Which is correct, is it "stuffing" or "dressing"?

[moriah]

My grandmother's recipe for cornbread dressing is on my old computer, or I'd post it here.

Alas, I work Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And New Year's Day (not eve, but I can't go to work hung over.) So no dressing this year, my man said he didn't want me to cook since we'd both be working. Our second Thanksgiving together I was off but he had to work, so he came home to a dinner with all the trimmings.... I'd gotten the smallest turkey, and we still had turkey sandwiches after the New Year.

At least with my gentleman I don't have to put cilantro in the dressing just to make him like it -- my ex-husband didn't think food was food unless it had cilantro in it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. If you cook it in the turkey, it's stuffing; outside the turkey, it's dressing.

That's all there is to it.

And you should not cook it in the turkey due to contamination issues.

[Critters2]

2. Right on all counts!! nt

[moriah]

3. I had this discussion when I visited my high school sweetheart's family in PA.

It was Thanksgiving, and they had stuffed a turkey, and also had a separate, non-turkey-contaminated thing of what they called "stuffing" since some of the people in their family were vegetarian and wouldn't eat it if it had been in the turkey.

I refused to eat what was in the turkey, but I did get a big helping of what I called "dressing". The reason I didn't eat what was in the turkey was because it was waaaay too moist for my preference, it was like glop.

But me calling it "dressing" created a huge uproar and I was outvoted as the only Southerner present. To them, it was stuffing, end of story.

I prefer proper cornbread dressing, in a pan, not too moist. It must have celery in it, and preferably my grandmother's mix of seasonings.

[Deep13]

4. Dressing is for salad.

If it's bread or meat (like my Grandma made) and a side dish, it is stuffing regardless.