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 there a difference between stuffing and dressing? ›
"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 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.
Why do southerners 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.
When did stuffing become dressing? ›
Names for stuffing include "farce" (~1390), "stuffing" (1538), "forcemeat" (1688), and relatively more recently in the United States; "dressing" (1850).
Is it called stuffing or dressing in the South? ›
In the South, it's called dressing. In the Northeast, it's called stuffing.
Is stove top stuffing or dressing? ›
When Stove Top was introduced in 1972 it was the first stuffing mix containing all the ingredients needed to typical dressing in one box. The mixture of vegetables, seasonings, herbs, spices, and baked stuffing crumbs came together in 15 minutes.
What do Northerners call stuffing? ›
Those in the south use the term dressing interchangeably; whereas those in the northern states generally refer to the dish as stuffing.
Is stuffing the same as dressing black folks? ›
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.
Is stuffing a southern thing? ›
People in the South say dressing, people in the North say stuffing. That's really the tall and short of it. I've heard some southerners decry the name stuffing, saying that the word itself is unpleasant.
In Theodora Fitzgibbon's massive The Food of the Western World, stuffing is “The name given in England to combinations of a variety of foods which are inserted into meats, poultry, fish, eggs, or vegetables. In the United States, stuffing is also called dressing . . .” Onward.
What do Texans call stuffing? ›
Dressing is more commonly used to refer to the dish in the South, while stuffing is the more frequently used term in the North, Southern Living reported.
What do they call stuffing in Pennsylvania? ›
Here in the PA Dutch and Coal Region area, we (especially us “Dutchies”) refer to “stuffing” as “filling”. There is no real debate about whether it's “stuffing” if it is made/baked one way versus “filling” another way in MY kitchen.
Who invented stuffing or dressing? ›
The Origins of Stuffing
Well, experts aren't exactly sure, but the first official mention of it can be found in a Roman cookbook called “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” which dates back to the first century AD.
Why do we only eat stuffing on Thanksgiving? ›
For one, modern stovetops weren't widely available until the 18th century — birds were roasted on a spit over an open fire — which made it difficult to cook side dishes at the same time. The solution? Simply cook the sides in the bird. Moreover, preparing stuffing this way meant more bang for one's caloric buck.
Do you eat stuffing at Christmas? ›
There is no particular reason why stuffing is eaten at Christmas, other than it is a traditional accompaniment to turkey, the most popular Christmas meat.
Is it stuffing or dressing for Thanksgiving? ›
But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.
Is stuffing and dressing the same thing on Reddit? ›
It's stuffing when cooked in the bird and dressing when cooked separately. Technically, anyway. The fact is that the terms are used interchangeably. Growing up, we always had both because there was never enough room in the turkey to have enough for everyone.
Can you eat stuffing from inside turkey? ›
Should I stuff my turkey? Stuffing cooked inside the turkey cavities is delicious, but it does slow down the cooking time and could be a potential health hazard if done incorrectly. For perfect no-worry results, opt for "dressing" instead – stuffing cooked alongside the bird instead of inside.
What is dressing for Thanksgiving made of? ›
Dressing: Dressing typically includes ingredients like cornbread, white bread, or biscuits, mixed with vegetables, herbs, spices, and sometimes sausage or other meats. It is often moistened with broth or stock and baked in a casserole dish until it forms a crust on top.
