The difference between stuffing and dressing is mainly in the naming. Southerners mainly use the name dressing while Northerners use the name stuffing.
Stuffings and dressings contain the same staple ingredients like diced vegetables, dried bread cubes, broth, butter, herbs and spices. As mentioned above, the difference between stuffing and dressing is mainly in their use. However, some also claim that the difference is the way they are cooked. Stuffing is stuffed inside the body cavity of a chicken or turkey before cooking, while dressing is cooked separately.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Stuffing
– Definition, Features
2. What is Dressing
– Definition, Features
3. What are the Similarities Between Stuffing and Dressing
– Definition, Features
4. Difference Between Between Stuffing and Dressing
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Dressing, Stuffing, Turkey
What is Stuffing
Stuffing is an edible mixture used to fill the cavity of another food item while cooking. We mainly use stuffing when cooking meat, especially turkey and chicken. It can add a mixture of flavours to the meat while keeping it moist. Some stuffing mixtures are stuffed inside the body of the cavity of the meat before cooking. Then stuffing cooks while the meat cooks, soaking up the juices. However, this method of cooking raises the risk of food-borne illness since you are using raw meat.
We can also do stuffing with eggs and vegetables like zucchini, capsicum, and tomatoes (after removing the flesh and seeds first). You can use many types of ingredients to make a stuffing. These include vegetables, bread, cereals, eggs, minced meat, herbs and spices. You can even add dried or fresh fruits like apricots, apples, raisins, and prunes for stuffing.
What is Dressing
The term dressing is simply another name for stuffing. The name dressing is common in the southern part of the United States. The magazine, Southern Living, analyzed these two names and discovered that the real difference between stuffing and dressing is not the cooking method but the region. After looking at search terms in all the states, they came to the conclusion that northerners use the name stuffing, while southerners prefer the name dressing.
Many classic dressings are often cooked separately and served alongside the meat, not stuffed inside the meat. However, some dressing recipes do call for placing the mixture inside the cavity in the meat and cooking alongside the meat.
It’s also important to notice that the word dressing has another meaning in cuisine. That is salad dressings. These are sauces for salads, generally consisting of oil and vinegar with herbs or other flavourings.
Similarities Between Stuffing and Dressing
- Stuffing and dressings contain the same staple ingredients like diced vegetables, dried bread cubes, broth, butter, herbs and spices.
- In most cases, we can use these two words, interchangeably.
Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing
Definition
Stuffing is a mixture used to stuff poultry or meat before cooking, while dressing is a similar mixture served alongside meat or poultry.
Regional Variation
Southerners mainly use the name dressing while Northerners use the name stuffing.
Cooking
Stuffing goes inside a turkey or chicken while dressing is made in a separate casserole dish on the side.
Conclusion
Stuffing is a mixture used to stuff poultry or meat before cooking while dressing is a similar mixture served alongside meat or poultry. The difference between stuffing and dressing is mainly in the naming. Southerners mainly use the name dressing while Northerners use the name stuffing.
Reference:
1. “Stuffing.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Nov. 2020, Available here.
2. Hayes, Hannah. “The Real Debate: Is It Stuffing or Dressing?” Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2016, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Stuffed turkey” By Brian Teutsch – originally posted to Flickr as Stuffed turkey (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Turkey and Dressing” By Steven Labinski (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr
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