Let's Talk Stuffing

[Molli526]

I am cooking my first turkey this year :) I will be using AB's method, and brining. From what I have read, stuffing a brined turkey makes the stuffing to salty. SO, I am need of a stuffing recipe. I like both stuffings, in and out of the bird, but prefer the stuffing that has been in the bird as I think it is more flavorful and moister.

I am a *traditional* stuffing kind of gal. I don't like sausage or cornbread type stuffing.

Thanks!

[blazedog]

Molli,

From what I've read, modern cooking experts don't recommend stuffing in the bird because it is impossible to heat the stuffing to a safe temperature without overcooking the turkey itself.

Stuffing cooking outside the bird is really good if made properly and, to the extent that stuffing can be considered healthy, is way less fatty than stuff that has absorbed all the grease from the bird.

I made the CI Cornbread stuffing last year and it was divine so I can't offer any recipes though for standard bread stuffing. :)

[Kristal]

I like traditional stuffing, so I'll be watching this thread for some good recipes. However, I also had a really excellent cornbread stuffing with smoked oysters, and would be interested in any recipes for that type of stuffing. I'll start a separate thread so we can keep the stuffings separate. ;)

[IndyKF]

I made this last Thanksgiving. I personally loved it, but it wasn't a huge hit otherwise (probably because of the unusual ingredients - if it isn't bland, my hubby's family isn't eating it :D )


CURRANT PECAN STUFFING

This recipe was created to accompany Roast Turkey with Sherry Wine Vinegar Gravy.

3/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup Sherry
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter (I used way less butter)
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tablespoon dried fines herbes or herbes de Provence

1 14-ounce package cubed herb-seasoned stuffing
2 cups water (I used chicken stock here, and probably a bit more than 2 cups)
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted

Combine currants and Sherry in medium bowl. Let stand until currants are plump, about 30 minutes.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and fines herbes. Sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Set aside.

Place stuffing cubes in bowl. Melt 1/2 cup better in 2 cups water in saucepan over medium heat. Pour over stuffing cubes. Add currant mixture, vegetable mixture and pecans. Toss to combine. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Makes 12 cups.

Bon Appétit
November 1992

[Kerri]

If you are using AB's recipe for turkey, you should know...

Stuffing is evil!!

:D

[marshcl]

modern cooking experts don't recommend stuffing in the bird because it is impossible to heat the stuffing to a safe temperature without overcooking the turkey itself.


I grew up with two chemists as parents... Needless to say, baking wasn't fun, it was scientific. They would NEVER ever cook stuffing in a bird. For precisely these reasons... They likened it to pouring your raw marinade over the cooked meat moments before serving without really heating it up. (I know, that analogy always turned my stomach.)

[Mpenny1001]

I don't have a real recipe for our traditional stuffing - I usually just wing it. It does use pre-seasoned stuffing cubes, so if you're a purist, this isn't for you.

1 package of sage and onion seasoned bread cubes (I like Pepperidge Farm)
1 or 2 eggs
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 tart green apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1/4 lb of pork sausage (you could leave this out, but it basically cooks down to nothing so you never bite into a hunk of sausage)
1-2 tsp of sage
salt and pepper to taste
liquid from boiling the turkey neck - (enough to moisten the cubes so they aren't crunchy, but still firm enough to hold their shape)

You just mix it all together, then poor the hot liquid over it until it's the desired moistness. We make this the night before and let it sit in the fridge. Sometimes you have to add a bit more liquid to it before cooking.

We used to cook this in the bird with no ill effects, but you can also do it in a separate dish - just throw it in the oven for the last hour or so. You may need to poor some chicken or turkey stock over it to keep it moist. If you like a crispy top to your stuffing, take the cover off the last 30 minutes.

My mom used to make this stuffing and then another "fancier" one along with it (with oysters or cornbread or cranberries, etc) but this basic one is always the one that got gobbled up.

FWIW, the most recent issue of Gourmet says you can cook the stuffing in the bird, and then remove the stuffing and finish it in a separate dish in the oven while the turkey rests.

[tippy7]

Stuffing is by far my favorite Thanksgiving food! I don't use a recipe to make it, but I found this one on epicurious.com that is very close to the one I make.


HERBED BREAD STUFFING

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr.

10 cups (1-inch) cubes crusty country-style bread (1 lb)
3 medium onions, chopped (I use 2 onions, finely chopped)
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced crosswise (I usually use 4 stalks, finely chopped)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use a little less than 2 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth and no water.)
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Toast bread in a large shallow baking pan in middle of oven until just dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Cook onions, celery, and herbs in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until celery is softened, about 10 minutes. Stir together bread, vegetables, broth, water, and salt and pepper to taste, then cool completely, uncovered.

Cooks' note:
• You can make stuffing 1 day ahead and keep it covered and chilled.

Makes about 12 cups.

Gourmet
November 1999

For the bread, I use one loaf of Matthew's Whole Wheat bread and one loaf of Matthew's Golden White. I toast the bread (this can be done in the oven) and then tear them into bite-sized pieces a day or two before I'm making the stuffing, and then store them in tupperware or a big ziplock after they have totally cooled.

I will bake it covered for 15-20 minutes, then for 5-10 more minutes uncovered, at whatever temperature the oven is set at for the turkey or whatever else is in there.

[veschke]

I'll bite... what defines "traditional" stuffing? The one I'm doing this year has sausage and chestnuts. Last year it was mushrooms, and before that there was one with wild rice that I really liked.

I never stuff the bird myself (seems kinda icky somehow), but I've never heard of anyone getting sick from doing so. Guess we all dodged a lot of bullets in my younger days.

[Tizzylish]

If you do stuff the bird, I hear popping it in the microwave first to bring it up to temp is the right way to go. Also if you want that turkey juice flavor, why not roast off a couple of turkey legs/wings before the big day and deglaze the pan with a little chicken broth, save it, then use that to drizzle over the stuffing as it bakes? I'm going to give that a go this year and see if I can get the turkey taste, without stuffing the bird.

We're in the same boat Mollie, I need a traditional plain jane type of stuffing, no cornbread, no sausage, that is the only way my relatives will eat it. This will be my first go at it as well. I'm planning on trying out a few recipes this year before the big day and here are a couple I have earmarked:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Simple Bread Stuffing

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups onion
1 1/2 cups celery
6 Tbs. butter (slightly under a stick)
12 cups dried French bread
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 cup thyme
1/2 cup marjoram
3 large eggs
2 cups chicken stock


Preparation:
Combine onion, celery and butter in a skillet and sautC) for approximately 7 or 8 minutes at a medium to high temperature.

Place French bread in a bowl and add onion and celery mixture. Add salt, pepper, parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram, eggs and stock, then stir until bread is saturated.

Pour half of mixture into a baking dish and use the rest to stuff the turkey.

Note: Before stuffing the turkey, be sure to microwave the stuffing for 6 to 8 minutes on high. If you don't have a microwave, bake the stuffing until the bread reaches a temperature of 120 degrees.

Once the bread is hot, stuff the turkey.

For the remainder of the stuffing, place some foil over the baking dish and bake in a 400-degree oven for 25 minutes. Take it out after 25 minutes have elapsed, remove foil and place in oven for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Chris Kimball
Editor, Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Web site: www.cooksillustrated.com




* Exported from MasterCook *

Thanksgiving Filling/stuffing

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup butter
1 onion -- chopped
4 stalks celery -- chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf white bread -- (1 pound) day old
1 cup chicken broth
2 eggs beaten

The night before, tear the bread into bite size pieces and place in a large roasting pan. Allow to sit out uncovered over night to get it a little stale. The next day, in a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until soft. Stir in poultry seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add bread cubes, and stir to coat. Mix in chicken broth and eggs.
Use as a stuffing for turkey, or bake in a buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes.

Description:
""Enough filling for a 10 to 12 pound turkey. ""



I really want to try this one too, maybe I'll try it beforehand and make 1/2 the batch:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bread Stuffing with Bacon, Apples, Sage, and Caramelized Onions

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound bacon -- cut crosswise into
1/4-inch strips
6 medium onions -- sliced thin (about
7 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
2 Granny Smith apples -- peeled, cored, and
cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves -- chopped fine
3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves -- cut into thin strips
12 cups dried French or other white bread cubes
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth
3 large eggs -- lightly beaten

Cook bacon in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until
crisp and browned, about 12 minutes. Remove bacon from pan with
slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3
tablespoons of rendered bacon fat.

Increase heat to medium-high and add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cook onions until golden in color, making sure to stir occasionally
and scrape sides and bottom of pan, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to
medium and continue to cook, stirring more often to prevent burning,
until onions are deep golden brown, another 5 minutes. Add apples and
continue to cook another 5 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to large
bowl.

Add remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, parsley and sage to bowl and
mix to combine. Add bread cubes.

Whisk stock and eggs together in small bowl. Pour mixture over bread
cubes. Gently toss to evenly distribute ingredients.

Turkey can be stuffed at this point, or follow the advice of chef
Briggs and turn mixture into buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter, cover tightly with foil,
and bake until fragrant, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until
golden brown crust forms on top, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve warm.
Makes 12 servings.
Description:
"For the best flavor, make sure to cook the onions until they are a
deep golden-brown color."
Yield:
"12 cups"

[blazedog]

I'll bite... what defines "traditional" stuffing? The one I'm doing this year has sausage and chestnuts. Last year it was mushrooms, and before that there was one with wild rice that I really liked.

I never stuff the bird myself (seems kinda icky somehow), but I've never heard of anyone getting sick from doing so. Guess we all dodged a lot of bullets in my younger days.

My definition of traditional is pretty broad and would definitely include stuffings mae with sausage and/or chestnut. I think cornbread is more traditional in the South than in the North at least be in the "olden" days.

I would say non-traditional stuffings to me use stuff like pancetta or very nouvelle ingredients that wouldn't have been eaten 50 or 100 years ago. Also some of the "southwestern" type recipes with chipotle etc.

Wild rice may be a traditional stuffing but probably isn't and/or wasn't on the table of the vast majority of tables.

The thing about Thanksgiving is that one tends to be eating with a range of tastes and/or even people with sophisticated palates want to return to the tables of their moms (and isn't it funny when the moms were wretched cooks :D :D ) for Thanksgiving. Often the sophisticated stuff at dinners I've been to has been largely uneaten or received very tepid "yums".

[Laurielee]

I make one very similar to Tippys and its my favorite, except it has mushrooms in it.


and what sounds really wierd to me are all of these stuffings that have eggs in it. BA has one that calls for 8 eggs!

[Molli526]

Thanks for the recipes for stuffing. Tippy and Tizzylish have posted some contenders - although I am not so sure about the eggs.

As I said in my first post, I will NOT be cooking the stuffing in the bird, but I like the moist-ness/ flavor of that cooked in the bird.

To me, traditional stuffing has no oysters, cornbread, sausage, rice etc.

[greysangel]

I think the eggs are there to sort of puff it up..think bread pudding...which stuffing actually is in a way :D You don't need it, but I think it would give you a different texture/mouthfeel.

[marshcl]

To me, traditional stuffing has no oysters, cornbread, sausage, rice etc.

I have never heard of stuffing with oysters until today. I feel very 'out of it'.

As for the 'in the bird' thing, I think the advice to "continue cooking it when it's left the bird" sounds much better than the "microwave it before putting it in the bird"... It's all about food and temperature differentials, cooking times, etc. I would never stuff a cold bird with hot stuffing. But I've also never heard of mass sickness caused by any stuffing traditions...

:)

[Tizzylish]

I thought the eggs made for a firmer texture? :confused:

Here is one from allrecipes that has no eggs:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bread and Celery Stuffing

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
INGREDIENTS:
1 loaf sliced white bread -- (1 pound)
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 onion -- chopped
4 stalks celery -- chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth


DIRECTIONS:
Let bread slices air dry for 1 to 2 hours, then cut into cubes.
In a Dutch oven, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until soft. Season with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in bread cubes until evenly coated. Moisten with chicken broth; mix well.
Chill, and use as a stuffing for turkey, or bake in a buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes.



Submitted by: Carlota Chmielewski
Allrecipes

[Tizzylish]

It's all about food and temperature differentials, cooking times, etc. I would never stuff a cold bird with hot stuffing. :)

I read it in an article in Cooks Illustrated, who tested it and claims their reasoning is for food safety issues.

[veschke]

I think oysters are considered traditional stuffing ingredients in New England, but probably nowhere else. I had never heard of doing that until I moved here (still haven't gotten up the courage to try making it like that).

Tizzlyish, that apple/sage one looks yummy! I'm still in a phase where I try a lot of new things every year; haven't found my perfect version of anything yet.

I love the holidays. :-)

[Laurielee]

we made this last year at our supper club and it was delicous, you can leave out the sausage. And guess what it has eggs in it! I didnt know that, I guess what I dont know wont hurt me.

Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage

Making your own bread cubes is easy and yields delicious results. You can prepare the toasted bread cubes two to three days before Thanksgiving; store at room temperature in a zip-top plastic bag. If there's space in the oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey roasts. Otherwise, bake it in the morning, and reheat it while the turkey stands.


1 1/2 pounds peasant-style white bread
4 (4-ounce) links sweet turkey Italian sausage
2 teaspoons butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups chopped carrot
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400°.
Trim crust from bread. Cut bread into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on 2 jelly-roll pans. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until toasted.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Combine bread cubes, sausage, and mushrooms in a large bowl.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add to bread mixture. Combine eggs and broth, stirring with a whisk. Add to bread mixture; toss to coat. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until browned.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

[landk]

I think oysters are considered traditional stuffing ingredients in New England, but probably nowhere else. I had never heard of doing that until I moved here (still haven't gotten up the courage to try making it like that).

Nope, not true. Oyster stuffing is big along the Chesapeake in MD & VA. I have two recipes but I'm not at home so I would have to post them later. :)

[marshcl]

I read it in an article in Cooks Illustrated, who tested it and claims their reasoning is for food safety issues.

Fascinating... As I said, I've never heard of mass sickness from stuffing preparation methods. It's probably all ok for us ...

[Kerri]

I was just making a joke. Alton Brown always says stuffing is evil.

[jtoepfert100]

Well, I was all set to post the recipe I made last Christmas but Laurielee beat me to the punch. DH and I really liked that Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage. I also made a Wild Rice and Oyster stuffing last Thanksgiving that I loved (surprising since I'm not crazy about oysters). I actually made it for DH, who loves oysters, but he didn't care for it. I kept the recipe thinking I would make it again but I don't think it would go over this year with the inlaws. I'll probably make the Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage, although I thought the stuffing in this month's CL sounds interesting - anyone try it?

Sourdough Stuffing with Pears and Sausage


Sourdough bread gives the stuffing a tangier flavor than French bread, but you can use the latter in a pinch.

8 cups (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 12 ounces)
1 pound turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
5 cups chopped onion (about 2 pounds)
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled Bartlett pear (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.
Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until golden. Place in a large bowl.

Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine. Set aside.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 minutes. Stir in pear, basil, tarragon, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until pear begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine. Stir in broth and pepper.

Place bread mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 199(24% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 1.5g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 10.7g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 54mg; SODIUM 684mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.6g

[Bawstinn]

I read it in an article in Cooks Illustrated, who tested it and claims their reasoning is for food safety issues.

I also read it and was thinking of trying it that way (in the bird, just like growing up).

Interesting about the brining/stuffing the bird question. All the turkey recipes I have ever seen in Cooks' Illustrated call for brining the turkey AND a lot of them now call for stuffing the bird as well. I figure if the stuffing was going to come out too salty, they would have discovered that by now.

[colleency]

We had an impromtu Thanksgiving dinner for my dad's birthday on Monday. I threw together some stuffing out of a couple of those boxes of preseasoned bread and some other items I found in dad's fridge.

I used one package of cornbread and one package of regular mix. I sauteed an onion in 1/4 cup butter, then poured the onions into the breadcrumbs, keeping as much of the butter in the pan as possible. I chopped up a granny smith apple and sauteed it in what was left of the butter. I added about 1 cup of chicken broth and about 1/2 cup of orange juice. I chopped and browned about 1/2 cup of walnuts and tossed those in. I think I threw some sage in, but I'm not sure that it made a difference, as the herbs didn't look too fresh. Then I baked it in a 9x13 at 350 for 45 minutes? It was however long the package said.

I was surprised out how tasty it turned out.

[Linda in MO]

Here's the one I've made for several years and my family loves it. As others have said, you can leave the sausage out. I could do without it but that's how my family likes it. I also make my own bread and my own turkey/chicken stock. It's a chore to make but I only make it once a year. And FWIW, I like the mushroom variation.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Poultry Stuffing

Recipe By :based on Christopher Kimball's stuffing recipe from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 cups homemade bread cubes
4 1/2 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 T. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup plus 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans -- optional
1/4 to 1/2 lb. lean breakfast sausage -- crumbled, browned, and drained
1 1/2 t. dry sage
1/2 t. thyme
1 1/2 cups homemade turkey or chicken stock -- approx.
1 t. salt (depends on how salty your stock is)
fresh ground pepper -- to taste

Bread should be chopped into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes and spread on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake at 225 degrees for 25-40 minutes, depending on the type of bread, until they are dry and hard. Or simply leave them out to dry for a couple of days.

Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet and saute onions for 5 min. over med. heat. Add celery and green onions and saute for 2 minutes. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.

Heat oven to 375 deg. Butter or grease a 3 quart baking dish and add stuffing. Cover with foil and bake about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the stuffing is brown and crisp on top.

Serves 8-10?

NOTES : Mushroom Variation: Add 2 to 3 cups chopped mushrooms to the onions while sauteing. Add additional T. of olive oil if necessary.

Apple Variation: Add a cored, peeled, and chopped apple to the stuffing mixture.

*****************************

Here's the bread I usually make...

* Exported from MasterCook *

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread

Recipe By :The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread Machine

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (1 1/8 c.)
3 T. canola oil (2 T.)
2 1/2 T. pure maple syrup or honey (2 T.)
2 cups whole wheat flour (1 1/2 c.)
2 cups bread flour (1 1/2 c.)
1 T. plus 2 t. vital wheat gluten (1 T. plus 1
t.)
2 t. salt (1 1/2 t.)
2 1/4 t. SAF yeast OR 2 3/4 t. bread machine yeast
(2 t. OR 2 1/2 t.)


Place all ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the basic or whole wheat cycle; press start. (not suitable for delay timer)

When baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temp. before slicing.

NOTES : The first measurements are for a 2 lb. loaf and the ones in parenthesis are for a 1 1/2 lb. loaf. I used the dough cycle and used half (1 lb.) of the dough to make sandwich buns. I shaped them into 8 buns, but they were a tad small, so next time I will shape only 6 buns. I shaped the rest of the dough into a loaf and baked in an 8 inch loaf pan. I let the buns rise about 45 minutes and baked at 375 for about 20 minutes or so. I baked the loaf in a Pyrex loaf pan at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes I think.

**********************************

Here's the recipe I use to make the stock. I don't make it into the make-ahead gravy. I use part of the stock for my stuffing and part of it to make gravy on the day of thanksgiving.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Make Ahead Turkey Gravy

Recipe By : posted by Kewpys Mom
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Turkey

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 turkey wings (about 3 lbs.) or 3 turkey
legs (chicken also works fine)
2 medium onions -- peeled and
quartered
1 cup water
8 cups chicken broth (I use better than bouillon)
3/4 cup chopped carrot
celery, peppercorns, and fresh parsley (my additions--see notes)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Additional ingredients to make the gravy:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Have a large roasting pan ready. Arrange wings in single layer in pan.
Scatter onions over top. Roast 1 1/4 hours or until wings are browned.

Put wings and onions into 5-6 quart pot. Add water to pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on
bottom. Add to the pot. Add 6 cups broth (I just add all the broth if I'm making stock and not the gravy), the carrot, and thyme. Bring to
a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove wings to a cutting board. When
cool pull off skin and meat. Discard skin and save meat for another use.

Strain broth into 3 quart saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard
veggies and skim fat off broth.

Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups of broth until smooth. Bring broth in
saucepan to a boil, slowly whisk in flour mixture, boil 3-4 minutes to thicken and remove floury taste. Stir
in butter and pepper. Refrigerate up to one week or freeze up to three months.

Yield: "8 cups"

NOTES : I added a couple of stalks of celery, about 5 peppercorns, and a few spigs of parsley when making the broth. I also used 1 1/2 lbs. turkey wings and 1 1/2 lbs. turkey backs. After I made the broth, I cooled it, then refrigerated it. I never added the additional 2 cups of chicken broth. The next day I scooped the fat off the top and took out 1 1/2 cups for my stuffing. I also used a little of the broth when reheating the smoked turkey and this kept it very moist. The rest I just put in a pan and heated it up and thickened with cornstarch to make gravy. It worked great! I will use this recipe again, but I'll probably just use all 8 cups of chicken broth right from the start.

[Tizzylish]

Hi Linda, that's so funny to see the recipe you posted from Kewpys Mom, I'm guessing that was on Mimi's board, I was Kewpy's Mom, well I still am her mom, but now I'm Tizzylish. :D



Interesting about the brining/stuffing the bird question. All the turkey recipes I have ever seen in Cooks' Illustrated call for brining the turkey AND a lot of them now call for stuffing the bird as well. I figure if the stuffing was going to come out too salty, they would have discovered that by now.

I think its because alot of Cooks Illustrated recipes call for brining in a shorter period of time and using a less salty brine. Maybe that is why the stuffing wouldn't turn out to salty?

I remember the first brine I used, I brined overnight and the meat was salty as well as the drippings, but since using other recipes and brining only for 6 hours I find my drippings not to be that salty at all.

[Linda in MO]

Hi Linda, that's so funny to see the recipe you posted from Kewpys Mom, I'm guessing that was on Mimi's board, I was Kewpy's Mom, well I still am her mom, but now I'm Tizzylish. :D

Yes! That's where I got it. I did remember reading once that you were the same person. ;) Thanks for turning me onto to that recipe, because I've been using it every year for several years.

[PAMMELA]

I made my stuffing in the crockpot for the first time last year and it turned out great! The recipe was almost identical to how I make my stuffing anyway, so I thought I'd free up the oven and it worked terrific...even getting the crunchiness that I love on the outside edges! :D

[Molli526]

I made my stuffing in the crockpot for the first time last year and it turned out great! The recipe was almost identical to how I make my stuffing anyway, so I thought I'd free up the oven and it worked terrific...even getting the crunchiness that I love on the outside edges! :D

OK - you can't mention this without posting the recipe and how you did it in the crockpot :)

[Middydd]

OK - you can't mention this without posting the recipe and how you did it in the crockpot :)

I'll second that. I've tried to make my stuffing in the crockpot and it gets too moist from condensation on the lid dripping back on to the stuffing.

I was thinking of trying it uncovered but don't think it'd retain heat well enough.

What's the secret to stuffing in the slow cooker?

[PAMMELA]

I'll second that. I've tried to make my stuffing in the crockpot and it gets too moist from condensation on the lid dripping back on to the stuffing.

I was thinking of trying it uncovered but don't think it'd retain heat well enough.

What's the secret to stuffing in the slow cooker?

Here is the recipe I used from AR. Just read through some of the reviews first. I don't think I changed anything though, besides what I noted below and was careful of how much broth I used; you can tell by the consistency though if you have made stuffing before. It turned out perfectly!!!!

Slow Cooker Stuffing
This is an easy way to make 'extra' stuffing for a large
crowd, saving stove space because it cooks in a slow cooker.
Very tasty and moist! Prep Time: approx. 25 Minutes. Cook
Time: approx. 8 Hours 55 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 9 Hours
20 Minutes. Makes 16 servings.
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Gayle Wagner
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 ounces sliced mushrooms (I omitted; DH hates)
12 cups dry bread cubes (I make mine by toasting two loaves of plain white bread, and tearing into pieces.)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or
as needed
2 eggs, beaten


Directions
1 Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat.
Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter,
stirring frequently.
2 Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very
large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage,
thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to
moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3 Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low,
and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

[PAMMELA]

This didn't bump up when I posted for some reason.

Bump....Bump..... :)

[mrs_ellenbecker]

I know it's not traditional, but I've made the same stuffing 3 years in a row and have never had any leftovers. It's made from frozen garlic bread, dried fruit, apples and maple breakfast sausage. I've been tempted to try other kinds, but this one is sooooo good. I'll post the recipe if anyone wants it.

Natalie

[Sheila in MD]

It's made from frozen garlic bread, dried fruit, apples and maple breakfast sausage. I'll post the recipe if anyone wants it.


Yes, please! Thanks in advance...

Sheila in MD

[clairea]

Here is the stuffing recipe I use, it is from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. DH is paranoid about cooking the stuffing in the turkey, but I love the way it tastes and how moist it is when you do that (it is how my mom always did it), and this recipe, although cooked in a separate dish, is a good compromise to me.

Bread Dressing

1 (1 pound) loaf day-old bread, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.
Saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add to bread mixture, stirring well. Spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake at 325 for 20 minute. Serves 6.

Note: This dressing is too moist to bake in a turkey.

How old is your son now? If you are not too concerned about all the bread cubes being the same size, tearing up the bread is a fun job for a toddler/preschooler, and a nice way to get them involved in preparing the Thanksgiving meal. Not sure if he is old enough for that yet, though.

Claire

[Lrimerman]

Molli,

I am glad you started this thread. My family must have the same stuffing year after year as it was how my mom makes stuffing. It starts with Pepperidge farm stuffing mix (seasoned flavor) and goes from there. It is very good but I don't want to use the processed stuff this year.

I will have to try some of the recipes posted.

Usually my recipe is one package of the stuffing mix
some chunked up homemade bread added to it
Sauteed celery, onion, mushrooms with salt and pepper
egg
chicken stock or turkey stock

For the last 3 years or so I haven't made the stuffing in the bird, only in a dish. I just add a lot more broth than I normally would and it is plenty moist.

My mom always made stuffing in the bird and we never got sick.

Lisa

[Nowell Thomas]

Molli,

I've always stuffed our turkeys, my mother & grandmother also did, and it was always fantastic :)
Make sure the" Big Turkey Pan" you bake in, has a good fitting lid. The pan I have is a big one that is heavy, but it bakes the turkeys to just what we want it to.
There a lot of people that cook the stuffing on the side, to make sure it is safe to eat.
We've done it that way, but miss that turkey flavor, & it's not as moist.
I baste our turkey's every 20 to 30 minutes, at 350 degrees no higher.
If you can get one of those 18 quart pans, I know are in wal-mart, they are fantastic for baking turkeys, just be sure to put the heat at 325 degrees, because the bird is a lot closer to the heat, then in the oven, & it'll free up your oven to what ever else you want to bake!!
NO SAUSAGE, HAM, RICE, EEEEK.
Good Luck!! N.T.

[mbrogier]

I have never heard of stuffing with oysters until today. I feel very 'out of it'.

As for the 'in the bird' thing, I think the advice to "continue cooking it when it's left the bird" sounds much better than the "microwave it before putting it in the bird"... It's all about food and temperature differentials, cooking times, etc. I would never stuff a cold bird with hot stuffing. But I've also never heard of mass sickness caused by any stuffing traditions...

:)

Sure you have. It goes like this.

"Our Thanksgiving went great. All our kids came home, but one of the grandbabies must have been sick. We all came down with the 24 hour flu right after they left"

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_nontrauma/foodpois.cfm

It wasn't the grandchild. It was the food.

[blazedog]

Regarding stuffing, birds are much more infected with all kinds of disease than even 20 years ago. Remember that it used to be considered safe to egg dishes made with raw eggs such as Caesar salad or royal icing and now it's considered to be unsafe.

That you haven't become sick yet just means you've dodged the bullet and/or you haven't associated intestinal discomfort with food poisoning. In some mild cases, you can mistake it for "indigestion" for example.

I haven't read any modern cooking advice that doesn't emphatically warn people against cooking stuffing in the bird.

I would be especially cautious if I were feeding children, old people or others who might have compromised immune systems.

[Nowell Thomas]

Molli,
When I get all the goodies together to make the stuffing, I "hard-boil "my eggs, cool them offin cold water, then peel them & cut them up into small pieces. We buy the Stock in the stores in the "cartons", on the store shelves, not the canned stuff, it has too much salt in it, I used to make my own stock, but this new stock in the cartons, is great, and I figured that with everything else I have to do, that's a lot easier, and I'm all for saving a few step!! I bake a pumpkin-cheesecake for the holidays also, my family likes it a lot better then a regular pumpkin pie; but the pumpkin tart with the streusel on the top sounds pretty good too!!

Nt in Ca

[mrs_ellenbecker]

Yes, please! Thanks in advance...

Sheila in MD

Here's the recipe as requested, it's from an issue of Real Simple from a couple years ago. It's fairly easy and the best I've ever had.

1 lb maple breakfast patties
4 medium rome or empire apples, unpeeled, cored and diced
7 oz or so mixed dried fruit, cut in equal sized peices
2 tbl fresh or 2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 10oz loaves frozen parmesan garlic bread, thawed and cubed
1 cup chicken broth

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. When it's brown, add apples and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dried fruit, sage and nutmeg. Fold in the bread and add the broth.

Spray a 3 qt baking dish. Spoon the the stuffing in (it can be made up to this point up to 1 day ahead and covered and refrigerated). Bake 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden and toasted.

[Meganator]

Eggs help bind the ingredients together and add moisture, also. I used the crockpot recipe last year to save oven space; it is almost identical to my family recipe except for the mushrooms. One year we accidentally added the 2nd egg and discovered we liked it a lot better, so that is part of our recipe now.

And oysters are a traditional part of our Ohio Thanksgiving, also - but as a separate dish we call "scalloped oysters," rather than in dressing.

[Tizzylish]

Two thumbs up for the Bread Stuffing with Bacon, Apples, Sage, and Caramelized Onions I posted earlier on this thread. I roasted 2 Smart Chickens last night (which rock) and this was perfect with it.

Although I had to leave out the apples, my DH doesn't like fruit in his stuffing. :) Just the right spice combo for us, it was crunchy on top and inside from the bacon bits. But I really liked the carmalized onions in the bacon fat. :p My only problem, it wasn't moist enough for DH, so next time I'll add more broth, and I may add some sauted celery in there too.

I think I found my T-day stuffing. :)

[brykate]

My Supper Club last night made the Sourdough Stuffing with Pears and Sausage. It wasn't bad! She used pears that were hard and unripe so they didn't soften much in cooking nor have much sweetness. The pears would be best if ripe! And I'm not sure that I liked the sausage flavor much (1 pound turkey Italian sausage) or else it was just too much for my taste. Dunno. But besides that I like it! :rolleyes:

I think I next want to try the sausage apple stuffing or the crockpot one. I'm offering to bring an extra stuffing to Thanksgiving and there's some great recipes offered here!

[VictoriaL]

I can't believe that nobody mentioned this one. It's absolutely delicious (as are the vanilla sweet potatoes in the same issue):

Roasted-Pear Stuffing

You can substitute apples for the pears. If you have pear brandy, by all means use it in place of the sherry and brandy.


2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups sliced peeled Bosc pear (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced peeled celeriac (celery root)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup brandy
5 cups (1/2-inch) cubed dense white bread (about 8 ounces)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear slices, and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn pear slices; cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add onion, celeriac, and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add sherry and brandy, and cook until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat; cool.

Combine pear mixture, bread, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Spoon the bread mixture into a 2-quart casserole. Cover with lid, and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.



Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

CALORIES 167(30% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 4.2g; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 51mg; SODIUM 265mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.4g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2000

[newtricks]

I'll probably make the Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage, although I thought the stuffing in this month's CL sounds interesting - anyone try it?

Sourdough Stuffing with Pears and Sausage


Sourdough bread gives the stuffing a tangier flavor than French bread, but you can use the latter in a pinch.

8 cups (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 12 ounces)
1 pound turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
5 cups chopped onion (about 2 pounds)
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled Bartlett pear (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.
Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until golden. Place in a large bowl.

Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine. Set aside.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 minutes. Stir in pear, basil, tarragon, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until pear begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine. Stir in broth and pepper.

Place bread mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 199(24% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 1.5g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 10.7g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 54mg; SODIUM 684mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.6g

I tried this last night. I used a ww loaf from whole foods and bosc pears (the ones that never soften up but they are nice for cooking) other than that no substitutions.

This was OK
I don't love mushrooms in stuffing so take that into account.
I would up the herbs by maybe 50% - 2 teaspoons of fresh tarragon isn't a lot even though it's a strong herb.
I had it with ham last night which was actually a nice combo.
Unfortunately, I think this would benefit from some butter! :o And maybe and egg or two to keep it together a little.
And it's a lot of work (chopping)
Can you tell this won't be on my Thanksgiving table?? :D

[Tutalady]

I am certainly in the minority here-I don't brine my turkey and I always stuff it. When I take the stuffing out, it is steaming and very hot and there has never been a problem. I don't, however, use eggs in mine.

[BarbaraL]

I always make my grandmother's stuffing. I prepare packaged stuffing mix (bread cubes) as directed on the package -- melt butter in the specified amount of water, then mix in the stuffing mix. I saute chopped celery and onion (I think 2 cups and 1 cup, but don't have the recipe with me), and mix it into the stuffing along with about 3/4 cup of chopped parsley. I cook it inside the turkey, and check the temperature with a thermometer. I also baste the turkey a lot. Never had a problem; if I wasn't sure about the stuffing, I'd probably microwave it after removing it from the turkey.

[shscharles]

I'm pretty traditional and cook for a traditional family at TG, but I always try to find some new tweak to keep it from being "same ol', same ol'".

This is what I'm doing this year...as well as the traditional Bread, onions, sage, etc. I was surprised no one else mentioned this! `````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````
Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
See this recipe on air Thursday Nov. 17 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
User Rating: (five stars)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````

Looks pretty terrific to me...only things I'll change is proscuitto insead of pancetta (that's what I could find at TJs) and frozen chestnuts instead of canned (also what I could find at TJs).

[swquilts]

Question....

How do you measure your bread cubes? I see a recipe asking for 12 cups of cubes. Would it be 96 ounces? I forget the dry vs wet weight thing.

[jroseanne]

I am cooking my first turkey this year :) I will be using AB's method, and brining.

Would you mind posting the AB recipe you will be using? I searched the Food TV site and it looks like there are several AB Turkey recipes.
TIA!

[tperes]

My grandmother, mother, and aunt always put some applesauce into the stuffing mix to keep it moist (cooked outside of the bird, even back in the day when they stuffed the bird, they always made several extra pans of stuffing for the crowd). I love applesauce in my stuffing (it doesn't taste apple-y, just moist), but then I just love applesauce!

My MIL is making the stuffing this year, which is basic and very good. I will sneak some applesauce into it though!

[Molli526]

Good Eats Roast Turkey

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

[nowimcooking]

For what it's worth, I made the Good Eats Roast Turkey last year AND stuffed it (I know, I know.....) and we all lived, and it wasn't salty. I can't help it, I love the presentation of the stuffed bird, and I love the stuffing. I also made some on the side for those who can't handle the real stuff. ;)

My stuffing (which can also be on the side -- dressing) is just an eyeball mixture of a cubed crusty bread (usually ciabatta or similar), cubed cornbread, chopped onions, celery, liberal amounts of chopped fresh sage and thyme, salt pepper, some chicken broth (or turkey stock) and a few eggs to make it moist.

I just wing it and everyone always loves it. And you could definitely do it without the cornbread (or with all cornbread, for that matter!).

[Laurielee]

AB had a stuffing segment on last night was quite fascinating. he had 3 people make their stuffing put ina bbird and then check the temp, gave them a thumbs down because the temp of the stuffing has to be 160 degrees.

so what he did was make the stuffing, put it in a environmental friendly cloth bag lke you would use for buying veggies and fill this with stuffing, he then cooked it in the micorwave for 6 minutes, immediately stuffed the bird and put it in a 400 degree oven for half an hour and then reduced temp. He also said the key to porperly cooked stuffing is using a digital thermometer in the stuffing and in the the turkey, thekind that can sit out of the oven so you are not opening the door. and they be should be up to the 160 degree temp at the same time, take out of oven remove stuffing and then let your turkey rest for 20-30 minutes

Laurie

[landk]

My grandmother, my mother and I always stuff and we have never, ever.. ever had a problem. We take the stuffing out of the turkey as soon as it is done (using a them.) and plate it. What stuffing that does not fit in the turkey, we cook seperately in another dish.

[Meganator]

Question....

How do you measure your bread cubes? I see a recipe asking for 12 cups of cubes. Would it be 96 ounces? I forget the dry vs wet weight thing.

Yes, volume-wise, 8 ounces always equals a cup. Just don't try using 96 ounces by weight!

[jtoepfert100]

Here's the recipe I use to make the stock. I don't make it into the make-ahead gravy. I use part of the stock for my stuffing and part of it to make gravy on the day of thanksgiving.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Make Ahead Turkey Gravy

Recipe By : posted by Kewpys Mom
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Turkey

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 turkey wings (about 3 lbs.) or 3 turkey
legs (chicken also works fine)
2 medium onions -- peeled and
quartered
1 cup water
8 cups chicken broth (I use better than bouillon)
3/4 cup chopped carrot
celery, peppercorns, and fresh parsley (my additions--see notes)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Additional ingredients to make the gravy:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Have a large roasting pan ready. Arrange wings in single layer in pan.
Scatter onions over top. Roast 1 1/4 hours or until wings are browned.

Put wings and onions into 5-6 quart pot. Add water to pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on
bottom. Add to the pot. Add 6 cups broth (I just add all the broth if I'm making stock and not the gravy), the carrot, and thyme. Bring to
a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove wings to a cutting board. When
cool pull off skin and meat. Discard skin and save meat for another use.

Strain broth into 3 quart saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard
veggies and skim fat off broth.

Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups of broth until smooth. Bring broth in
saucepan to a boil, slowly whisk in flour mixture, boil 3-4 minutes to thicken and remove floury taste. Stir
in butter and pepper. Refrigerate up to one week or freeze up to three months.

Yield: "8 cups"

NOTES : I added a couple of stalks of celery, about 5 peppercorns, and a few spigs of parsley when making the broth. I also used 1 1/2 lbs. turkey wings and 1 1/2 lbs. turkey backs. After I made the broth, I cooled it, then refrigerated it. I never added the additional 2 cups of chicken broth. The next day I scooped the fat off the top and took out 1 1/2 cups for my stuffing. I also used a little of the broth when reheating the smoked turkey and this kept it very moist. The rest I just put in a pan and heated it up and thickened with cornstarch to make gravy. It worked great! I will use this recipe again, but I'll probably just use all 8 cups of chicken broth right from the start.


Linda - I made this yesterday according to your directions all the way up the part where you cooled the broth and refrigerated. If you're around, I'm wondering if could answer some questions.

1. Since I made this so far ahead of time, should I just skim the fat off today and continue with the original recipe - combining flour and boiling stock and adding to stock that I made?

2. In the alternative, could I made it your way - skim off the fat - remove approx 1 1/2-2 cups broth for another use and just whisk in cornstarch and nothing else? If I did this, would it keep until Thanksgiving? Or, if I were to do it according to your directions, would it be better to just keep the stock in the fridge until Thursday and then skim off the fat and proceed that day?

Sorry if these seem like dumb questions but this is a first for me. TIA! :)

[Gilgamesh37]

Hi Jen!!! I'm not Linda, but as it happened, I made this over hte weekend, too, so I just thought I'd stick my big ole feet in here and chime in! :p

I refrigerated my broth (actually, left the pot out in the screen porch over night), skimmed off the fat, and put it in a tupperware in the fridge--it was a lovely gelatinous mass. I plan to leave it there until Thursday---at which time I will warm probably 2 cups of it, and then make a roux (I think it's 1 oz:1 oz: 1 cup? I think that's Alton's ratio) of flour and butter, cook it down a bit, and hten add the hot stock. Every time I try to do it hte other way--mixing flour or butter/flour into a hot liquid, I end up with lumpiness.

Oh, and (small hijack) btw, I finally made the flaky dinner rolls from--was that Oct or Nov CL? Nice flavor, but the technique has you work the dough so mcuh that they were kind of tough. So I wouldn't recommend those.

[jtoepfert100]

Hi Jen!!! I'm not Linda, but as it happened, I made this over hte weekend, too, so I just thought I'd stick my big ole feet in here and chime in! :p

I refrigerated my broth (actually, left the pot out in the screen porch over night), skimmed off the fat, and put it in a tupperware in the fridge--it was a lovely gelatinous mass. I plan to leave it there until Thursday---at which time I will warm probably 2 cups of it, and then make a roux (I think it's 1 oz:1 oz: 1 cup? I think that's Alton's ratio) of flour and butter, cook it down a bit, and hten add the hot stock. Every time I try to do it hte other way--mixing flour or butter/flour into a hot liquid, I end up with lumpiness.

Oh, and (small hijack) btw, I finally made the flaky dinner rolls from--was that Oct or Nov CL? Nice flavor, but the technique has you work the dough so mcuh that they were kind of tough. So I wouldn't recommend those.

Gil - funny you should chime in - the only reason I'm making this gravy is because W&S was out of the turkey base. So, what you are saying is that I should skim off fat when I get home today and just refrigerate broth. Come Thursday, heat 2 cups of the stock, make a roux and then add the stock to the roux? Want to help me out on the roux part? Not something I make a whole lot. Tried to look it up on the food network but I'm not sure how much to use.

Good to know about those rolls. I actually kept putting them off because they involved so many darn steps. I made the dinner roll recipe out of How to Cook Everything last night and, much to my shock, they turned out excellent! They were pretty and tasted good! They're in the freezer so that's one less thing to worry about on Thursday. :cool:

[Chelle D]

Just today I volunteered to take stuffing to our friend's house where we will have Thanksgiving. I was called to bring homemade rolls (I think I am the only one in my family and circle of friends left who actually makes rolls), but I wanted to make something else so I now get to bring stuffing. These are non-foodies and I would like a simple stuffing as well. And, for some reason, I detest celery - I even pick it out of chicken soup! I found this recipe by Mark Bittman from, "How to Cook Everything," but I want to double the recipe and lighten it and have concerns with using fresh bread crumbs instead of dried bread cubes like everyone else uses. I like the components - fresh parsley, scallions, pine nuts...it seems simple and seems like it would look wonderful too.

Has anyone used fresh bread crumbs in stuffing before? To lighten, I will need to reduce the butter and add stock, but how much? I know it will depend on the bread I use also because fresh crumbs will need less liquid than dried cubes. Suggestions?

My Favorite Bread Stuffing
Mark Bittman

His notes: Like almost everyone else, I have cut back on my use of butter in recent years. But this classic dressing, which is based on a wonderful recipe by James Beard, is so great that I refuse to compromise when I make it. I'd rather skip dessert than miss out on this yearly treat. Check out the varioations if you prefer to use olive oil.

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
1 Cup minced onion
1/2 Cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
6-8 Cups fresh bread crumbs
1 Tbl minced fresh tarragon or sage leaves (or 1 tsp dried tarragon or sage)
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/2 Cup minced scallions
1/2 Cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Melt the butter iover medium heat in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven, or casserole. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the bread crumbs and the tarragon or sage and toss to mix. Turn the heat to low. Add the salt, pepper, and scallions. Toss again; taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add the parsley and stir. Turn off the heat. (You may prepare the recipe n advance up to this point; refrigerate, well wrapped in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)
3. Pack this into the turley if you like, or simply put in an ovenproof glass or enameled casserole and bake it with the turkey during the last 45 minutes of cooking.

[Laurielee]

the basic recipe sounds great but I would be hesitant to use bread crumbs, - especially since the recipe doesnt not call for toasting them, I would think it would make the stuffing really mushy. I have had corn bread stuffing made with crumbs and it was real gummy. I would either toast the bread crumbs or sub with toasted bread cubes.

as for lightening, my recipe calls for a stick of butter and I just use a few TBSP to sautee the veggies and nuts. And your recipe doesnt show how much stock it calls for, but i also just use enough to moisten to get the texture I personally like, not what the recipe calls for because its too mushy for my tastes.

Laurie

[Molli526]

Good to know about those rolls. I actually kept putting them off because they involved so many darn steps. I made the dinner roll recipe out of How to Cook Everything last night and, much to my shock, they turned out excellent! They were pretty and tasted good! They're in the freezer so that's one less thing to worry about on Thursday. :cool:

Jen,

Would you mind posting the roll recipe please? I need a *good* regular roll recipe.

I will be making the broth tomorrow or Wednesday, so am interested in what Gil has to say as well. I am not too experienced with just whipping up a roux.

[Gilgamesh37]

Roux is really pretty simple---I think if it had a non-french name it would be a lot less intimidating to people. :) So, here's the deal: take equal amounts of butter and flour (I usually just eyeball it, but as I said, Alton just did this in the gravy episode, and he says 1 oz butter to 1 oz flour to 1 cup liquid). Melt the butter over medium heat, then add the flour and whisk whisk whisk. It will turn into sort of a paste. You will think you did something wrong. You have not. :) Keep it over medium to medium-low heat and keep whisking it for a couple of minutes---(if you kept doing this part for a long long time, it would get darker visually and you would have one of hte degrees of roux that are the basis for most cajun cooking, but I digress)--all you really want to do is cook it long enough to knock the raw flour taste out of it. I probably cook mine for 3-4 minutes. Then add about 1/2 cup of hte hot stock and whisk---it should lump up, then smooth out and be very thick. You can pour in the rest of the hot stock slowly at that point, and then whisk it over medium heat for sevearl minutes until it thickens.

[Chelle D]

The Bittman recipe calls for ALL butter and NO stock.....I think I will just follow the dry cubes/stock basic from another recipe and then use the herbs/spices/nuts from this one.

As for rolls, I have used this recipe from an old BHG cookbook and it is AWESOME! I usually make them into rosettes and will be bringing them on Thanksgiving (I have to make them for every holiday/special occasion).



* Exported from MasterCook *

Dinner Rolls

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : bread/rolls side dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter -- margarine, or shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 whole eggs -- slightly beaten

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter, and salt just until warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture along with egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
3. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, depending on what shape of roll you wish to make, lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, baking sheets, or muffin cups.
4. For dinner rolls, shape the dough into 24 balls. Place balls in prepared baking pan.* (Or, shape dough into butterhorns, rosettes, Parker House rolls, or cloverleaf rolls. Place on prepared baking sheets or muffins cups.) Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).
5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until rolls sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove rolls from pan. Cool on wire racks. Makes 24 to 32 rolls.

Source:
"Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook"
Copyright:
"1996 by Meredith Corporation"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 122 Calories; 3g Fat (25.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 24mg Cholesterol; 103mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : "THE ROLLS"

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Linda in MO]

Linda - I made this yesterday according to your directions all the way up the part where you cooled the broth and refrigerated. If you're around, I'm wondering if could answer some questions.

1. Since I made this so far ahead of time, should I just skim the fat off today and continue with the original recipe - combining flour and boiling stock and adding to stock that I made?

2. In the alternative, could I made it your way - skim off the fat - remove approx 1 1/2-2 cups broth for another use and just whisk in cornstarch and nothing else? If I did this, would it keep until Thanksgiving? Or, if I were to do it according to your directions, would it be better to just keep the stock in the fridge until Thursday and then skim off the fat and proceed that day?

Sorry if these seem like dumb questions but this is a first for me. TIA! :)
Hi Jen! I think Gil has given you some really good advice. I'd either go with the roux or the cornstarch slurry (don't forget to dissolve your cornstarch in cold water before adding it to the gravy). I think using a roux is a more traditional/authentic gravy, but I like it either way. I think the broth will be fine in the fridge until Thursday. I've never made my gravy ahead, but I bet it would re-heat just fine. I made my broth last week, so I have it in the freezer in a few different sized containers. Also, the fat will be easiest to remove from the broth after it has chilled in the fridge. It will rise to the top and you can scrape it off. And anytime I make broth/stock, there always seems to be some gritty particles at the bottom of the chilled broth. I try to discard most of that, too. Hope this helps! :)

Forgot to mention...the recipe says to save the turkey meat for another use. I always just throw it away. :eek: I know it seems wasteful, but when I make stock, all the flavor in the meat is always cooked right out of it.

[Laurielee]

Chelle

"The Bittman recipe calls for ALL butter and NO stock"
thats my deteriorating eyes, I read it as reducing butter AND stock, and you said ADD stock

".....I think I will just follow the dry cubes/stock basic from another recipe and then use the herbs/spices/nuts from this one." I dont think you can go wrong with this

your rolls look good, I am going to have try those in my bread machine


Laurie

[Chelle D]

Thanks for the input on the stuffing. I took the recipe Linda posted and the Bittman recipe and increased the number of servings as I am the only one bringing stuffing for about 20 people (I think....going to a friend's and I am not sure how big her family is). Here is what I came up with. I think I will do a trial run tomorrow in a much smaller quantity for DH and I (he LOVES stuffing and never had it before he moved to the US). Let me know if you have any suggestions or see errors in what I have here.


Michelle's Stuffing 2005

12 cups dried bread cubes
1 stick unsalted butter
3 T. olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup minced green onion
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup pine-nuts (toasted)
2 Tbl fresh chopped sage (or 2 teaspoons dried)
3-4 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 t. salt (depends on how salty your stock is)
fresh ground pepper -- to taste

Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven, or casserole until butter melts. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add 3 Cups of the stock. Add the bread and sage and toss to mix. Turn the heat to low. Add the salt, pepper, and scallions. Toss again; taste and adjust seasonings and add extra stock if necessary. Add the parsley and stir. Turn off the heat. (You may prepare the recipe n advance up to this point; refrigerate, well wrapped in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)

Place stuffing in a large glass baking dish or enameled casserole dish (or two dishes as this will make a great deal) and bake with the turkey near the end of the baking time (needs about 30-45 minutes) or bake separately at 375 until warmed through and crisp on top.

[jtoepfert100]

Gil - thanks for the advice. I'm going to have little notes with your sage wisdom all over my kitchen by Thursday. :)

LindainMO - thanks for responding. Curious about the cornstarch slurry - does this mean that you heat up the broth, like Gil, and then add a cornstarch to additional broth and then add to the other broth? Does this eliminate the butter in the gravy? How much cornstarch/broth do you use in the slurry? Sorry - extreme gravy novice here.

Molly - I didn't see your post until today - I'll post the recipe tonight if you still need it.

[Linda in MO]

LindainMO - thanks for responding. Curious about the cornstarch slurry - does this mean that you heat up the broth, like Gil, and then add a cornstarch to additional broth and then add to the other broth? Does this eliminate the butter in the gravy? How much cornstarch/broth do you use in the slurry? Sorry - extreme gravy novice here.


Oh boy...I'm not sure why I'm giving gravy advice...I'm definitely no gravy expert! :eek: :D You can make gravy by just thickening up your broth with a cornstarch/cold water mixture...no butter necessary. Just heat your broth in a saucepan to a simmer. Mix a spoonful of cornstarch and cold water (about equal measurments) until dissolved. Add to your simmering broth and simmer a couple of minutes until thickened. Sorry, I don't have exact measurments. I just eyeball it. The box of cornstarch can probably give you some guidance. I'd look, but my cornstarch is in a container and not in the original box. Some people prefer to do the butter/flour/roux thing though. I think it's more tradional and richer. I still haven't decided how I'm even doing mine yet! Gravy experts, feel free to jump in...

[Tizzylish]

How much broth are you left with? Is it rich enough where it tastes like gravy or do you need to reduce it a bit more? I end up with anywhere from 1 quart, to 1 1/2 quarts. If you have this amount I would use Linda's recommendation for the 1/2 & 1/2 ratio. Take some of your broth, I'd say start with a 1/4 cup of each, the broth and cornstarch, sounds like a lot but you should have a lot of broth to thicken. You don't have to use the whole 1/4 cup, just add a little bit. Then bring it to a boil, wait a minute to see how thick your gravy is, if it isn't thick enough, add a little more of your slurry, if you run out of slurry and it isn't thick enough you can use a little chix broth or water, just remember to always bring it to a boil before adding more slurry. Sorry I don't have an exact science, but that is how I do it. :o

[jtoepfert100]

Linda - Believe me - everyone is a gravy expert compared to me! I like the idea of using less butter when I can so I'm leaning towards your method but I'm worried it won't be rich enough for the inlaws - not really low-fat eaters. I'm wondering if I shouldn't split up the broth and do two gravies to compare. Of course, this would mean making ahead and then reheating - could I do this?

BTW - I did keep the turkey meat and DH is in heaven! He's been having turkey sandwiches for almost every meal.

Tizzy - I'm not sure how much broth I have. I did skim the fat off last night - boy, refrigerating then skimming fat is A LOT easier than skimming off fat when the stock is hot! Now I've just got the same gelatinous mess in a tupperware that Gil has. I'm thinking it's probably right around 4 cups but do I really need that much gravy? Is 4 cups a quart? :o

Boy, I'm really making a big deal about gravy, huh? And on an unrelated thread to boot. Perhaps I should have just kept that jar of Heinz Turkey Gravy in my cart afterall. :o :rolleyes:

[Molli526]

Boy, I'm really making a big deal about gravy, huh? And on an unrelated thread to boot. Perhaps I should have just kept that jar of Heinz Turkey Gravy in my cart afterall. :o :rolleyes:


No you are not! I have a lot of the same questions, so keep on asking :)

[Linda in MO]

Linda - Believe me - everyone is a gravy expert compared to me! I like the idea of using less butter when I can so I'm leaning towards your method but I'm worried it won't be rich enough for the inlaws - not really low-fat eaters. I'm wondering if I shouldn't split up the broth and do two gravies to compare. Of course, this would mean making ahead and then reheating - could I do this?
I've been thinking about this. You might want to go the cornstarch route. In my experience the margin for error is larger using a roux. You risk having a lumpy and/or greasy gravy if it's not done right. Just my humble opinion though. :)

[Kristal]

I just wanted to thank Tizzylish for originally posting the gravy recipe, and also thank Jen for all her questions ( :D ), and Gil and Linda for all their help! I'm planning to make the stock tonight, too. I think I will go the cornstarch route as that seems a little easier (and less fattening) than making a roux.

[Linda in MO]

I'm planning to make the stock tonight, too.

I read a tip in Cook's Country last night. Place a piece of saran wrap directly on the surface of the stock before refrigerating. When you pull it off the next day, the fat is supposed to come with it. Not sure if it works, but I'm gonna try it next time.

[Kristal]

I read a tip in Cook's Country last night. Place a piece of saran wrap directly on the surface of the stock before refrigerating. When you pull it off the next day, the fat is supposed to come with it. Not sure if it works, but I'm gonna try it next time.

Thanks, Linda! I'll try it tonight. :)

[jtoepfert100]

I've been thinking about this. You might want to go the cornstarch route. In my experience the margin for error is larger using a roux. You risk having a lumpy and/or greasy gravy if it's not done right. Just my humble opinion though. :)

A smaller margin of error is ALWAYS better. I believe I'm sold. :D But just so I understand, would I use one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of cold water and add it to 2 cups of simmering broth? And if I had 4 cups of broth, I would just double the amount of cornstarch and water slurry (in equal parts)? Tizzy mentioned 1/4 cup and I'm wondering if that isn't for a larger amount of broth.

[NMG]

I have an awesome family stuffing recipe that you actually make into balls and freeze before cooking. After they're frozen you put them in a ziplock freezer bag and can pull out as many as you need for a meal! The only thing with this recipe is that its my gramma's and is far from being a "light" recipe considering that it has 4 sticks of melted butter in it! I would be more than glad to share it with anyone who would like it :)

[Tizzylish]

Tizzy mentioned 1/4 cup and I'm wondering if that isn't for a larger amount of broth.

I said a 1/4 cup because usually I deglaze my pan drippings with wine, and add a little more stock so I end up with sometimes 1 1/2 - 2 quarts of broth to thicken. Again, you don't need to use the whole 1/4 cup, you can just add a little at a time until you get the desired thickness.