# Show Me Your Stuffing



## mish (Oct 11, 2005)

Do you have a favorite stuffing/dressing recipe? Do you prepare yours inside or outside of the bird? 

(I wasn't quite sure which topic would be the most appropriate, so I went with bread.)


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## Robo410 (Oct 11, 2005)

oh yes, inside the bird both ends, but also a casserole baked along side (left overs you know!)

brown 1/2 lb ground sage sausage (pork or turkey) (some use up to a whole lb.)

saute chopped celerey, onion, carrot (total 2 cups)

combine and add 1 cup precooked left over wild rice pilaf of choice (Uncle Ben's is a good one)

1 cup chopped pecans

add all this to 3 to 4 cups seasoned stuffing bread mix (Pepperidge Farm is a good one)

moisten with chicken broth (1/4 to 1/2 cup) and season with pepper, thyme (pretty close to a tspn) taste for salt. adjust if needed.  

Loosely stuff bird or casserole. If a casserole: bake at 325* 30-45min. covered until last 10 min. if too dry, add more chicken broth before last 10 min.


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## mish (Oct 11, 2005)

YUM YUM, Robo.

You mentioned your oyster dressing.  I've been looking for a good one to try. Would love to see your recipe.  TIA


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## middie (Oct 11, 2005)

well first we stale about 10 loaves of bread.
then we fry up a pound of bacon.
sautee some celery and onion. pour that into 
all the bread, adding in crumbled bacon. season
with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
add a couple tablespoons of hot water and let it
sit until all the bread is moist (may have to add a
little more water). then we stuff the bird and put some
in a casserole dish on the side for people who like
the stuffing a little dryer. me i eat it from the inside
of the bird. usually i put some aside before stuffing the bird 
and eat it raw. okay i might be the only one from here who does lol


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## auntdot (Oct 11, 2005)

Robo410, we do about the same. But never use directions, just do it by feel.

Always add a bit of hot sauce.  Enough to give it some kick, just a tad of warmth, and even those folk who do not like hot foods don't pick up on it.

And oh boy, middie, do we love the raw stuff.  Ya gotta taste it you know, it may need a bit more of something. And a teaspoon so or so is not a fair test.  Hardly, not at all.


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## amber (Oct 11, 2005)

Mine is about the same as Robo's but without the sausage and pecans, although I would like to try either pecans or chestnuts in it this time for Thanksgiving.


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## mish (Oct 11, 2005)

amber said:
			
		

> Mine is about the same as Robo's but without the sausage and pecans, although I would like to try either pecans or chestnuts in it this time for Thanksgiving.


 
Chestnuts (maybe macadamias - or oysters) have been on my list to try too, Amber.  Don't know what it is about stuffing, but I could probably eat it all by itself...go to a quiet room with a big spoon.

Aunt Dot, I'm usually not a fan of hot sauce, but I think I would really like to try it in a stuffing/bread dish or a stuffed shroom. Thank you! Great idea.  I've been looking at some recipes with parmesan in the stuffing...Oh Boy, does that sound good.

I'm not a big fan of sausage, but I have an old recipe (handwritten) somewhere for sausage, celery, poultry seasoning  and Ritz crackers (and I forget what else) handed down to me by a friend that made it with venison.  I'll have to see if I can find it.  Actually, I like them all.


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## kitchenelf (Oct 11, 2005)

mish said:
			
		

> YUM YUM, Robo.
> 
> You mentioned your oyster dressing.  I've been looking for a good one to try. Would love to see your recipe.  TIA



mish - I just add oysters to my regular dressing recipe.  I saute the oysters first in some butter and some of the oyster liquor.


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## lindatooo (Oct 11, 2005)

While  Dad was alive I always made a separate dish of Oyster dressing just for him - he loved it!

But seriously, folks, I'm a hybrid traditionalist.  I buy turkey necks, backs etc. before T day so I don't have to rise before the roosters to make the stock - do it a day or so before and refrigerate.  ( since I'm not the greatest of planners it's usually the evening before!)


From that point on I make it the way I was taught.  Bread cubes - seasoned or not - if not I make up my own combo of sage, rosemary, etc or even just poultry seasoning.  Celery and onions sauteed in butter and cooled, about 6 eggs (depending on the size of the bird) whisked up a bit, and I add whatever sounds good - apples, craisins, raisins, ( the last two plumped in a bit or rum) water chestnuts and pecans.  I add enough seasoned stock for it to be very moist - I believe dry dressing sucks moisture away from the bird and I always stuff the bird...always! The dressing from the bird always goes first (and I too stuff both cavities) then the side I've made from the leftover combo.  

Of course I stuff just before I put the bird in the oven and after dinner what is left of the bird is broken down - all stuffing removed and stored appropriately etc.   Nobody has ever gotten sick from my table  .  I generally freeze the carcass for soup later and some of the meat (if there is any) 

Turkey Day Rules!  It's my favorite holiday because there are no presents - no fussing about what to buy who - I just get to feed people!

Hugs,

2


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## Robo410 (Oct 11, 2005)

well, the oyster dressing starts with bacon.  you can use pancetta or salt pork if that's your style, but hickory smoke slab bacon is good for this.  cut a little thick, rendered well, then saute your onion carrot and celery.  all that goes into the seasoned bread mix.  a pint of oysters are just barely heated to slightly firm them, and then added with all the liquid (liquor as the oyermen call it) to the dressing.  mix gently.  season with thyme, fresh parsley, black pepper, your favorite hot sauce to taste (I like marie sharps habanero) and if it needs a little more moisture, pour on a little half and half or light cream.  bake 30 min at 325-350* unless using a deep caserole, then give it 45 min.

I have also made this substituting a variety of mushrooms for the oysters which I sauted medium done.  I was really good but quite different.  Also that may need some added broth ( I used beef)


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## simpleisgood (Oct 14, 2005)

Thank you mish for your kind welcome in the poll thread.  I don't have internet at home so I only get on every now and then.  

I don't really have a set recipe.  I'll try to explain the best I can.

First soak (unless you use fresh) your shitake mushrooms and black fungus in water until hydrated.  You can reserve some of the soaking liquid to cook the rice, but be careful as the liquid is quite strong.  

You can cook the sweet brown (or white if you prefer) rice in plain water, or a mixture of water, chicken or turkey broth and mushroom stock (my preferred method).  If you use plain water you will want to add a little salt. I boil like cooking regular rice in a covered pot, but my dad prefers putting the rice and liquid in a glass bowl and steaming it in a steamer.  One of the keys is cooking the rice properly.  I never measure, but I think the ratio is about 1.54379/1.00629 rice to liquid.

Dice up an appropriate amount of onions, celery, chinese sausage (lop cheung sp?), shitakes, black fungus and giblets.  Additional ingredients could include water chestnut, bamboo shoots, and chestnuts or whatever you think would work.  I make it different every time.  Saute LIGHTLY in a little vegetable oil and season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.  Over sauteeing will cause the texture of the final product to suffer.  You want just a little crunch.

Mix the sauteed ingredients in with the cooked rice adjust seasoning to taste and stuff in the turkey.  Since the turkey never holds enough I will put additional stuffing in a bowl and heat up in the oven.  

This stuffing gets rave reviews.  Most people who haven't tried it before are verry impressed.

If anybody tries it let me know what you think.

Peace all


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## Gerrycooks (Oct 14, 2005)

Here is my grandmothers stuffing. We always make it for Thanksgiving. I don't stuff it in the turky but bake it in a covered casserole.
Grandma's Stuffing
3 lbs bulk pork Italian sausage
3 lbs ground chuck
4 cups celery chopped
3 cups onions chopped
2 cups soft bread crumbled
3 tea poultry seasoning
1 tea ground  sage
2 tea Italian herbs seasoning with garlic
4-5 tea salt, don't add all at once
1 c water
1 tea white pepper 
oil

Cook pork and beef. Stir to break up large pieces.  Drain off grease from meat. Cook onions and celery in a small amount of oil. Add water to bread  Taste and adjust seasoning,. Be careful not to add too much salt because the pork may be salty. Add about 1 cup more of water so stuffing is moist. Bake covered 1 hr.


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## skyy38 (Jan 9, 2006)

Here's a versatile Turkey Spice Recipe:

1/4 C parsley
1    T sage
2    T rosemary
1    T thyme
1    t  savory
2    T marjoram
1/2  t anise
1/4  t black pepper
1/8  C season salt(Suggest Lowrys)
1/2  t allspice
1/2  t granulated garlic

The first use is as a rub for the turkey-don't be shy-pour it on!
The second use is stuffing spice-just sprinkle however much you think will be needed.
The third is to combine the above ingredients(about 1/4 cup or to taste) with the following:

1 1/2 cups peanut oil
1/4    C  sherry cooking wine
1/8    C  red wine vinegar
2       T  sugar

Now you have a "Turkey Vinaigrette" that can be used to baste the turkey,used as a salad dressing or pour it on your stuffing!Or whatever your imagination can come up with!

Multiply the recipe for the spice to make sure all your bases are covered.


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"Ketchup isn't against the law"


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