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Taste Test: Store-Bought Stuffing

"Eating Stovetop is kind of like eating Cheerios. There are really no surprises—you know exactly what it's going to taste like."

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So much bread mush. [Photographs: Robyn Lee]

Ah, stuffing. Nobody pays much attention to you all year and then bam—Thanksgiving hits and the starch junkie in all of us comes out. Technically this tasting involved "dressings" and not "stuffings" since we baked them in casserole pans, not inside the turkey's hollowed-out body. And for the record, we'll probably just keep calling it stuffing.

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Lots of spoons were used in this process.

We shopped around and rated the following brands: Stovetop, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods 365, Martin's Potato Rolls, Pepperidge Farms (both Herb-Seasoned and Cornbread), and Canterbury Organics. The results, after the jump.

The Underdog Winner

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We love our burgers on Martin's potato rolls, so it made perfect sense that we'd love Martin's Potatobread Stuffing. Made with the familiar squishy, just-a-smidge sweet bread, the chunks aren't too soggy or dry (two very common stuffing offenses). Though on the sweeter side, maybe even a little too sweet, there was something kind of addicting about the flavor. Martin's is a Pennsylvania-based company so distribution is mostly limited to the Northeast, but you can call 1-800-548-1200 to order any of the products.

Best to Doctor Up

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Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned

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Whole Foods 365

There's definitely no shame in starting with a boxed mix and adding your own flair, and Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing might be as classic as it gets for stuffing foundations. Now that tastes like stuffing. The flavor isn't super life-changing but that's part of what makes it such a great base for adding apples, nuts, sausage, and fresh herbs. Crunchy on the top and not too in-your-face salty, it could definitely benefit from some additions. The much moister Whole Foods 365 Stuffing (traditional with chicken flavor) was also fine alone but could use some gussying up. The celery and onion flecks weren't cutting it.

Tastes Most Like Stovetop

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Eating Stovetop is kind of like eating Cheerios. There are really no surprises—you know exactly what it's going to taste like. And hey, that's fine. The semi-gelatinous glob of bread will never throw a curveball at you. The same red box—whether in Turkey, Chicken, Savory Herbs, or the Traditional Sage flavor—still has that little seasoning packet full of super-salty, factory-engineered herbs. Is it bad that we care more about this is as leftovers for turkey sandwiches than as an actual side?

For the Cornbread Fans

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While making cornbread from scratch is probably the right answer, who really has time for that? If you want the grainy texture and sweet-savory flavor of cornbread, the Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing does the trick. It's a little one-note on the cornbready flavor so this is definitely another doctor-it-up situation. Ed, a semi-homemadeoholic, recommends using it as a shortcut for the Silver Palate's Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples.

The Least Brown

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In a sea of tan to brownish stuffings, this vaguely greenish Trader Joe's batch stuck out. Should you judge your food by color? Probably not, but the swampy shade will get your attention. As far as texture goes, it was a little too gooey, almost approximating mashed potatoes or a bread pudding. It's not bad-tasting, just not worth a special trip. We expected a little more from the Joe.

The Fanciest But Least Edible

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Do not fall for the autumnal leaf illustrations dancing around this box. Do not feel like your $4.99 (on the pricier side of the spectrum) is going to a good cause. The Canterbury Organics was a pile of soggy croutons. I mean, sure, we'd probably still eat it but overall, it was the most depressing. One taster was a fan, but she probably just has more refined palates than the rest of us.

How to Doctor It Up

  • Leeks and carrots
  • Pears and walnuts
  • Dried cherries and almonds
  • Blanched broccoli rabe and toasted pine nuts
  • Blanched escarole and golden raisins
  • Crisp bacon and figs
  • Sautéed chicken livers and dried currants
  • Sweet Italian sausage and pecans
  • Kielbasa and (very well-drained) sauerkraut
  • Chorizo and roasted red pepper
  • Apples and smoked eel (available frozen at many Asian grocery stores)

Note: These ideas were also listed in our original Store-Bought Stuffing Showdown of 2007.

So You Really Want to Make it From Scratch?

Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Mark Bittman's Favorite Stuffing
Dried Cranberry, Apricot, and Fig Stuffing from Bon Appétit
Pecan Cornbread Dressing from Everyday Food

Back By Popular Demand: The Doodle Section

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Now a taste test tradition, Robyn's doodles.

Previously

Taste Test: Frozen Apple Pies
Taste Test: Mustard
Taste Test: Cheap But Good Olive Oils

35 Comments:

I concur with the opinion on the Canterbury Organics stuffing. Last year we decided to go with that one, and it was a major disappointment.

Oy, yes. I got lured by the pretty box of the Canterbury stuffing, and it was pretty awful on its own. Adding apples, onion, good homemade broth, etc saved the day but Pepperidge Farm would have been a better call.

My mom makes killer homemade stuffing most of the time so store-bought is mostly a no-no for us however, on those rare occasions where she doesn't have time, Stovetop is okay!

lol - Love the doodles.

I have always doctored up PF. Its the way to go if dont relish the idea of buying bread to make it stale.

Yeah, right, I'm gonna put an eel in my stuffing... just like mom used to make.

No, my mom hit on a very nice addition and we enjoyed it for many years-- chunks of romano cheese (not grated, but cubed), along with rather big chunks of garlic, and of course onions and celery and lots of butter and chicken broth, all added to Pepperidge Farm. It was yummy. She is gone now....

I actually really love the Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing. I doctor mine by sauteing onions, granny smith apples and dried cranberries in butter, then adding chicken stock and the stuffing. I love the sweet/savory mixture and the little studs of cranberries keep it interesting.

Eel? Sauerkraut? Are you kidding me?

I always seem to have stale bread around, so buying stuffing mix seems wasteful. But if I ever find myself breadless, I guess Pepperidge Farm is the way to go.

My go-to additions are mushrooms, walnuts, and raisins.

the green stuffing up there made me recall school room lunches where somehow gravy would be slightly neon green. what the hell is that?

Last year, I decided to try a new approach on the stuffing. I love sour dough bread, so I dried the bread and used it with my favorite recipe. The flavor was awesome, but it was very soggy, but I like soggy, so was great for me. A mix of sour dough and another drier type bread would be good, if texture is important. coco

i'm printing out the doodles to tack up on my fridge. hysterical!

I love stove top. There! I SAID IT! Phew ... I feel like there is a weight off my shoulders. It's one of those embarassing foods that I'm supposed to eschew as a food lover, but it's a guilty pleasure! That being said, I don't make it for turkey day - it's for strictly at home alone situations, not for guests ... But a few times a year, I indulge ... mmmm ...

I don't even have to wait for bread to go stale! Our grocery store sells big bags of sliced, dried bread ... like long skinny croutons ... at T-giving time. I love it. Homemade is always better. Lately, I've been baking a pan of cornbread a day or so ahead of time to crumble into it. All delectable.

I remember a few times having sourdough bread Stove Top stuffing that was pretty good. Can't find it out east unfortunately or maybe it has been discontinued...

While eel sounds interesting, I wouldn't waste precious eel by putting it in dressing. Mmmm unagi kabayaki. *drool* I'll need to check out bacon and figs some time. I go years without eating dressing/stuffing so I'm not sure when I will try it out.

I also love Stovetop, and Cheerios, too! There's nothing wrong with a classic.

I have read that the pilgrims probably ate eel at the first Thanksgiving....

For years my dad put smoked oysters in the stuffing, it probably adds a similar taste.

My dressings are like my chilis- similar, but never the same twice.
Could be a combo of fresh bread and store bought croutons; might toss a little wild rice in, could add apples, dried cranberries or chopped apricots, sausage or not, mushrooms or none, but it always tastes great.

It's fun to change it up a little every year (just a little). Otherwise the family gets stuck in a food funk and loses the fun of adventure in eating.

Forgot to add-
I mean- can you imagine only eating chicken one way for your whole life? Or any food?

I have used the Martin's before last time 2 years ago. I however prefer Wegmans "W" loaf which makes the best stuffing. Also a fave Del Buono's rolls (NJ) I used to go get those the day before hot out of the oven and that was some great bread for stuffing.

Pepperidge Farms is my family's tradition.

The easiest way to doctor it up? Use stock instead of water. We boil the neck and other innards you find inside the turkey for an hour or two and use that.

Dinner is at my sister's house this year. She's making PF and has told her mother in law that MIL cannot bring her gluey bland nasty homemade stuffing. Yey!

Why should one be more comfortable calling it "stuffing" only when it is baked in the bird and "dressing" when baked in a casserole pan? I recognize that the term "stuffing" implies "to stuff," as in to stuff the bird with it. But why is "dressing" more appropriate for it when baked in a casserole pan? The term "dressing" could be equally read to imply "to dress," as in it dresses something. In the case of baking it in a casserole pans, is the something that is "dressed" the casserole pan? Of course, not! What is "dressed" is THE BIRD or the plate on which it is presented. Just as the bird is stuffed with it, the bird is dressed (up) with it. I take the position that the terms "stuffing" and "dressing" are equally inapt when referring to what is baked in a casserole pan.

My mom puts mushrooms in her Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned dressing. It gives it amazing flavor. Glad to see it on the list.

No dressing has to be soggy - there's no law saying you have to use as much liquid as called for on the package. That's why I like to make my stuffing from scratch - sautée whatever veg I want to use, add bread, and then drizzle stock on while stirring until I get the perfect consistency. This works with either dried or fresh bread.

For years I used the Pepperidge Farm bagged stuffing as the base (it was herb, it was crouton style, it was cornbread), with my mushroom, celery, onion and sausage and a little chicken stock overall. It tasted pretty damn good. Then in some fancy foodie magazine or newspaper article I read about packaged stuffings not cutting it!
For the last few years I have used cubed bread stuffing that you buy in the supermarket which is fresh bread cubed. Works all right except you need a ton more stuff.
So blessings upon you all for making me feel better about going back to Pepperidge Farm again maybe this year.

If it is cooked, basted well, and has ground spicy sausage and crunchy bits in it, then it is good stuffing. There is no bad stuffing, only stuffing not as good as you'd hoped.

Has anyone ever had Bell's Stuffing? (Also available in New England Style.) I saw them both at Hannaford tonight. (Hannaford is based in Maine, so they have a lot of random New England goodies, like Bakewell Cream.)

I've never had boxed stuffing. Only ever made from scratch. It's so damned easy to make, I doubt I'll ever have the boxxed stuff.

My mom always uses white bread NOT TOASTED in her stuffing/dressing.
She adds sausage,celery,onion,1 small can evaporated milk,egg,butter S&P
poultry seas,and stock until moist NOT soggy. Is it better to use toasted bread? ...

I confess that I like the sage-based flavor of Stovetop, but I do the following:

2 boxes--made with homemade chicken broth for the liquid (you can use low-salt canned, too)

2 cups diced celery, 2 cups diced onion, 1 lb. sliced mushrooms sauteed in too darn much butter, but it's only once a year!

Mix it all together and bake it at around 300 degrees (F) for an hour or so. You can stir it once or twice if it is too mushy for you, and you really can't bake it too long.

I sometimes add a bit more butter on the top after the last stir just to brown it a bit more. (I already said TOO MUCH BUTTER!) but I like the flavor. I have tried PF, but did not get the strong sage taste that I like. I don't add any seasoning to the veggies as they have a nice flavor and get plenty of salt from the ST.

I agree this is lazy, but I have never been able to get the right herb balance when using fresh-stale bread, and although I like cornbread, and will eat a cornbread stuffing, since I only do this once a year I go with the one I like.

By the way, I like cornbread WITHOUT sugar, so use a recipie I found on Emeril called "Alden's Mother's Cornbread" and use an iron skillet with corn oil for the baking. Good stuff!

We are a big fan of Bells in my house.

I am also a big fan of Bells. I add sauteed onions, celery, mushhrooms and homemade chicken stock - delicious.

We start with the P-Farm Herb stuffing, home-made cornbread, and add onions and celery and lots of Brazil nuts, sliced in three. (TJ has shelled ones) and mix with a thick turkey-neck stock, with black pepper, sage, thyme, parsley and butter added. Bake in muffin tins. My mpther's recipe which I've eaten all my life.

Last week, a poster on the ChefTalk Forum asked what people were going to change for this year's T-giving dinner. He got a flood of enraged responses... you just DON'T CHANGE the family's traditional T-day dinner! Pretty funny, and my sentiments exactly.

OOOHH__I did make a change, but has been met overall with approval. I have combined the traditional corn casserole and plain cornbread dressing. I have taken the PF cornbread and added creamed corn, sweet corn, a few eggs, chopped green chiles, turkey stock and 1 dozen bean tamales. Just taste tested it--MANNA!

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