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Perfect Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe - Grandma's Traditional Method & Tips

This Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing is a cherished, time-honored recipe that transforms turkey stock, Italian bread, and classic aromatics into a golden, savory side dish that embodies holiday tradition.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Holiday, Side Dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Components
  • Turkey neck + giblets
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 loaves Italian bread torn into 1-inch pieces (day-old preferred)
  • 1 –2 tbsp “Thanksgiving Seasoning”
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup diced celery leaves + top stalks
  • 1 cup diced onions about 1 medium
Substitution Suggestions
  • Italian bread → sourdough French bread, or sandwich bread
  • Butter → margarine or vegetable oil reduce by ¼ cup
  • Celery → diced fennel or onions
  • Turkey stock → chicken stock + 1 tsp poultry seasoning

Method
 

  1. Create stock: Simmer turkey neck and giblets in 8 cups water with 1 tbsp poultry seasoning for 20+ minutes until golden and aromatic.
  2. Season bread: Toss torn bread with 1–2 tbsp Thanksgiving Seasoning.
  3. Sauté aromatics: Melt butter in skillet, add celery and onions, cook until soft and translucent (8–10 minutes).
  4. Combine: Mix bread with butter-vegetable mixture. Add warm stock gradually until moist but not soggy.
  5. Bake: Press mixture into buttered 9×13 dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes. Uncover last 10 minutes for golden edges.

Notes

Thanksgiving Seasoning blend: 2 parts kosher salt, 1 part black pepper, 1 part poultry seasoning. Tear bread instead of cutting for better texture absorption.