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My Mom’s Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 111 reviews
  • Author: Simon
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 10-12 1x

Description

My Mom’s Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing is a flavorful and moist stuffing recipe combining seasoned bread cubes, fresh vegetables, and savory herbs with chicken broth. Stuffed inside a butter-rubbed turkey and baked in a roasting bag, it results in a beautifully juicy turkey and deliciously aromatic stuffing perfect for holiday meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Produce

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 3/4 cup diced celery (or about 1 teaspoon celery seed)

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Dry Goods & Spices

  • 1 bag Pepperidge Farm herbed seasoned stuffing crumbs (16 oz)
  • 1 bag soft bread cubes (16–20 oz)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes (or fresh parsley)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 tablespoons flour

Liquids & Broth

  • 2 cups canned chicken broth

Other

  • 1 turkey
  • 1 Reynolds turkey-sized baking bag
  • Paprika for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Combine bread cubes: In a large bowl, mix the soft bread cubes with the Pepperidge Farm herbed seasoned stuffing crumbs thoroughly to create the base of your stuffing.
  2. Sauté vegetables: Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, green pepper, and celery (or celery seed) and sauté until softened and translucent, bringing out their natural sweetness and aromas.
  3. Mix vegetables with bread: Pour the melted butter and cooked vegetables over the bread mixture, ensuring all the bread is coated.
  4. Add eggs: Stir in the beaten eggs to bind the stuffing ingredients together evenly. Toss well to combine.
  5. Add seasonings: Sprinkle in garlic powder, poultry seasoning, dried parsley flakes, and oregano. Toss the mixture again to distribute the flavors uniformly throughout.
  6. Moisten stuffing: Slowly pour chicken broth over the mixture, aiming to make it almost wet—moist but not soggy—to keep the stuffing from drying out during baking. Reserve any extra broth if the stuffing appears adequately moist before adding it all.
  7. Final toss: Give the stuffing one last toss, making sure every bread cube and crumb is well coated with the broth and seasonings.
  8. Stuff the turkey: Firmly pack the stuffing into both ends of the turkey without overpacking to allow heat circulation. If leftover, place it in a casserole dish, refrigerate, and bake later with the turkey for additional stuffing.
  9. Butter and season turkey: Rub softened butter all over the turkey’s skin using your fingers. Lightly sprinkle paprika over the entire turkey for color and flavor.
  10. Prepare baking bag: Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of flour inside the turkey-sized Reynolds baking bag to prevent sticking. Place the stuffed turkey inside, seal the bag tightly, and cut three 1-2 inch slits in the top for ventilation.
  11. Bake the turkey: Place the bagged turkey in a roaster pan, cover with a lid, and bake according to your turkey size’s usual cooking times. The baking bag reduces cooking time by about 45 minutes to 1 hour and keeps the turkey moist. Basting is optional.
  12. Save broth for gravy: After baking, use a ladle to collect the flavorful broth inside the bag for making gravy or freeze it for future soup recipes, enhancing the depth of flavor.

Notes

  • Ensure the baking bag has at least three slits cut to allow steam to escape safely during baking.
  • The chicken broth adds more flavor and moisture than milk, preventing bland stuffing.
  • Do not overstuff the turkey; this ensures even cooking and safety.
  • Butter rubbing and paprika improve the skin’s flavor and color.
  • Leftover stuffing can be baked separately in a casserole dish for convenience and extra servings.
  • The baking bag significantly reduces cooking time and keeps the turkey juicy and tender.
  • Flour inside the bag helps absorb excess juices and prevents sticking.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours (depending on turkey size)
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Thanksgiving stuffing, holiday stuffing recipe, turkey stuffing, herbed stuffing, Pepperidge Farm stuffing, baked stuffing

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Find it online: https://kitchenofsimon.com/my-moms-perfect-thanksgiving-stuffing-recipe/