Holidash Highlight: To Stuff or Not to Stuff?

There are two kinds of Thanksgiving chefs: those who stuff and those who... well, don't stuff. To get down to the bottom of stuffing, dressing and everything-related, our friends at Holidash have a few helpful tips:

If you follow cooking shows through the holiday season, you've probably heard that it's bad, bad, bad to stuff a bird -- especially if you've talked to Alton Brown. Adding a good pile of stuffing lengthens a turkey's cooking time and increases the possibility of having a dry and overcooked meal. But ... but stuffing tastes so good.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to follow the advice of the professionals without losing the flavor many of us have grown to love. In the above link, Alton suggests tossing the stuffing in the turkey drippings post-roast, and letting it sit in the turkey while it rests. But there's an easier way, especially if you want your stuffing flavorful and crisp, rather than just juicy.

See, you don't have to stuff a bird to get the same look and flavor. First, create a heaping mound just outside of the turkey, so it looks just like a stuffed bird. After one or two bastings, this will create those deliciously crisp bits of dressing that make a perfect mid-day nibble.

Throw the remaining dressing in a pan (if there's no oven room, a toaster oven works beautifully) with some poultry stock for moistness, and as you baste the bird, reserve some of the turkey drippings in a heat-resistant bowl to baste the dressing with. (If there's not enough, continue using stock.) This will offer the same flavor, as if it came right out of the bird.

Added tip: If you really love stuffing, make extra and cook it after the turkey. Simply save some of the drippings and roast the excess dressing later for deliciously perfect leftovers.