Basic Bread Stuffing OR Dressing

Name: Basic Bread Stuffing OR Dressing
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed); 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 celery ribs, finely chopped; (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped); 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; ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed; (2 large eggs, well beaten); 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed; Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

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.

Let's Prepare

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1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
(Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
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
½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
(2 large eggs, well beaten)
1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Let's Cook

Step 1.

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)
Step 2.

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
Step 3.

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)
Step 4.

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
Step 5.

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
Step 6.

Adjust the seasonings. If you desire a firm dressing and are baking in a dish, toss with: (2 large eggs, well beaten)
Step 7.

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
Step 8.

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
Step 9.

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.