What are the components of a good stuffing

[cmontg34]

So I want to make my own stuffing this year, but I've never made one before or liked any of the ones I've tried. What I'm wondering is what are the basic parts of a "good" stuffing? Thanks all!

 

[TATTRAT]

what will it be going with(sounds like a silly question)Bird or Pig?

regardless, one crucial ingredient is good day old bread(or older). If it was a great bread to start with, it will make for a great stuffing filler.

I'll wait to see if it's bird or pig before throwing out some ideas.

 

[Andy M.]

Bread, onion, celery butter, turkey stock, sage, salt and pepper. This is the basic starting point. Take it from there. Other additions can be mushrooms, cooked sausage, nuts and wild rice.

 

[TATTRAT]

I am not sure if it's just because I didn't grow up stateside, but one thing that throws me off is the oyster stuffing. . .I just can't get into it, though maybe I juat haven't had a good one.

 

[cmontg34]

It's turkey. Does celery have to go in it? I loathe the stuff.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

It's turkey. Does celery have to go in it? I loathe the stuff.

I puree the celery when my sister is eating over, she's fine as long as she doesn't get a chunk of it and everyone else would miss the flavor if I left it out. Alittle bit of celery goes a long way, flavor-wise.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

This is my front end stuffing for Turkey. Buy good quality herb pork sausages, skin and place in a bowl, add chopped roast chestnuts,chopped shallots, sage, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs salt and pepper, mix and stuff.The amount you need will vary because of size of orifice, I also like to work the farce between the skin and breasts so I get a symmetrical bulge.

 

[SherryDAmore]

In addition to the bread, onions, celery and broth, the one thing good stuffing must have is sage.

A coupla years ago, I started using fresh sage, and I can't believe what a difference it makes.

 

[justplainbill]

This is my front end stuffing for Turkey. Buy good quality herb pork sausages, skin and place in a bowl, add chopped roast chestnuts,chopped shallots, sage, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs salt and pepper, mix and stuff.The amount you need will vary because of size of orifice, I also like to work the farce between the skin and breasts so I get a symmetrical bulge.

+1

 

[Katie H]

I rarely stray from the stuffing I grew up with and have always made for my family. If I made something different, they'd run me out of town on a rail.

Mine is composed of dried bread. I use the least expensive I can find, cube it and dry it in my dehydrator. Then, I add equal parts of chopped onion, celery and green pepper. Season with plenty of sage and salt and pepper. Moisten with several beaten eggs, scalded milk and melted butter. Most of it goes in the bird, front and in the cavity. The remaining, and I always make sure there's extra, is put into a buttered casserole, which is baked tightly covered with foil.

Never been any complaints of several generations of Thanksgiving diners.

 

[cmontg34]

Okay here's what I'm thinking of doing, I'm going to get some really good bread from Whole Foods a day or two before Thanksgiving so it dries out. Then I'm going to brown some ground Italian sausage, and saute chopped onions and a very small amount of celery with it. I'll add it to the bread, season with thyme and sage, (should I add an beaten egg to it??) put it all in a baking dish, add some stock, maybe add a bit of parm cheese and bake it. How does it sound??

 

[Dawgluver]

Okay here's what I'm thinking of doing, I'm going to get some really good bread from Whole Foods a day or two before Thanksgiving so it dries out. Then I'm going to brown some ground Italian sausage, and saute chopped onions and a very small amount of celery with it. I'll add it to the bread, season with thyme and sage, (should I add an beaten egg to it??) put it all in a baking dish, add some stock, maybe add a bit of parm cheese and bake it. How does it sound??

I'm a family traditionalist with stuffing, have never used egg, sausage or parm in mine. Your recipe should work fine! A lot of us use butter too.

Didn't we have another recent thread on stuffing/dressing? I looked, but couldn't find it.

 

[cmontg34]

Yeah, I remember that thread too, but it was on whether to stuff the bird, or not. I shall not

 

[Andy M.]

Okay here's what I'm thinking of doing, I'm going to get some really good bread from Whole Foods a day or two before Thanksgiving so it dries out. Then I'm going to brown some ground Italian sausage, and saute chopped onions and a very small amount of celery with it. I'll add it to the bread, season with thyme and sage, (should I add an beaten egg to it??) put it all in a baking dish, add some stock, maybe add a bit of parm cheese and bake it. How does it sound??

You have the makings of a good stuffing. As mentioned, use a lot of butter.

I buy a little box of Bell's Seasoning. It personifies the taste of great stuffing for me. I just start with the recipe on the back of the box.

 

[Dawgluver]

Yeah, I remember that thread too, but it was on whether to stuff the bird, or not. I shall not

Actually, there were a bunch of recipes and hints in the thread, not just for in the bird stuffing.

I will look for the Bell's seasoning. Have never tried it.

 

[Merinda]

I am not sure if it's just because I didn't grow up stateside, but one thing that throws me off is the oyster stuffing. . .I just can't get into it, though maybe I juat haven't had a good one.

I think first, you have to like oysters. If not, you will not like oyster stuffing.

That being said....I made an oyster stuffing once and rinsed, rinsed, and rinsed the heck out of my oysters. The flavor was mild and delicious! Best oyster dressing I had ever tried.

 

[Dawgluver]

I think first, you have to like oysters. If not, you will not like oyster stuffing.

That being said....I made an oyster stuffing once and rinsed, rinsed, and rinsed the heck out of my oysters. The flavor was mild and delicious! Best oyster dressing I had ever tried.

I like oysters, but the only oyster stuffing I've had was MIL's, and I find it nasty. DH loves it.

 

[Merinda]

I'm a cornbread stuffing girl. I have a hand-me-down family recipe (my Aunt's) that I have always gotten compliments on. The bread is contained in this recipe are:

1 pan of your favorite recipe homemade cornbread crumbled.
1 can of biscuits baked and crumbled
1 sleeve of saltine crackers crumbled
1 package of Pepperidge Farm cubed bread stuffing.

 

[Merinda]

I like oysters, but the only oyster stuffing I've had was MIL's, and I find it nasty. DH loves it.

Right, I've always liked oysters too, and did not like oyster dressing at all. I did however enjoy the one I made where I rinsed and rinsed the oysters. It gave just a really mild hint of oyster flavor and complimented the other ingredients rather than overpowering it. I still prefer stuffing without oysters though.

 

[Merinda]

I would add egg. Another tip is to not over stir your dressing when you add the stock/broth.