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  Print Options  Mom's Turkey Stuffing
Posted by Elise on Nov 24, 2008
Filed under Holiday, Seasonal Favorites: Fall, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Turkey
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  Mom's Turkey Stuffing  This is my grandmother's recipe, which my mother has been using to make our Thanksgiving turkey stuffing for more than 40 years. I've never tasted any turkey stuffing that has come close to as good as mom's. Although years ago we used to stuff the bird, these days we cook the stuffing separately. It is much easier to get an even cooking of the turkey (and safer too) if you do not stuff it. To infuse the stuffing with turkey flavor we simmer the giblets for an hour, and use that stock in the stuffing.
  Print Options  Mom's Turkey Stuffing Recipe
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Ingredients
  •  1 loaf of day old French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10-12 cups)
  •  1 cup walnuts
  •  2 cups each, chopped onion and celery
  •  6 Tbsp butter
  •  1 green apple, peeled, cored, chopped
  •  3/4 cup of currants or raisins
  •  Several (5 to 10) chopped green olives (martini olives, the ones with the pimento)
  •  Stock from the turkey giblets (1 cup to 2 cups) (can substitute chicken stock)
  •  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  •  1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or ground sage (to taste)
  •  Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Method
1 If you haven't already made the stock, take the turkey giblets - heart and gizzard - and neck if you want, and put them in a small saucepan, cover with water and add a little salt. Bring to a simmer; simmer for about an hour, uncovered. Strain the stock into a container for use with the stuffing. Alternatively, you can use chicken stock or just plain water with this recipe.
  turkey-stuffing-1.jpg  
2 Toast the walnuts by heating them in a frying pan on medium high heat for a few minutes, stirring until they are slightly browned (not burned) OR put them in the microwave on high until you can smell the aroma of them toasting, about a minute or two. Let them cool while you are toasting the bread, then roughly chop them.
  turkey-stuffing-2.jpg    turkey-stuffing-3.jpg  
3 Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in the pan, add the bread cubes, and stir to coat the bread pieces with the melted butter. Then let them toast; only turn them when they have become a little browned on a side. Note, if you aren't working with somewhat dried-out day-old bread, lay the cubes of bread in a baking pan and put them in a hot oven for 10 minutes to dry them out first, before toasting them in butter on the stove top. The bread should be a little dry to begin with, or you'll end up with mushy stuffing.
  turkey-stuffing-4.jpg    turkey-stuffing-5.jpg  
4 In a large Dutch oven, sauté chopped onions and celery on medium high heat with the remaining 3 Tbsp butter until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add the bread. Add cooked chopped walnuts. Add chopped green apple, currants, raisins, olives, parsley. Add one cup of the stock from cooking the turkey giblets or chicken stock (enough to keep the stuffing moist while you are cooking it). Add sage, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper.

  turkey-stuffing-6.jpg    turkey-stuffing-7.jpg  
5 Cover. Turn heat to low. Cook for an hour or until the apples are cooked through. Check every ten minutes or so and add water or stock as needed while cooking to keep the stuffing moist and keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Serves 8-10.

Links:
Mom's Roast Turkey Recipe
Cranberry Relish Recipe
Turkey Soup Recipe
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107 Comments
We have tried your turkey recipe and it turned out to be the most delicious thing we have ever tasted....
 I would recommend this recipe to any one that has no idea about best things in life
 Posted by: Superug on August 29, 2005 12:44 AM 
Hi Superug - Well thank you! When it comes to my mother's stuffing, I just have to agree. It is that good. :-)
 Posted by: Elise on August 30, 2005 11:41 PM 
this is an amazing stuffing! I also added two cups cooked wild rice. It was a hit - had 15 guests for dinner - had to pass the recipe onto two of the guests and the 13 other guests do not cook! Cheers and thanks for the great recipe. Also, I was way behind schedule and the stuffing sat for quite a while - still was so good. 
 Posted by: Emma Peel on October 10, 2005 8:16 PM 
This does sound excellent. I especially like the idea of a few green olives.
 Posted by: Kalyn on November 18, 2005 4:16 PM 
Hi Elise,
This sounds awesome, but I was wondering how many servings this makes? Also, how much sage and poultry seasoning do I put in the stuffing? And can I bake it in the oven?
 Posted by: acorn on November 21, 2005 9:48 AM 
Hi Acorn,
Good questions. We usually have 8-10 people for Thanksgiving. Some of them love stuffing (me!) and have several servings, some skip it all together. The leftovers rarely last beyond one day.
Regarding seasoning, my mom never measures. It's all to taste.
 Posted by: Elise on November 21, 2005 9:55 AM 
what are cooked walnuts? your site rocks!
 Posted by: astrobaby on November 21, 2005 10:37 AM 
Hi Astrobaby - take walnuts, roast them in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or so. Or cook them on the stove top by putting them in a frying pan on medium high heat and stirring constantly until the walnuts are toasted. You will know because the flavor is definitely different; they taste roasted, and they're not burnt. Be careful not to cook them too long or they will be burnt.
 Posted by: Elise on November 21, 2005 11:02 AM 
I absolutely "LOVE" this recipe--what a winner! I also added a little bit of olive broth from the green olives, garlic, and diced leeks. The olive broth has given the stuffing a rich, almost wine-like aroma! Thank you for sharing and saving my turkey day!! 
 Posted by: Mary Zemmama on November 24, 2005 10:38 AM 
This is the first time I made homemade stuffing and I am so glad I found your reciepe! It is so good I don't even care about the turkey! The best stuffing I have ever had!
 Posted by: Jenna on November 24, 2005 4:33 PM 
having never cooked with olives (or eaten them for that matter) are they an integral part to this recipe or is there something I could substitute for them?
 Posted by: Deanna on December 15, 2005 3:27 PM 
Hi Mary and Jenna - thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Hi Deanna - yes, olives are an integral part of this recipe. Go wild.
 Posted by: Elise on December 15, 2005 5:40 PM 
Hi. In Canada, we buy butter by the pound. I would love to try your recipe. How much is a 'stick' of butter? Thanks.
 Posted by: elaine on December 22, 2005 6:38 AM 
Hi Elaine - the recipe calls for 1/2 stick of butter which is equivalent to 1/4 cup, or 1/8 lb, or 4 Tablespoons.
 Posted by: Elise on December 22, 2005 8:22 AM 
For the last 8 years I have typically cooked a leg of lamb for Christmas at my parents place in Michigan. I arrive yesterday from CA and mom has decided we're having turkey this year, and that I am fixing it. So, I scramble for a recipe since it always is dry when I have fixed it, and found your site. Wish me luck. Will report back in a couple days! The stuffing is what got me!
 Ted
 Posted by: Ted on December 23, 2005 2:02 PM 
Hi Elise!
 My brother and I usually use our traditional "brother and sis" recipe, but this year I am so excited to try your family stuffing and turkey recipe! I have read the recipe over 10 times and everytime I get hungry thinking about how delicious it will be. Thank-you so much for sharing your family recipes!
Love,
 Sandra
 Posted by: Sandra on November 9, 2006 12:08 AM 
Hi, a few questions:
1) Servings? (I believe you said 8 - 10 above?)
2) How big is a "loaf of french bread". I can get bagets (sp?) as long as 3 to 4 feet to small ones as long as 8". How big do you require?
3) Can this be made ahead of time and frozen?
Thanks and love the website.
 Posted by: CWC on November 18, 2006 7:15 AM 
Hi CWC - about 8-10 servings. A loaf of French bread is about as big as a loaf of regular sliced bread, but it is rounder, flatter, and wider. If I were using a baguette, I would use a long one, not the 8" one.
 Posted by: Elise on November 19, 2006 10:14 PM 
This sounds excellent. Green olives and walnuts seem like they will add a fantastic dimension to this fairly traditional stuffing. I can't wait to make it :)
 Posted by: Wayne on November 20, 2006 12:30 AM 
I like to baste the stuffing cooked outside the bird with a little bit of the pan drippings. This gives it that 'cooked in the bird' flavor and the fat helps crisp the stuffing.
 Posted by: paula on November 20, 2006 12:09 PM 
Is there something I can substitute for Walnuts? I have a friend who is allergic to Walnuts. Or will it be greatly affected if I leave the nut out altogether? 
 Posted by: W on November 20, 2006 5:18 PM 
Hi Wayne - the green olives and walnuts do indeed make this a wonderful stuffing.
Hi Paula - great idea to baste the stuffing a bit with the pan drippings, thank you.
Hi W - you could substitute pecans, if that would work for your friend. Or you could try leaving them out, it will still work.
 Posted by: Elise on November 20, 2006 7:58 PM 
I have a couple of questions regarding the stuffing. 
I’m not a big fan of raisons in stuffing. I would like to substitute raisons with dried cranberries or dried cherries (chopped). I’m not sure how this will blend with green olives. I’m considering leaving the olives out. Do you think this will work?
In step 3 when you use ‘another pan’ what kind of pan is it that will house this much stuffing. At first I thought a skillet but no way is all this going to fit in a skillet. I have a large soup pan will that cook it properly?

 Posted by: Rob on November 22, 2006 10:52 AM 
Hi Rob - you should be able to substitute dried cranberries or cherries and have it work just fine. I wouldn't leave the olives out unless you really don't like olives; they provide an astringent saltiness to the mix that is pretty important. Regarding pans, one of them needs to be large enough for all the stuffing. A soup pan will work, though you may need to brown the bread cubes in a skillet and then add them to the soup pan.
 Posted by: Elise on November 22, 2006 9:14 PM 
Hi-Having almost lost my 3 year old daughter due to a heretofore unknown nut allergy, I've made myself an almost-expert on the subject. An allergy to walnuts is an allergy to ALL tree nuts (as opposed to peanuts, which grow underground). So, no, pecans are not acceptable as a substitute. I hope the writer consulted his friend; on the other hand his friend would, if they've ever experienced anaphylactic shock, be darn sure to ask about all ingredients in every dish before eating at someones' home. 
 Here's my public service of the day: sign up for undeclared ingredients alerts by email from this site if you suffer any kind of food allergy: http://www.foodallergy.org/. from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
This isn't about stuffing, I know, but if you've ever seen someone have a severe reaction, let alone your own baby, you'd be in shock too and want to spread potentially life-saving info.
BTW, your mothers' breast down turkey is like mine, which I discovered years ago in 'Joy' (Irma says a rack is not essential, that you could prop the bird up with as many tin foil 'balls' as needed). I was here at this stuffing recipe to find a method to cook my own stuffing recipe outside of the bird. I feel foolish-stovetop never occurred to me. Thanks!
 Posted by: BJane on November 23, 2006 11:26 AM 
This was absolutely the best part of my thanksgiving!! I will definately be making this stuffing again (I might not be able to wait until next thanksgiving). 
 I left out the olives, had to figure out how to toast walnuts and make turkey stock, and I borrowed my friends 12" pan, but it was worth it. I can't wait to eat the leftovers! 
 Thanks for the amazing recipe!
 Posted by: Brian on November 23, 2006 11:56 AM 
Hi BJane - thank you for the information on the allergies and the link; that will be helpful to many.
Hi Brian - So glad you liked it!
 Posted by: Elise on November 23, 2006 2:33 PM 
Hi, Elise. I made your stuffing yesterday and it was so delicious! I chopped up some of the neck and giblet meat and added it to the stuffing. Thanks for sharing your family's recipe!
 Posted by: Libby on November 24, 2006 3:11 PM 
Ye gods this was good. Even with the burned-stuffing-to-pot incident...
 Posted by: melissa on November 28, 2006 8:27 AM 
I'm starting to learn how to cook, and I stumbled upon your recipe for stuffing. I was searching in general for Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, but what sold me was your line "I've never tasted any turkey stuffing that has come close to as good as mom's." Anyway, I had the whole family help me out in preparing this stuffing and everyone enjoyed it tremendously. My aunt was extremely impressed and it's not very easy to do that. Thanks!
 Posted by: RP79 on December 18, 2006 4:18 PM 
I have stumbled upon your website and your recipe and i was wondering have you ever cooked the stuffing in the turkey? and if I was to try it would I need to only partially cook in the pan?
 I cooked my first turkey last year and I actually really enjoy the stuffing cooked in the bird. Last year I cooked it for about 5 hours really slowly and it came out very nice indeed so I don't mind cooking the bird with the stuffing.
Your recipe for stuffing sounds fantastic and I would really like to try it but cooked in the bird. Do you have any advice?
 Posted by: ilyas on December 22, 2006 3:43 PM 
Thanks so much for the recipe.
 I am a Brazilian, who never heard about stuffing (we usually use cassava farine) and with your instructoins we all had a wonderful xmas dinner here in Georgetown, Guyana! Congrats!
 Posted by: Andrea Adams-Hanoman on December 24, 2006 10:59 PM 
Thank you very much for your grandmother's stuffing recipe. I tried it for the first time, and everyone loved that stuffing. I am from Venezuela and it was my first time preparing a roast turkey with the stuffing inside. We usually have some typical venezuelan dinner for Christmas Eve, but this time we decided to have the turkey instead, which is seldom done in our country at this time of the year. The turkey came out excellent, I left it, for 3 days, soaking in red wine, mashed garlic and onion, salt, etc. and rubbed it with olive oil several times, as well as before placing the turkey into the oven. Next year I promised to bake another turkey with the same stuffing...and will continue receiving compliments. Congratulations, your recipe is fantastic.
 Posted by: Magda Ruiz-Pineda on December 25, 2006 6:48 PM 
I have a question regarding the stuffing recipe. If I don't want to use currants or raisins. What can I replace it with? 
 Posted by: Jo-Anne Meister on September 24, 2007 11:24 AM 
Hi Ilyas - we don't cook the stuffing in the bird, but we used to. From what I've read the most important thing to remember is not to take the turkey out of the oven until the stuffing in the cavity is 165°F. If you don't have a meat thermometer, and can't take a reading, then do not put stuffing in the cavity. This is for safety reasons.
Hi Jo-Anne - you can use dried cranberries or cherries instead of raisins, or skip it all together.
 Posted by: Elise on September 25, 2007 12:13 AM 
Hi, This recipe sounds great,can I use whole wheat breat with the same results?
Note from Elise: The results will not be the same as whole wheat bread doesn't taste the same as white bread. But if you like whole wheat bread, you'll likely like the stuffing just as well.
 Posted by: Julia on November 4, 2007 6:02 AM 
How far ahead can this recipe be made? 
Note from Elise: We make it the same day, but we also eat leftovers for a day or two. So it keeps, but I think it's best done the same day as the turkey. You can do the prep work, chopping, etc. a day ahead.
 Posted by: Janet Lochman on November 5, 2007 2:32 PM 
This recipe sounds great. I am making dinner this year and can't wait to try homemade stuffing for the first time. Can I mix this together and cover it in an oven and bake it? Anyone have any ideas on this?
Note from Elise: You have two ovens, one for the turkey and one for the stuffing? We only have one oven, so that's why everything other than the turkey is cooked on the stovetop. If I were to cook this in the oven, I would try to cook it covered at 200 or 225°F, stirring it half-way through and adding more stock or water if necessary to prevent sticking. If you try this, please let us know how it turns out. 
 Posted by: Thomas on November 12, 2007 5:49 PM 
Hello!
thanks for the great recipes! 
I am planning to cook for 20 people (and it's my first time making thanksgiving dinner!), so I guess I have to make "double the recipe". I was wondering if you'd recommend to do it in two rounds. I am afraid that if I put everything together in one pan it's going to be very hard to stir and the stuffing near the bottom of the pan will burn.. What do you think? 
Thank you! 
Note from Elise: It would have to be one very big pan. You could try cooking it in two separate pans at the same time.

 Posted by: Ioanna on November 18, 2007 7:38 AM 
What's that you say? Stuffing cooked on the stove top? Stove Top Stuffing?!?! 
Why, if I were you, I'd patent this idea...box it...and sell it at the local mega mart! You could call it...
Saaayyy, wait a second... :)
I love stuffing. And if the bird is taking up the entire oven, which it will be, then this is a capital idea. Bravo.
 (And it's gotta be better than the boxed stuff. All that salt. Yuk... :p)
 Posted by: jonathan on November 19, 2007 5:31 AM 
Just what I needed! I've been looking for a special stuffing recipe that *won't* make everybody think, "oh, weird!" I think this is it! I have never had stuffing with olives in it before but I can just imagine that salty goodness in there!
 Posted by: Ana on November 19, 2007 10:41 AM 
Just a quick note about nut allergies, this may be obvious, but just to insure all the info is available since it has now been raised here, and not to cause a panic - not all nut/food allergies result in anaphylactic shock - In my case, I have a severe reaction to walnut trees, the oil causes my skin to rash and blister and a nearby tree can send me into a wretched allergy attack in the form of itchy eyes, and non stop sneezing. because of this, I have been advised not to consume walnuts, though on a few occasions I have accidentally consumed one or two without any harm, since we do not know what it will do, I avoid them. I have no issues with peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc. If you do have people with any food allergy, I would caution to ask the extent and reactions, just to be safe. Especially because if it is the shock kind, usually the allergy is so severe that even residual oil can trigger it - so no nuts of any kind should even be near any other food that is being prepared - this is why so many products have to label that nuts may have been processed on the same equipment the product was. - good luck :)
 Posted by: Janie on November 20, 2007 1:18 PM 
Elise, You're recipes sound great. Why aren't you on TV? I'm making the upside down turkey this year and will try this stuffing recipe as well. It sounds great. Question. Can I cook in the crockpot so it doesn't stick? My burners are old and the heat doesn not distribute well causing things to burn on the bottom.
 Many thanks for a great site!
Happy Thanksgivng!! 
 Posted by: Karen on November 20, 2007 7:04 PM 
What an interesting recipe! I would have never thought to add olives. Cooking it on the stove top is also a great idea when oven space is at such a premium. Definitely worth a try!
 Posted by: Susan on November 20, 2007 10:40 PM 
Thanks for reminding me of my Mother and the good food mom and her four sisters used to serve us... Now there is only one sister remaining... I'm thankful for those memories. Aunt Sara Jane will be here tomorrow with two of her very specials pies. I can feel the pounds that I'll gain already. Thank God we live in a country where the food is plentiful. Remember those less fortunate tomorrow and say a prayer for those in Darfur.
 Posted by: Jackie J on November 21, 2007 6:46 AM 
This looks and sounds delicious, but I have to make my mother-in-law's stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving. It is a delicious sausage-sage stuffing that was passed to her from her mother. But your stuffing sounds great as an accompaniment to a roast chicken or even a roast pork tenderloin!
 Posted by: Deborah Dowd on November 21, 2007 10:21 AM 
Very good recipe, thank you! I forgot to add the green olives and it was wonderful anyway. 
 Posted by: Annie on November 21, 2007 11:22 AM 
Your Grandma and I must be same generation. That is exactly how I make stuffing....for past 50 years, except for the olives. Had never tried that. I always brown and add a pound of sausage, though. It's a great stuffing recipe.
 Posted by: Patricia on November 21, 2007 2:49 PM 
I made this for our thanksgiving dinner. Everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing. Your recipes have never let me down. Your site is a joy to visit and I learn new things from you every time. 
 Happy Thanksgiving!

 Posted by: tomoko on November 22, 2007 2:29 PM 
This recipe was used in our most recent Thanksgiving yesterday with very little fan fare. It is time consuming as are those recipes that I've used many times before. Both the walnuts and olives did little to enhance. Next year I will return to my true and tested recipe that dates back to my Grandma's Belgian style well over 50 years ago. It is a recipe that incorporates day old bread crumbs versus clumpy cubes and uses a giblet stock base for moisture with the giblets minced and added along with a little pork sausage for added flavor. The typical sauteed celery and onion, along with poultry seasoning and such are added with apple, diced raisons and dried cranberries. There are a few other spices and ingredients that will continue to make this recipe a special one to my family.
 Posted by: Vaughn Francar on November 23, 2007 8:25 AM 
I made this recipe yesterday along with the upsidedown turkey. The flavors were wonderful and I will add apples, walnuts and cranberries to my own recipe next time. I also prefer a recipe that incorporates day old bread crumbs versus cubes and uses more stock for moisture with a little pork sausage for added flavor. Our family recipe bakes in the oven and holds together better. 
 Posted by: Karen on November 23, 2007 10:58 AM 
Hi Elise-
I have been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 25 years, and felt that I pretty much had it mastered....until yesterday!
I had 20 people coming for dinner, and a 26.25 pound(!!!) turkey to cook. I decided to take a leap of faith (you have not failed me yet!), and cook this "turk-a-potamus" breast down, according to your directions. I cooked it 15 mins/pound, adjusting the temp changes at the middle and end of cooking.
Oh.My.Goodness. I will never again cook a turkey of any size any other way. This was by far the best turkey ever. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
I also made your mom's stuffing to go with it. I am very sad to say there is NONE left to eat with my delicious turkey leftovers. *sniff*
Thanks again for the turkey recipe...and now I know to DOUBLE the stuffing recipe in the future!
I hope your holiday was wonderful!
Deb
 Posted by: deb on November 23, 2007 4:13 PM 
After reading all the rave comments I decided to veer from my sausage stuffing and make your stuffing recipe. To my surprise, my entire Thanksgiving company tasted the stuffing (including myself) and we all decided to dump the whole thing in the trash. It practically had no taste and the texture was not pleasing. After all the work put into the receipe, I was certainly disappointed. Back to my tried and true sausage stuffing next year!
 Posted by: Rita on November 24, 2007 7:39 AM 
I also made the turkey and stuffing with your recipes (first-time ever for a turkey!) and both turned out delicious!!
 Posted by: ANdy on November 24, 2007 8:29 AM 
Last month I mentioned to my mother about trying some new recipes for Thanksgiving dinner. At short notice I was given the stuffing to make. I had read your recipe and decided to give it a try. 
I made two batches: one vegetarian (for me) and one with meat (turkey giblets) and little onion (for my dad). With the veggie one, I put all of the veggie stock in at once and some of the bread was a bit too mushy for me--next time I'll add it in smaller amounts. My mother loved this one and I think it'll become the new standard stuffing for the family. 
The carnivore version really needed more onion (or so my mother said) but my father won't eat food with that much onion in it. I had added the stock (freshly made from the giblets) more slowly and preferred the texture of this one.
The raisins plumped up so big and added a nice fruity taste. I chopped the olives up small so I never encountered a big "olive" taste. I also used more butter when toasting the bread cubes.
Next time? I'll use fresh sage and maybe add some sauted mushrooms.
Thanks!
 Posted by: Tina on November 24, 2007 7:24 PM 
I'm wondering if this could be adapted to cook in a crockpot?
 Posted by: Deb on November 26, 2007 2:32 AM 
Just wanted to thank you for the great stuffing recipe. I did add a pound of pork sausage to the original recipe and left out the nuts. I mixed the whole thing together and covered it with foil and baked it in the oven(325) for one hour. I took the foil off for the last few minutes to brown the top. This was by far the best stuffing I have made. Everyone at my dinner loved it. It was even good the next day. This one is a keeper.Thanks. 
 Posted by: Thomas on November 28, 2007 3:12 PM 
Can this stuffing be frozen ??
 Posted by: Mark on November 29, 2007 3:30 AM 
I love stuffing! My sweetie Drew has come up with his own recipe using cibatta bread, chestnuts, and smoked turkey sausage. It's so insanely good I barely stopped to try anything else.
 Posted by: Kung Foodie Kat on November 30, 2007 8:49 PM 
I noticed that two people have asked if the stuffing can be made ahead and frozen, but the question was not answered. I would also love to know if it can be frozen? If so, should it be frozen before or after cooking? Thanks
Note from Elise: We never freeze our stuffing, so I have no idea.
 Posted by: Rose on December 2, 2007 2:40 PM 
I made this stuffing for our Thanksgiving dinner and four family members asked for the recipe saying it was the best they had ever tasted. Another member said she loved it but took all the mushrooms out of it because she doesn't like them. She was stunned to find out they were olives!
 Posted by: Margaret on December 9, 2007 12:54 PM 
I am making turkey for the first time this week.. I am going to use this recipe as the stuffing and I was wondering could I sub the french bread for italian?
Sure. We use both interchangeably. Just don't use sourdough. ~Elise
 Posted by: liz on December 24, 2007 2:03 PM 
Hi everyone,
We just finished our Christmas Dinner one hour ago and I confess I had to run to this comment section to thank you soooo much for this recipe. The turkey was very juicy and the stuffing was very good. We were out of the celery so we used an orange inside of the turkey. We also added some cranberry into the stuffing. It COULD NOT be any better. Thank you so much!
 Posted by: Adriana Haack on December 25, 2007 4:45 PM 
Hi Elise,
I used your recipe yesterday for a stuffed roast chicken. It was great. I also added some dried appricots.
Thank you for the great recipe!
 Posted by: Patrick on December 26, 2007 1:54 AM 
Hi! I tried the cranberry sauce, breast-down turkey and stuffing recipes on the big day yesterday for the first time. They were really good! I have to say that I do prefer a simple sage and onion stuffing done in the bird itself, plus I've never had a dry turkey cooked on its back - just keep some aluminium foil over the bird and cook it slowly for 5-6 hours, plus soak the bread for the stuffing in some turkey stock before it goes in. Still, yesterday was a big success and thanks for the great tips Elise.
 Posted by: Matti on December 26, 2007 2:21 AM 
Thank you for this recipe! It was the first time ever I made a stuffing and was therefore a little nervous but it turned out great and my friends loved it! There was nothing left and I've already been asked to make it again next Christmas.
 Posted by: Caroline on January 2, 2008 2:08 AM 
Really good recipe!
 It was the first time I made one and it was for a Finnish family. They were curious of how or why Canadians love their turkey. Now they love it too!
 Tosi hyvä ruoka! they said.
 Thanks.
 Posted by: Malina on January 26, 2008 11:10 AM 
Hi Elise,
 Could I make this the night before or should I make it the morning of?
 Thank you!
You can prep the day before - make the buttered croutons, toast the walnuts, get everything chopped (except for the apple which will brown), make the stock from the giblets. But I would make the stuffing the day of, soon before serving. ~Elise
 Posted by: Karen on March 20, 2008 8:23 AM 
I can't even begin to express how much I love this stuffing. I first made it for Christmas last year and everyone loved it. I couldn't believe how delicious it was. Therefore since we Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October I was so excited to make this again. I made it last night again (had to celebrate one day early) it was my favorite part of the meal. I'm looking forward to the leftover turkey and stuffing sandwich I'll be having for dinner! Thanks Elise and Elise's Mom and Grandmother :)
 Posted by: Madeline on October 12, 2008 5:09 PM 
Thank you very much for sharing your recipe. I tried roasting a turkey for the 2nd time (this time using your recipe) and it turned out amazing! It was really moist and tasty! Thanks so much!
 Posted by: Sandra on October 12, 2008 9:55 PM 
This is the most amazing delicious stuffing I ever tasted! WOW!
 Posted by: Danielle on October 16, 2008 9:51 PM 
Bravo! Tastes just like mom's. I chose to skip the olives but everything else was great.
HINT HINT for any recipe you do that needs to carmelize the onions. Add some salt while doing this step. It really brings out the taste.
 Posted by: James B on November 12, 2008 9:33 AM 
OH my Gosh, this stuffing is just hands down my favorite, it puts any other to total shame. I prepared last year my first ever Thanksgiving Dinner. Now I have been married for nearly a decade but I was always invited, so I did not cook the main dishes, I did bring sides and desserts though. ANyways, last year I looked up the "Mom's Turkey" recipe and it was out of this world! I have never eaten a Turkey moister than the first one I ever prepared. I loved how moist it was and so did my husband and the kids. The BReast side down thing makes perfect sense to me. And since I was already making ELises Turkey, I figured I make the stuffing as well.
 O M G.
It was so good I think I shoveled half the dish in all on my own, I just could not stop myself and the leftovers were super delicious too! This stuffing will be my forever-keeper, I will never make it any different. 
 And then I made a big, no make that HUGE, mistake. Since the stuffing on Thanksgiving had been so good I decided to make it around Christmas again, only that time I used shortcuts, such as canned broth, store bought bread cubes (I know, I know, terrible but I thought I'd try) and let me tell you that it was a total let-down. It lacked flavor and the texture was disappointing too. 
So please DO NOT cut corners on this recipe, use all the fresh ingredients, make the broth from the turkey giblets and do it by the book. The end result will be more than worth it. Ok, now I 've done it. I am drooling I think ;-)!
Thanks Elise and Elise's Mom, for the great Turkey and Stuffing recipes, HOME RUN!
 Posted by: Dunja on November 14, 2008 11:34 PM 
Thank you for sharing this with us. I lost my mother a couple of years ago, so was looking online for guidance. Give a special thanks to her when you enjoy your turkey this year! I will use your recipes on Thursday.
 Posted by: Erica S. on November 24, 2008 1:21 PM 
This was a HUGE success today, thank you!! I made it with vegetable broth instead of giblet or chicken (for a vegetarian friend) and no one noticed the difference. In fact, it was more popular than the turkey! I toasted the bread in two pans due to the mass and managed to char a few cubes, but it was still absolutely delicious and was the most-requested leftover! 
Thanks so much for sharing this!
 Posted by: Jenn on November 27, 2008 6:05 PM 
Elise, 
I just tried this recipe for a dinner party of 10. It is OUT OF THIS WORLD. You are amazing and thank you for sharing your love for cooking with us. Everyone loved this recipe and I will be making this for years to come. You are the best. Your site is my favorite to look up for cooking tips. You make me want to be a better cook, and love more. :) 
Happy thanksgiving to you and your family. 
 Posted by: Nikki on November 27, 2008 8:07 PM 
This was my first time making the Thanksgiving dinner. This recipie is so good and so easy to make. I also used the roast turkey recipie and it was great! From now on I'm going to use them every Thanksgiving. Thanks!
 Posted by: Tali on November 30, 2008 9:34 AM 
Just made this, and it worked out great. I used a fresh italian loaf which I then tore apart by hand, then put on top of my oven's exhaust to dry out. I ended up with very large pieces, which kind of left the stuffing to be 'big chunks of bread' and 'the other stuff that isn't bread'. However, it was still delicious.
I used store-bought organic chicken broth, about 2 cups worth. I probably could have used another cup. 
I also used italian herbs instead of just sage. Worked fine. 
It turned a very, very dark maroon color, which was unexpected. I think that was the raisins.
Still very, very delicious. This recipe is going to be my staple for making stuffing!
 Posted by: thekevinmonster on November 30, 2008 2:28 PM 
Elise, thanks for providing such a great resource.
I see a number of people are using dried cranberries instead of raisins or currents. Will frozen cranberries work too? How might the recipe need to be adjusted? I'd rather use something we've picked ourselves than use store-bought, if practical.
Secondly, I don't have a Dutch Oven. What else can be used instead? Does the recipe need to be changed?
You could try it with frozen cranberries, I have no idea how it would turn out. Regarding the Dutch oven, you need a large, thick bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. ~Elise
 Posted by: matt on December 21, 2008 11:05 PM 
Hi,
My mom and I are going to try to make a turkey, (well actually 2 turkeys because we have approx. 30 people coming over dinner) using this stuffing recipe for the first time. This recipe sounds amazing! We're also thinking about adding some wild rice to the mix and wondering at what stage of cooking the stuffing we should do this? Should we make the wild rice separately and then just mix it in when sauteing the onions, celery, etc?
Any other helpful comments about making a turkey or stuffing would be appreciated!
Honestly, I think you should make the stuffing as is, especially since you are making it for the first time. In my not-so-humble opinion, it's great just as it is. If you want, make a separate batch of wild rice. Whatever you do, please do not just add raw wild or any other kind of rice to the stuffing, it won't work, and your stuffing will be ruined. ~Elise

 Posted by: Sonia on December 24, 2008 8:48 PM 
Wow, that was great. Goes very well with goose (in Germany at Christmas)
 Posted by: Ivos on December 25, 2008 1:26 PM 
I was in charge of the turkey and stuffing for Christmas dinner. It was by far the tastiest turkey and stuffing I have ever eaten. 
I cooked it almost exactly by the recipe, but instead of the raisins I used craisins. I forgot to buy french bread so I used some frozen white bread rolls and a few wheatmeal rolls I had in the freezer. Very yummy. My husband has insisted that I keep this recipe. 
 Posted by: Sheree on December 26, 2008 5:24 PM 
This is just like my stuffing recipe that I learned from my mother, except that we use pine nuts instead of walnuts. I grew up with this and it is the one thing I look forward to each year.
As for not cooking the stuffing in the turkey, we always put a metal spoon in the middle of the stuffing so that it heats it through completly. Just a thought!
Metal spoon in the stuffing? Great idea! ~Elise
 Posted by: Wendy on December 28, 2008 10:10 PM 
This is my first recipe from this site that I tried.
 This was so good!
I added ground turkey sausage, cranberries, not raisins, & didn't add the walnuts. I also used chicken broth.
My wife & I could live off of this stuff, it is so good. I made it for Christmas dinner & was scared of how it would turn out.
This one is a keeper for life!
 Posted by: james on December 29, 2008 5:35 AM 
This is the best stuffing I have ever had. I hesitated on the olives but added them anyway. I am glad I did. I am not certain what the olives added but it was great. I made a note to double the recipe because the stuffing dissapeared. No seconds and no stuffing in the care packages, my guests were so disapointed. Don't just read this recipe, make it, you will be as jazzed as I am.
Angela
 Posted by: Angela Boehm on December 30, 2008 3:41 PM 
I live for stuffing on Christmas. I found this recipe and was intrigued. Like some others, I was hesitant about the olives, and considered using dried cranberries in place of the raisins. But there were no cranberries available (I live in central america) so I made it as prescribed, only with some thyme and rosemary added. It was glorious. Thanks so much.
 Posted by: cr-expat on January 3, 2009 9:19 PM 
Oh, I did cook it for much less time than indicated. About 20 min, then kiiled the heat and kept covered til serving time. Apples and everything were nicely done. 
 Posted by: cr-expat on January 3, 2009 9:21 PM 
Hi, two years ago I made this recipe and everyone loves, this time they asked me to do it again and probably will be a success thanks for your excellent recipe
 Posted by: alejandro lopez on November 21, 2009 8:49 PM 
I tried this recipe to the 'T' last year, I loved it but my family found currants a bit overpowering and kids said it was 'ugly/nutty' lol. We just made 3 batches to feed the elderly today: Once you cook the giblets it's a cinch w/few changes: Saute onion/celery in butter, once soft add the seasonings, let release aroma then add the nuts of choice [we used minced almonds bc we were also making baklava] then apple, dry cranberries, olives, parsley, salt/pepper to taste, please TASTE and adjust if necessary. 3 loaves of French bread were baked [sliced]in a 350F until dry, smothered @ slice with butter on both sides then one of us tore each slice into bite size over a LARGE bowl, then all of the veggies went in, All items were gently folded by hand then added half of the stock first [just to bind] and bit more later. Stuffing was divided into 3 large baking pans covered w/foil and baked at 325F for about an hour. The texture was wonderful, cranberries def gave a colorful twist. I apologize for the changes, we used what we had on hand. WONDERFUL RECIPE, Thanks for posting it. 
 Posted by: Amori on November 22, 2009 4:31 PM 
Hi, reading your post made me interested to try your stuffing recipe for this year's thanksgiving. I was wondering if the recipe would still taste good if I added some heat to it. Like Chilly pepper flakes? Wondering if you had any other ideas on how to add heat to the recipe. Thanks for your recipe!
Hi Julie, honestly I would just make the recipe as is. Once you have it done, you can see what happens if you add a little chili powder to it for heat if you want. That way you'll see how the flavors work. Personally I wouldn't add any heat to it. ~Elise
 Posted by: Julie on November 22, 2009 7:56 PM 
Hi Elise! 
Since you now make your mom's stuffing in a dutch oven on the stove top rather than in the turkey (or in a casserole dish in the oven as I am accustomed) I'm curious whether or not this might work in a crock pot? 
Unless you say "yes" and tell me how to modify the cooking time, etc. I will follow your recipe "to the T" and cook it in the dutch oven.
Your recipe looks amazing, and with so many commendations, I think I might have a chance of winning a "stuffing/dressing bake off" that is going to happen at our table on Thursday! 
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. Many thanks in advance if you should actually find time to answer right now!
Hi Elizabeth, I don't see why you couldn't cook it in a slow cooker, after you've sautéed the onions and celery. But as I have never done it this way, I wouldn't know what to tell you in terms of the settings and timing. ~Elise
 Posted by: Elizabeth on November 24, 2009 5:35 PM 
I've made stuffing according to your recipe for the last three years for our Thanksgiving in Budapest, and it is always the big hit of the party. I'm about to start making it again, and just wanted to say thank you!
Although... I probably shouldn't say this, but I have no idea what a dutch oven is and always just use regular pots and pans to make this recipe, and it still turns out delicious...
Happy Thanksgiving!

 Posted by: Rita on November 25, 2009 11:13 PM 
Thanks! This is pretty much the recipe I've used for years. I've never added the walnuts, but will try that this year. I used (from my garden) 2 tsp rubbed sage and 1 tsp thyme. In my google I did find one recipe that used 3 eggs. We have chickens and I'm always trying to figure out how to use eggs...so I did whisk 3 eggs with a little water and added that for the liquid. Perfect! It is all ready for the oven. Now I will get busy with the wild rice dish. 
 Posted by: Anonymous on November 26, 2009 7:50 AM 
Elise, I love your site, and your name! I've learned so much here. I tried your stuffing recipe for my first-ever stuffing from scratch and my husband went bonkers for it. I left out the olives and now he won't let me try it with them! I paired it with a roast chicken based on two of your recipes here. Another huge winner. Thanks so much and happy holidays. 
 Posted by: the other elise on November 26, 2009 7:33 PM 
This is very similar to the stuffing my family makes, though we always bake it in the oven for a bit right before serving to give it a little extra crispiness on top. The green olive addition is interesting, too.
 Posted by: Miri on November 27, 2009 1:12 PM 
I made this for thanksgiving and it was amazing. I had some veggies for dinner, so used vegetable broth instead and it was wonderful. Thanks so much. 
 Posted by: meredith on November 27, 2009 6:16 PM 
Could you please ask your mom if not making a traditional stuffing in a turkey what would she use to put in the turkey while it is cooking? I have heard of one using a peeled orange,peeled apple and an onion for moisture.
 Thanks
Hi Codye, we lather the inside of the turkey with lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt. Then we add half an onion, peeled and quartered, a bunch of parsley, a couple of carrots, and some bottoms and tops of celery to the cavity. These are aromatics that will infuse the turkey with flavor. Check out our roast turkey recipe for more information. ~Elise
 Posted by: Codye on January 4, 2010 11:36 AM 
I found this recipe googling, and now it's the only stuffing recipe I use. I'm vegetarian, so I use water instead of turkey or chicken broth. Instead, I saute fresh mushrooms with the celery and onion. Also, sometimes I use dried cranberries instead of raisins, or I use a mix of dried cranberries and raisins. More often than not, I leave out the olives (they're expensive in my part of the world). No one seems to miss them--I consistently hear that this is the best stuffing my guests have ever tasted. I make it year-round, whenever I have bread that's been sitting around too long.
 Posted by: Kristin on March 9, 2010 11:07 AM 
Thank you so much for this stuffing recipe! I found myself stealing bites here and there before my guests arrived...and it's so easy too!
About the turkey...
A frozen turkey was given to me a few months ago just taking up space in my freezer. Since I have never faced the challenge of cooking a turkey before, it intimidated me every time I opened the freezer to get something. At the same time, it was taking up too much space (20 lbs.) so I had to do something about it---finally. I googled turkey recipes and I found you with the infamous upside down turkey technique. Well, it was tender and juicy and all it took was the common sense of knowing that the juices would drip down toward the breast. No more dried out, bland turkey for this family! 
Awww....thank you so much for enlightening those of us who had never prepared turkey this way!!
 Posted by: Jenn on April 16, 2010 1:00 PM 
Hi Elise,
I have some Kalamata olives that I wanted to use up. Would they work in this? Or should I go get the green ones? Thanks!
No, you definitely need green olives for this. ~Elise
 Posted by: Jenny on November 14, 2010 5:34 PM 
Could I stuff this inside my turkey once I've cooked it? It will be in the oven for 4 hours. Just want to make sure it won't ruin it... thanks! 
I don't really see the point in that. The purpose of keeping the stuffing out of the bird is so that the bird cooks more evenly and the interior gets cooked. If you are going to stuff the bird anyway, there's no point in cooking the stuffing first. ~Elise
 Posted by: Joe on November 19, 2010 1:16 AM 
Hi Elise, 
 I cant wait to try your Mom's/Grandma's stuffing. I love currants and was excited to see them in this recipe. Unfortunately, I've never cooked with them myself. How are the packaged in the store? In what department might I find them?
Thanks for the recipe.
I think we get them in the bulk bins. You might be able to find them near raisins. You can also use raisins for this recipe if you can't find currants. ~Elise
 Posted by: Dorene on November 21, 2010 10:59 AM 
Hi Elise, 
I know this recipe is for stuffing outside of the turkey, but If I decide to stuff the turkey (as my family is screaming for me to do!), at which point in the directions would I stop cooking/preparing the stuffing on the stovetop and stuff the turkey? You mentioned you used to stuff the turkey, how did you do that? This sounds delicious and we are so excited to try it. I would stuff the turkey (12-14 lbs) with some stuffing and make some stove-top. Also, would you advise against using our crock pot instead of our Le Creuset Dutch Oven? One last question - can I cook a turkey upside down with stuffing inside? Sorry - this is only my 2nd thanksgiving meal I've ever made in all my 37 years....wish me luck:-) - Christine
Hi Christine - If you stuff the bird with this stuffing, do it after step 4, after you've already sautéed the onions and celery. Stuff the bird only lightly. Do not pack it in. Any excess stuffing you should cook separately, either on the stovetop or covered in the oven. No idea about the slow cooker, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Yes, you can cook the turkey upside down with the stuffing in it. ~Elise
 Posted by: Christine on November 23, 2010 5:52 AM 
Hi! Can't wait to try it! Would it be possible to bake the stuffing in a pan after prepping? What temp/time do you suggest? 
 Also using your Turkey Recipe this year..... will keep you posted! 
Sure. Bake it covered at about 300°F until the apples are cooked through, about an hour. ~Elise
 Posted by: MWages on November 23, 2010 11:14 AM 
This recipe is fantastic. I used dried cranberries instead of raisins. Otherwise I followed the recipe exact. I stuffed it in the bird. 5 stars!!!!!
 Posted by: Laura on November 26, 2010 2:16 PM 
Generaly I don't like to cook because I'm not good at it, but this recipe is so easy to follow that made me look like an experienced cook.
This has been the best Turkey I have ever tried. But the most important thing is that even I could do it.
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful secret.
I have shared this recipe with all my friends and family.

 Posted by: MONICA on December 5, 2010 8:33 AM 
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
I made this stuffing for a post thanksgiving meal and it was scrumptious! we ate it for like two days straight. I plan to make it again it was soo good! 
When I have celebrated thanksgiving with my family, we actually never made stuffing from scratch (and this was my first time) and could not stop eating the stuffing:) 
 Posted by: brinda on December 6, 2010 1:38 PM 
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