Although turkey may be roasted without dressing, most folks anticipate the dressing as eagerly as the turkey. Allow 1 cup of dressing per pound of dressed weight, or 1.5 cups per pound of ready-to-cook weight. Rub salt in the cavity of the bird 6 to 8 hours before stuffing to give the bird better flavor. Do not pack dressing in too tightly for it becomes firm and compact during baking and it may burst the skin as it expands. If outside of the turkey is rubbed with fat, never sprinkle with salt as this causes the skin to blister. When these blisters break, the exposed flesh loses juice.

Bread Stuffing
Chestnut Stuffing
Mom's Stuffing


Bread stuffing

1 large loaf stale white bread (1.5 lb)
1 cup diced celery
1 tbsp chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or rendered turkey fat
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1.5 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup cooled broth from cooking giblets (or chicken stock)

Remove crusts from bread and cut in 1-inch dice. Saute celery and onion in butter until soft and yellow. Add bread and seasonings and toss together until well mixed. Cool. Add broth last and again toss until mixed. Stuff lightly into turkey. Makes enough for a 10lb bird.

Chestnut stuffing

1 cup shelled chestnuts, chopped
10 slices stale white bread
3 tbsp butter or chicken fat
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth

Prepare nuts: make a slit on each side of the nute with a sharp-pointed paring knife and boil gently 20 minutes. Strip off shell and thin brown skin. Dip nut in cold water to remove shell and skin more easily.

Pull bread apart into bite-size pieces, dropping into a 3 qt. bowl. Saute onion and celery until transparent. Sift salt, pepper and seasoning over crumbs, toss to mix. Add broth, toss, then add vegetables and chestnuts, mix lightly again. Stuff lightly into turkey. Sufficient for 4 lb chicken; double ingredients for 12 lb turkey.

Mom's Stuffing

14 oz Pepperidge Farms stuffing
1/2 cup water
1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons)
chopped celery
chopped onions
1 egg

Combine all ingredients. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees .