For The Ultimate Thanksgiving Stuffing, Break Out The Slow Cooker

Stuffing: the dish usually found beside the turkey and adjacent to the gravy. Being made of bread cubes, herbs, and spices, this savory side dish has remained — and will remain — a foundational part of any Thanksgiving dinner. Although many of us are familiar with the classic Stove Top stuffing that comes in the red box, there's actually a wide variety of ways one can prepare stuffing, rather than just making it out of a box.

You can prepare it in the oven if you're following Food.com's advice or, if you're particularly short on time, you can follow Taste of Home's recipe and prepare it in the microwave. The end result, no matter how you prepare it, should always be moist and warm on the inside while having a firm, almost crispy exterior. Serving up dried-up cubes of stuffing at your Thanksgiving would be just as unappetizing as mushy, soggy clumps. You want to find some way that will help ensure that you're getting that combination without sacrificing either the moistness or the crispness. 

Fortunately, there's one very simple way that you can prepare your stuffing to make sure it comes out perfect. It may not be as quick as the microwave method, to be sure, considering that the kitchen item you're using embodies the idea of "slow and low."

While you've used your slow cooker to make everything from roasts to dips, or even plan on using it to make this year's Thanksgiving turkey, you may have never considered using it to make your stuffing. What exactly makes your slow cooker a prime choice for preparing your stuffing?

As J. Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats explains, the use of your slow cooker will take a bit of time, certainly, but it will pay great dividends. The slow cooker's method of preparing food means that most of the heat will be centered around the bottom and heat the stuffing all the way through. This means that, at first glance, your stuffing with resemble what Lopez-Alt describes as a "moist, steamed bread" than any crispy or golden-brown stuffing. But this doesn't mean that the stuffing is soggy or wet. Instead, you'll find the edges of the stuffing have actually crisped up very nicely, while the interior remains moist and flavorful. Lopez-Alt describes it as being similar to a paella in structure, having a crisp and firm exterior to compliment the softer interior. 

Even the Pillsbury Company suggests using the slow cooker, noting that the "prep it and forget it" method of cooking makes it an attractive option for people who are busy preparing other dishes for Thanksgiving. If anything, it would be an interesting way to prepare your stuffing, especially if it helps free up your time.