Homemade Classic Stuffing Recipe

 This is the best stuffing recipe, very likely the same one your grandma used to make. Made with milk, turkey stock, onions, celery and herbs, this family recipe is the quintessential side dish for Thanksgiving.

Grandma’s Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing

This is the BEST Stuffing Recipe

You know how you hear about people taking recipes to their grave? My husband’s grandma seriously did that with her Thanksgiving bread stuffing.

It was the best turkey stuffing in the whole wide world, and I consider myself a stuffing aficionado. It had a simple, comforting flavor and was toasted to perfection.

Try as we might, we never got Mary Ellen to give up the recipe for her turkey stuffing. The only detail she ever gave us was “well, I just soak the bread in milk, really.”

So, ever since Mary Ellen passed, it’s been my mission to try to recreate this recipe. Using some flavor memories based on what Jeff and I can recall about Grandma’s stuffing, I first published my best educated guess of how this stuffing was created back in 2014.

Using reader comments and e-mails ever since, I’ve made revisions to the recipe to keep getting it closer and closer to the original.

The recipe card below reflects nine years of work, and at least a dozen tests. At this point, I think I’m a close as I can get to honoring the flavors of Mary Ellen’s stuffing.

The recipe in the card below will yield you a delicious old fashioned bread stuffing to serve alongside your Thanksgiving turkey, I guarantee it.

Classic Stuffing Recipe

 YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

 

 PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES

 

 COOK TIME: 1 HOUR

 

 TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES

This is the best stuffing recipe, very likely the same one your grandma used to make. Made with milk, turkey stock, onions, celery and herbs, this family recipe is the quintessential side dish for Thanksgiving.

4.5 Stars (134 Reviews)

Ingredients

• Giblets from 1 turkey (except the neck) (optional)
• 1-1/4 cups whole milk plus 1 additional cup if using giblets, divided
• 1 loaf (24 ounces) hearty white sliced bread, torn into small pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1 bag (12 ounces) unseasoned cubed stuffing (the dried cubes in a bag)
• 4 cups turkey stock
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried sage

Instructions

1. If using giblets, place giblets and 1 cup milk in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide torn white bread between 2 rimmed baking pans. Transfer to oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Set toasted bread aside; leave oven on at 350 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, place eggs in large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add cubed stuffing, stock and remaining 1-1/4 cups milk; toss to combine.
4. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in small pot or microwave-safe dish.
5. Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. If using giblets, proceed with Step 6 and then 8-9. If NOT using giblets, proceed with Steps 7-9.
6. If using giblets, remove giblets from milk; discard milk. Finely chop giblets. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped giblets and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add poultry seasoning and sage; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. If not using giblets, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add poultry seasoning and sage; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
8. Add toasted white bread, melted butter and onion mixture to bowl with cubed stuffing and milk. Stir for 1 minute or until toasted bread is very well moistened.
9. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Transfer to oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes longer or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.