evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the middle level of your oven and bake for 25 minutes covered. After 25 minutes, uncover and bake for an extra 15 minutes so the top gets crispy.
Notes
- You don’t need to grease the baking dish.
- If you use a different type of breadcrumbs, it may require a different hydration ratio. We tried the cornbread stuffing one year, same brand, it was a bit dryer.
- You can use homemade breadcrumbs for your dressing but you will need to add herbs and other seasoning since the one we use in this recipe is already pre-seasoned.
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