Stuffing/dressing question

Ken Knecht said:

In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly make it
more often if I knew how.

I don't have too much to add to what everyone else will say, other
than avoiding stovetop brands, and making such the ingredents (bread,
celery, onion, sage, vegetable stock, olive oil or butter) are good
quality and fresh. Avoid things like stale powdered sage, canned
chicken broth, low quality bread -- I use half each of sourdough
french bread and whole wheat loaf bread from a good bakery.
Do not purposefully use stale bread, and do not use bread crumbs --
bread should be lightly toasted then diced, not crumbed.

If you have homemade chicken stock, you could try using that --
I'd dilute it -- but homemade vegetable stock is by far the best.
Anything out of a can could ruin your stuffing.

The optional ingredients are mushrooms, oysters, and/or pork sausage,
but far more important is that the baseline stuffing be good quality.

Steve

Ken Knecht said:

Any minute now it will be Thanksgiving Day. I have a piece of smoked
turkey in the freezer I'd like to prepare for my meal that day.
However, I love dressing (or stuffing if you prefer) and usually
roast a whole chicken for that reason.

In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly
make it more often if I knew how.

Well, I just make up the stuffing and cook it in the oven in a seperate pan

Ken Knecht said:

Any minute now it will be Thanksgiving Day. I have a piece of smoked
turkey in the freezer I'd like to prepare for my meal that day.
However, I love dressing (or stuffing if you prefer) and usually
roast a whole chicken for that reason.

In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly
make it more often if I knew how.

Well, I just make up the stuffing and cook it in the oven in a seperate pan

Ken Knecht said:

[snip]
In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly make it
more often if I knew how.

When I make stuffing I always make more than will fit in the bird, so
I put the excess into a casserole dish. Since there will be no bird
juices dripping into the casserole I mix it with a little more chicken/
turkey stock than the portion I put in the bird. How much moister is
to your taste and from your experience. In all other ways it is the
same. Bake it covered for about 40 minutes, uncover (because I like
to dry the top somewhat) for another 10 minutes or so.

Since you don't say what you are doing, and you don't say what is
wrong with your results, I have no way to know whether this would work
for you. -aem

"Ken Knecht" <[email hidden]> wrote:>

Quoted message said:

In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly make it
more often if I knew how.

What kind of stuffing do you like? My mother prepared stuffing in the bird,
but also extra in a covered casserole. Hers was moist and savory, with lots
of butter, bread crumbs, and celery.

When I made this for my husband's family they looked at it and one of them
actually said, "whut is that?" lol

Because they were used to cornbread stuffing done in a shallow pan, kind
of crispy, cut in squares. Ick, I say.

"Ophelia" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ken Knecht said:

Any minute now it will be Thanksgiving Day. I have a piece of smoked
turkey in the freezer I'd like to prepare for my meal that day.
However, I love dressing (or stuffing if you prefer) and usually
roast a whole chicken for that reason.

In spite of several attempts, I've never been able to prepare decent
stuffing without putting it in a bird. I find the stovetop brands
inedible. I know the ingredients, but can anyone tell me a surefire
technique from preparing stuffing outside the bird? I'd certainly
make it more often if I knew how.

Well, I just make up the stuffing and cook it in the oven in a seperate
pan

I put it in a corning ware dish, buttered, toss seasoned bread crumbs with
melted butter and a bit of stock and sauteed celery, bake on 325 F. until
the top is brownish, and the inside hot but moist.

I have also done corn bread stuffing with onion and sausage the same way. I
like that a bit drier, in a more shallow pan, but still not hard enough to
(ugh) cut in squares.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"cybercat" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

What kind of stuffing do you like?

I make it plain, as my mother did, and the way I ate it during my early
years. Moist bread, chicken stock, egg, margarine/butter, and... I think
that's it - recipe not handy to check.

--
I got used to my arthritis
To my denture I'm resigned
I can manage my bifocals
But Lord I miss my mind

"Ken Knecht" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"cybercat" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

What kind of stuffing do you like?

I make it plain, as my mother did, and the way I ate it during my early
years. Moist bread, chicken stock, egg, margarine/butter, and... I think
that's it - recipe not handy to check.

Then I can help! Do you have a covered glass casserole dish, kind of deep,
like maybe corning ware? Just butter it well and toss your ingredients
lightly in a mixing bowl (you know, a lot of handling can make dressing
heavy/soggy) and preheat oven to 325F, for maybe 1/2 hour? You can peek and
when you see the sides and top browning just a bit, it's perfect. The butter
browns it. This is making me hungry.

cybercat said:

"Ken Knecht" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"cybercat" <[email hidden]> wrote innews:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What kind of stuffing do you like?

Quoted message said:

I make it plain, as my mother did, and the way I ate it during my early
years. Moist bread, chicken stock, egg, margarine/butter, and... I think
that's it - recipe not handy to check.

Then I can help! Do you have a covered glass casserole dish, kind of deep,
like maybe corning ware? Just butter it well and toss your ingredients
lightly in a mixing bowl (you know, a lot of handling can make dressing
heavy/soggy) and preheat oven to 325F, for maybe 1/2 hour? You can peek and
when you see the sides and top browning just a bit, it's perfect. The butter
browns it. This is making me hungry.

LOL - me, too. I love stuffing, but it always gives me heartburn, so
I don't eat very much of it.

Bite me, I use Pepperidge Farm croutettes, and find them seasoned just
fine. I use diced celery, onion, turkey broth (made from simmering
the neck, gizzard, liver and heart with miripoix in water - sometimes
I add some Better than Bouillon poultry base -- until the liquid has
reduced), diced bits of the cooked liver and heart - and butter. No
egg (what's the egg for, anyway?). I mix it all so it's just a tad on
the moist side - put it in a greased casserole dish with thin pats of
butter on the top - and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I use my
otherwise unused microwave to keep it until I'm ready to serve - the
small "cave" of the microwave keeps the dish very hot.

N.

Nancy2 said:

I don't eat very much of it.

Bite me, I use Pepperidge Farm croutettes, and find them seasoned just
fine. I use diced celery, onion, turkey broth (made from simmering
the neck, gizzard, liver and heart with miripoix in water - sometimes
I add some Better than Bouillon poultry base -- until the liquid has
reduced), diced bits of the cooked liver and heart - and butter. No
egg (what's the egg for, anyway?). I mix it all so it's just a tad on
the moist side - put it in a greased casserole dish with thin pats of
butter on the top - and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I use my
otherwise unused microwave to keep it until I'm ready to serve - the
small "cave" of the microwave keeps the dish very hot.

N.--

I make mine this way as well. Except for the liver bits and heart.
My husband likes them. I do like to add fresh sage and some of that
seasoning blend that I can't remember the name of right now - yellow
box with a turkey on it...

-Tracy

Steve Pope said:

I don't have too much to add to what everyone else will say, other
than avoiding stovetop brands, and making such the ingredents (bread,
celery, onion, sage, vegetable stock, olive oil or butter) are good
quality and fresh. Avoid things like stale powdered sage, canned
chicken broth, low quality bread -- I use half each of sourdough
french bread and whole wheat loaf bread from a good bakery.
Do not purposefully use stale bread, and do not use bread crumbs --
bread should be lightly toasted then diced, not crumbed.

I always cube my bread the night before and let sit in a large bowl or
pan covered by a tea towel to stale up a bit.

Goomba38 said:

Steve Pope wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I don't have too much to add to what everyone else will say, other
than avoiding stovetop brands, and making such the ingredents (bread,
celery, onion, sage, vegetable stock, olive oil or butter) are good
quality and fresh. Avoid things like stale powdered sage, canned
chicken broth, low quality bread -- I use half each of sourdough
french bread and whole wheat loaf bread from a good bakery.
Do not purposefully use stale bread, and do not use bread crumbs --
bread should be lightly toasted then diced, not crumbed.

Quoted message said:

I always cube my bread the night before and let sit in a large bowl or
pan covered by a tea towel to stale up a bit.

Overnight would not be a problem (and gets some of the prep out of
the way). Bread that is many days stale is I think unappetizing,
even made into stuffing.

Steve

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:17:21 -0400, "cybercat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then I can help! Do you have a covered glass casserole dish, kind of deep,
like maybe corning ware? Just butter it well and toss your ingredients
lightly in a mixing bowl (you know, a lot of handling can make dressing
heavy/soggy) and preheat oven to 325F, for maybe 1/2 hour? You can peek and
when you see the sides and top browning just a bit, it's perfect. The butter
browns it. This is making me hungry.

Maybe I can finally learn from you folks how to fix stuffing/dressing
outside the turkey. I keep on trying it, every year, and it fails
dismally.

However, my stuffing is not much more than breadcrumbs, seasonings,
onion and celery. I save chicken fat all year for this, to saute the
onions and celery. I don't add any broth or eggs to it. Inside the
bird, it turns out moist and wonderful. In a casserole, well...it's
pretty dismal. I have tried a lot of what folks have suggested, and
I must not have the stuffing in a casserole gene. But maybe there is
hope..maybe you all can teach me a few tricks.

Christine

Christine Dabney said:

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:17:21 -0400, "cybercat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then I can help! Do you have a covered glass casserole dish, kind of deep,
like maybe corning ware? Just butter it well and toss your ingredients
lightly in a mixing bowl (you know, a lot of handling can make dressing
heavy/soggy) and preheat oven to 325F, for maybe 1/2 hour? You can peek and
when you see the sides and top browning just a bit, it's perfect. The butter
browns it. This is making me hungry.

Maybe I can finally learn from you folks how to fix stuffing/dressing
outside the turkey. I keep on trying it, every year, and it fails
dismally.

However, my stuffing is not much more than breadcrumbs, seasonings,
onion and celery. I save chicken fat all year for this, to saute the
onions and celery. I don't add any broth or eggs to it. Inside the
bird, it turns out moist and wonderful. In a casserole, well...it's
pretty dismal. I have tried a lot of what folks have suggested, and
I must not have the stuffing in a casserole gene. But maybe there is
hope..maybe you all can teach me a few tricks.

Christine

Use a sort of savory bread pudding for stuffing...I posted it here 2
years ago....
I have no recipe, but I will describe what I do below. This is a rich
dressing, almost a savory bread pudding that is cooked in the bird.

Trim most crust from a large challah. If you can find loaf shaped
challah, rather than a twist, that is even better, but don't drive
yourself nuts removing every drop of crust. Tear off small
apple-sized chunks and run them quickly under cold water, moistening
the bread, but being sure to squeeze any excess out. Tear up the
chunks into small pieces and place in large bowl.

Gently saute one large Spanish or Bermuda onion until translucent. If
you like a lot of onion, by all means, add more. Add to bread. Lightly
beat 4 - 6 (start with 4) eggs with 1/2 cup Wishbone Italian
Dressing. Add to bread & onion mixture.

Wash your hands, take your rings off and get your hands into that
bowl, mixing all the ingredients well. The consistency should be eggy,
but not liquidy. Add more beaten eggs, if needed. Salt and pepper to
taste.

Stuff into the bird, as well as into the neck cavity under the skin
flap. Pin the neck skin to the underside of the turkey. I do not
truss the turkey legs, but leave them open. For me, this allows the
stuffing and dark meat to cook, without making the breast meat
overdone.

For a really large turkey, I have used 2-3 challahs, depending on loaf
size. Any extra, I cook separately and it puffs up like bread
pudding..

This was my grandmother's and mother's way of making stuffing and I
have never used exact measurements, as I leaned by sight and feel as I
grew up. I hope it can be "translated" this way. I do believe in the
early years, my grandmother used schmaltz instead of Wishbone!

Boron Elgar said:

Trim most crust from a large challah. If you can find loaf shaped
challah, rather than a twist, that is even better, but don't drive
yourself nuts removing every drop of crust. Tear off small
apple-sized chunks and run them quickly under cold water, moistening
the bread, but being sure to squeeze any excess out. Tear up the
chunks into small pieces and place in large bowl.

Quoted message said:

Gently saute one large Spanish or Bermuda onion until translucent. If
you like a lot of onion, by all means, add more. Add to bread. Lightly
beat 4 - 6 (start with 4) eggs with 1/2 cup Wishbone Italian
Dressing. Add to bread & onion mixture.

Quoted message said:

Wash your hands, take your rings off and get your hands into that
bowl, mixing all the ingredients well. The consistency should be eggy,
but not liquidy. Add more beaten eggs, if needed. Salt and pepper to
taste.

That has to be one of the most unusual stuffing recipes I've
yet seen!

Steve

Christine Dabney <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Maybe I can finally learn from you folks how to fix stuffing/dressing
outside the turkey. I keep on trying it, every year, and it fails
dismally.

Have you tried the Basic James beard stuffing recipe? I used that for a few
years then followed it kinda to a more involved dressing with wild rice and
sausage added. Just involves the use of chicken stock or turkey stock made
from chicken stock to help moisten the stuff. It sure does cut down on the
cooking time if the dressing is cooked outside of the bird.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

hahabogus said:

Christine Dabney <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Maybe I can finally learn from you folks how to fix stuffing/dressing
outside the turkey. I keep on trying it, every year, and it fails
dismally.

Have you tried the Basic James beard stuffing recipe? I used that for a few
years then followed it kinda to a more involved dressing with wild rice and
sausage added. Just involves the use of chicken stock or turkey stock made
from chicken stock to help moisten the stuff. It sure does cut down on the
cooking time if the dressing is cooked outside of the bird.

The thing is, I like my stuffing a lot. I don't want to mess with it,
other than to get it to cook right outside the bird, inside a
casserole.

Christine

Boron Elgar said:

Use a sort of savory bread pudding for stuffing...I posted it here 2
years ago....

Quoted message said:

This was my grandmother's and mother's way of making stuffing and I
have never used exact measurements, as I leaned by sight and feel as I
grew up. I hope it can be "translated" this way. I do believe in the
early years, my grandmother used schmaltz instead of Wishbone!

The thing is, while yours sounds really good too, I really do like my
stuffing. I just want to be able to make a larger portion of it, and
have it cooked nicely outside the bird, in a casserole.

Is there a way to do that, without tampering with it too much? I
don't want eggs in my stuffing, and I prefer not to add much broth...
I really have always liked the flavor of this one.... Plus, it just
says home and memories to me.

Christine

Christine Dabney <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The thing is, I like my stuffing a lot.

Ok then.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore