The holiday season is right around the corner, and if there's one thing you can depend on eating, it's dressing, or, err, stuffing. Dressing and stuffing have been engaged in a drawn out battle over which is a better word since the dawn of time. And while I'm sure you have your own preference for which to use on Thanksgiving, for some people, there's not even a difference between the two. After all, aren't they pretty much the same thing? The short answer is no. The long answer is below.
We chatted with Jason Goldstein of the cooking blog Chop Happy to find out what the real difference between stuffing and dressing is. We also asked a few chefs which they prefer and how they serve dressing and/or stuffing on Thanksgiving.
What Is Stuffing?
Stuffing, according to Merriam-Webster, is "a seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically placed inside the cavity of a turkey, pepper, etc. and cooked." In other words, a mixture that is "stuffed" inside your poultry. Makes sense right?
What Is Dressing?
Dressing, on the other hand, is a little less obvious. Merriam-Webster defines it as "a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)." So that makes them the same thing, right? No, not exactly.
The Differences Between Stuffing And Dressing
So what is the difference? "Technically, dressing and stuffing can have the same ingredients, but what makes them different is how they are cooked," Goldstein said. "Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful."
So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish. Additionally, dressing, especially in the American South, is often made with cornbread instead of pieces of a baguette or plain ol' white bread.
The Similarities Between Stuffing And Dressing
For the most part, the words dressing and stuffing are often used interchangeably, mainly because they include a majority of the same ingredients: an assortment of vegetables, herbs, some sort of starch, and spices.
Although dressing and stuffing are pretty much the same thing, if you wanted to win the Thanksgiving debate about which is better, you now have a little bit of ammo. Goldstein is team stuffing. Thomas Davis, executive chef at The Betty in Atlanta, however, is team dressing. “I have found that it is not possible to perfectly cook your turkey and the stuffing, so I have always preferred dressing," Davis said. "I like to drizzle the drippings from the cooked turkey over the dressing to enhance the flavor.”
And Michael Scelfo, chef at Boston-based restaurants Alden & Harlow, Waypoint, and The Longfellow Bar, likes dressing as a way to add surprising flavors. “I think that it’s great having a dressing on the side that can be more adventurous than a traditional stuffing flavor," he said. "I’ve made lots of dressings using everything from smoked oysters and cornbread to stewed broccoli and aged cheddar.”
Whether you choose to make your mixture inside the poultry or separate, just be sure that you cook it thoroughly so everyone can enjoy the meal.
FAQs
The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.
Is dressing the same thing as stuffing? ›
"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.
Do southern people say dressing or stuffing? ›
Some people insist that it should be called dressing when it hasn't actually been stuffed inside a bird. But many people insist on one term or the other regardless of how it's prepared or what's in it. The term dressing is most commonly used in the South, but it's popular in pockets throughout the US.
Who says dressing and who says stuffing? ›
If you're a Northerner heading to your Southern in-laws, you should make an effort to call it dressing, and if you're a Southerner heading up North for Thanksgiving, don't be surprised if everyone looks at you like you might as well be from Mars for not calling it stuffing.
Do Texans call it dressing or stuffing? ›
One funny thing about “stuffing” is that, in Texas, some people say “stuffing” and some people say “dressing.” Traditionally, it was called stuffing, because you stuffed the turkey with it. Other families don't like to stuff the turkey at all – and prepare it in a pan, calling it dressing.
What do British people call stuffing? ›
In England, a stuffing is sometimes made of minced pork shoulder seasoned with various ingredients, such as sage, onion, bread, chestnuts, dried apricots, and dried cranberries. The stuffing mixture may be cooked separately and served as a side dish. This may still be called stuffing or it may be called dressing.
Why is stuffing not stuffed? ›
Why do Americans call a dish 'stuffing' if it is not stuffed? Stuffing was originally made, and often still is, by stuffing it into the cavity of the turkey, and letting it cook inside the turkey, absorbing its flavors while adding some of its own to the turkey.
Why do old people call stuffing dressing? ›
The term dressing, per the History Channel, originated around the 1850s, when the Victorians deemed stuffing too crude for the dish to be named. This happened around the same time that the term “dark meat” began to refer to chicken legs and thighs.
Is stuffing the same as dressing for black people? ›
The stuffing mixture may be cooked separately and served as a side dish, in which case it may still be called 'stuffing', or in some regions, such as the Southern US, 'dressing'. This is from Wiki. Basically, everyone except a tiny percentage of Black people with family in Alabama calls it stuffing.
Do Americans have stuffing? ›
Regardless of what you call the traditional and hearty dish, now is the time to make it. Thanks to Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans generally become obsessed with stuffing and its many variations and permutations around this time of year.
When made from scratch and seasoned right, it is rich, moist and savory, shot through with different textures and flavors that give cooks plenty of room to play. That basic amalgamation of starch, fat and aromatics is indisputably delicious.
What are the points of comparison used to compare dressing and stuffing? ›
The points of comparison used to compare dressing and stuffing include: preparation, taste, amount, and safety. When comparing preparation, dressing and stuffing are made differently. Dressing is cooked in a separate dish and does not contain any meat, while stuffing is cooked inside the turkey.
Why is stuffing not vegetarian? ›
Most stuffing uses Egg and/or butter to bind the ingredients together, and consequently it is not suitable for vegans - though it is suitable for vegetarians.
What is the biggest technical difference between stuffing and dressing? ›
The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.
What do Northerners call stuffing? ›
Go south of the Mason-Dixon Line and in the Midwest and many call it dressing, regardless of if it is prepared in the bird or alongside in a casserole dish. Likewise, northern or northeastern states and the west coast typically lean toward stuffing.
Is dressing gravy or stuffing? ›
Some people stuff their. Others are dead set against stuffing the bird and opt for baking their stuffing in a baking dish, which means it's called dressing. Some do a combination of both. Some dressing is basic: a combination of dried bread, aromatics, and dried herbs.
What can I use instead of stuffing? ›
Here are a few suggestions.
- Old tights or socks. Nylons work great, but woolly ones will do too. ...
- Worn out t-shirts or jumpers. Again, these should be clean. ...
- Tissues or tissue paper. ...
- Newspaper. ...
- Plastic bags. ...
- Packing materials. ...
- Toy stuffing from another toy. ...
- The filling from a pillow.
Dressing is made with cornbread, and is baked in a pan instead of inside the bird. I view Stove Top stuffing as a totally distinct entity from this most beloved of holiday dishes. It is not the stuff of celebrations, but it is a perfectly suitable side dish the rest of the year.
What is this stuffing? ›
: a seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically placed inside the cavity of a turkey, pepper, etc. and cooked.
