Stella's Traditional Turkey Stuffing

Traditional stuffing for an 8-person family Thanksgiving feast. Mom got up early to prepare and it was well worth it. It seemed that the stuffing always went first, which caused her to make a double batch. One in the bird, one in a glass bowl. However eating the stuffing from the bird cavity was always preferred!

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 285 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ pound ground beef
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• turkey innards (gizzard, liver, heart, tail, and neck)
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, diced
• 1 loaf day-old white bread, cubed
• 2 cups chopped celery with leaves
• 1 medium apple, cored and chopped with peel

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine turkey innards, diced celery, diced carrot, and bay leaf in a pot. Season with salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 hour, removing liver after 30 minutes. Remove and discard neck, tail, and bay leaf. Remove remaining innards and put with the liver to cool. Keep broth in the pot.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.

Step 3

Combine bread cubes, beef, chopped celery, apple, walnuts, poultry seasoning, oregano, sage, thyme, and rosemary in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Chop cooled innards into small pieces. Add to the bread mixture and mix until everything is evenly distributed, adding in broth mixture (including cooked celery and carrots) and oil to moisten the dressing to desired texture. Stuffing is ready to bake in the oven or stuff in the bird.