Stuffing is my most favorite Thanksgiving side dish, every year I threaten to just have a stuffing Thanksgiving serving all the wonderful different recipes I’d like to make but rarely do, I tend to always serve the traditional version and then one different stuffing but generally only two grace my table. Maybe some cold night in February or March I’ll have my stuffing dinner ~ planning for next year’s Thanksgiving menu ahead of time. In-the-meantime, I realize that lots of people really don’t even know where to begin when it comes to cooking stuffing. I can tell you for sure where not to begin and that’s with any and all boxed mixes. I’m sorry, but stuffing is so simple, there just is no reason anyone needs to buy a pre-made box mix filled with god know what. I’ve decided to break down stuffing into four parts: SELECTING YOUR BREAD, CLASSIC ADDITIONS & PERSONAL INSPIRATION, and COOKING YOUR STUFFING.
SELECTING YOUR BREAD: as you know, bread is the basis of most stuffing (other than wild rice which is sometimes mixed with bread). The type of bread you use depends solely on your personal preference. All bread will work in a classic stuffing recipe; some will taste different than others. The most classic type of bread used is some kind of white bread, corn bread or dark bread. Make sure whatever bread you use is stale, stale dry bread makes much better stuffing. Fresh bread leads to soggy stuffing. If the bread is fresh, you can toast it until dry before using. Tear of cut the bread into bite size pieces, approximately ½ -1 inch dice, or if using corn bread you may crumble. Some good bread to choose from is listed below – select your favorite bread from the list and start with 8 cups.
WHITE BREAD
WHEAT BREAD
CORN BREAD
CIBATTA
FRENCH STYLE BAGUETTE
RYE BREAD
SOUR DOUGH BREAD
PUMPERNICKEL BREAD
BISCUITS
ENGLISH MUFFINS
CHALLA
MATZO
HAWAIIAN BREAD
BRIOCHE
CLASSIC ADDITIONS: stuffing has a few classic additions that seem to be in almost every stuffing recipe including diced onions, celery, fresh thyme, garlic and sage. Use 2 cups of onions and 1 cup of celery to 8 cups of bread. I like to include 1 tbsp of each fresh thyme, minced garlic and fresh sage. Sauté these ingredients in 2 sticks o f butter until tender, then add the chopped bread, after combining the bread with these sautéed vegetables, add 4-5 cups of poultry stock and/or wine until the stuffing is just moistened.
ONIONS
Leeks, shallots and/or green onions may also be used
CELERY
GARLIC
THYME
Savory and marjoram work well too
SAGE
POULTRY STOCK and/or WHITE WINE
Veggie stock may be substituted for vegan stuffing
PERSONAL INSPIRATION: here is where it gets fun. Some people simply stop with the classic additions. I always make one classic stuffing and another inspired one (or two). Classic stuffing lovers are hard core and very appreciative. But stuffing aficionados like me, really appreciate the inspiration. Choose 1, 2 or three inspirations to add to your stuffing (no more than a total of 3 cups though or it becomes something other than stuffing). Once you select your inspiration, toss it together with the classic stuffing mix and cook.
SAUTEED MUSHROOMS
DICED FENNEL
DICED PARSNIPS
DICED SWEET POTATO
CHOPPED KALE
CHOPPED APPLES
CHOPPED PEARS
DICED QUINCE
ROASTED PEPPERS
SUNDRIED TOMATOES
COOKED SAUSAGE
CHOPPED OYSTERS
CHOPPED SHRIMP
WILD RICE
BROWN RICE
TOASTED CHESTNUTS
WATER CHESTNUTS
OLIVES
CAPERS
CRANBERRIES
COOKED BACON BITS
CHOPPED SAUTEED CHICKEN or TURKEY LIVER
TOASTED NUTS
walnutS, almonds, macadamia, pecans, hazelnuts & pine nuts work well
DRIED FRUIT
apricots, raisins, cherries, currants, dates, figs work well
COOKING YOUR STUFFING: now that you have a HUGE bowl of stuffing ready to cook I highly recommend that you don’t stuff it in your turkey for two reasons. Reason number one; turkeys today are not as “safe” as they used to be and you will have to make sure and cook your stuffing to 165 degrees before serving which means your turkey will be overcooked if your stuffing is “safe”. Think instead of stuffing your bird with fresh herbs, garlic and citrus. If you have an organic bird and are tempted to stuff it, I still don’t recommend it because, reason number 2; it really slows down the cooking time of your bird which is why people still think it takes hours and hours to cook a turkey. It takes a long time to cook a stuffed turkey but not so long to roast an unstuffed turkey which surprises cooks every year when their bird is done before any of their side dishes and/or before their guests have arrived! Therefore, I always cook my stuffing(s) separately in a buttered or oiled baking dish at 350 degrees. Cover the stuffing with foil the first 45 minutes to keep it moist, and then remove foil the last 15 – 20 minutes to brown and crisp up the top. Stuffing crispies should be its own food group, they are one of my favorite foods of all time! Serve your stuffing hot out of the oven crispy on top and moist in the middle and watch your guests will come back for seconds or thirds ~ guaranteed! Remember to make enough to have leftovers the next day for breakfast.
Wishing you a happy, peaceful and delicious Thanksgiving.
~Chef Gwen
