The Infamous Stuffing vs. Dressing Debacle
You crazy Northerners. What is wrong with you? Loaded question, I know. Let me explain.
For Thanksgiving, the cornbread mixture that is often served as a side dish to the all-important Turkey is commonly referred to as *either*
1) Dressing or
2) Stuffing
Now, down South it is always referred to as Dressing. Even if it is stuffed inside the Turkey (which is rarely done down south because it doesn't cook as well and really just ruins not only the "stuffing", but the bird as well). Now, IF one DOES make the mistake of cooking the cornbread mixture inside of the turkey, THEN it is Stuffing. Is is a logical conclusion that is fairly simple to come to. HOWEVER
There are some stubborn people (apparently any and all people above Virginia) that refuse to get on the logic train. They insist that even if the cornbread mixture is prepared and cooked outside of the bird, that it is still stuffing. However, they are mistaken. It is dressing. It is a side dish used to not only "dress up the dinner table", but dress up the turkey as well. It is a very convient idea, because not everyone enjoys the taste of dressing. Therefore, by removing the dressing from the Turkey-cooking process, one has the ability to omit it from the Thanksgiving repetoire. Therefore, you do not have to choke it down AND your delicious Turkey is not also ruined in the process. We Southerners are very logical like that.
I've also found evidence on why it is stupid to eat "stuffing" in the first place from Food.com
Little Zerlina: Hi, Alton. I remember you saying in a previous chat that stuffing is evil. Why is it evil? I think it's the best part of the turkey!
Alton: Okay, here I go again. Stuffing increases mass. Mass extends cooking time. By the time enough heat gets into the stuffing to cook it and render it safe, the turkey, or a good portion of it, will be overcooked. You want to cook a turkey as fast as you can to minimize juice loss, and the fastest way is without stuffing it. So make stuffing, save your drippings, and stuff it in something else to cook it. Just don't cook it in the turkey. You could cook the stuffing separately and put it in the turkey after the turkey is cooked, or you can definitely take the bird out of the oven and put the stuffing in then. But don't add too much salt to the stuffing, because there will be a good deal of salt coming out a brined turkey, and the drippings will be on the salty side. So take the turkey out of the roasting pan, toss your dressing in the drippings, stuff it in the turkey while it rests, and then take it to the table. Stuffing is only evil when it's stuffing. If it's dressing, it's fine.
I rest my case.
For Thanksgiving, the cornbread mixture that is often served as a side dish to the all-important Turkey is commonly referred to as *either*
1) Dressing or
2) Stuffing
Now, down South it is always referred to as Dressing. Even if it is stuffed inside the Turkey (which is rarely done down south because it doesn't cook as well and really just ruins not only the "stuffing", but the bird as well). Now, IF one DOES make the mistake of cooking the cornbread mixture inside of the turkey, THEN it is Stuffing. Is is a logical conclusion that is fairly simple to come to. HOWEVER
There are some stubborn people (apparently any and all people above Virginia) that refuse to get on the logic train. They insist that even if the cornbread mixture is prepared and cooked outside of the bird, that it is still stuffing. However, they are mistaken. It is dressing. It is a side dish used to not only "dress up the dinner table", but dress up the turkey as well. It is a very convient idea, because not everyone enjoys the taste of dressing. Therefore, by removing the dressing from the Turkey-cooking process, one has the ability to omit it from the Thanksgiving repetoire. Therefore, you do not have to choke it down AND your delicious Turkey is not also ruined in the process. We Southerners are very logical like that.
I've also found evidence on why it is stupid to eat "stuffing" in the first place from Food.com
Little Zerlina: Hi, Alton. I remember you saying in a previous chat that stuffing is evil. Why is it evil? I think it's the best part of the turkey!
Alton: Okay, here I go again. Stuffing increases mass. Mass extends cooking time. By the time enough heat gets into the stuffing to cook it and render it safe, the turkey, or a good portion of it, will be overcooked. You want to cook a turkey as fast as you can to minimize juice loss, and the fastest way is without stuffing it. So make stuffing, save your drippings, and stuff it in something else to cook it. Just don't cook it in the turkey. You could cook the stuffing separately and put it in the turkey after the turkey is cooked, or you can definitely take the bird out of the oven and put the stuffing in then. But don't add too much salt to the stuffing, because there will be a good deal of salt coming out a brined turkey, and the drippings will be on the salty side. So take the turkey out of the roasting pan, toss your dressing in the drippings, stuff it in the turkey while it rests, and then take it to the table. Stuffing is only evil when it's stuffing. If it's dressing, it's fine.
I rest my case.