Problem is when you are feeding larger groups you can't enough stuffing in the bird to feed everybody.
I always made a couple of loafs of stuffing bread. Seasoned and ready to go into the oven or turkey. I make it in casserole dishes. When it has cooled down, break it up into small pieces, add egg and liquid. The two loafs will give you enough to stuff a medium turkey. If I was going to stuff the bird, I would make four loafs. Two for the bird and two for a casserole. This bread, you can make a couple of days early.
Stuffing Bread
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups lukewarm water (110-120 degrees)
2 pkgs. active dry yeast or 4 ½ teaspoons bulk yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning (Salt free, I like Bell’s)
3/4 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, melted butter or vegetable oil
1 finely diced onion
2 stalks of finely diced celery
6-7 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
Directions:
1. Saute onion and celery until softened.
2. In bowl of mixer combine the water, yeast and sugar. Let sit until foamy and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of the flour, poultry seasoning, salt and olive oil, softened onion and celery. Mix until combined.
3. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft pliable dough. Knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Place dough in oiled bowl smooth side down and flip to expose oiled top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in bulk.
5. Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces, shape into loaves, and place in standard size 9x5” loaf pans that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover and let rise until the dough fills the pan and peeks over the top of the pan.
Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown all around. Remove from pans immediately and cool completely.
I don't baste a whole lot as, besides brining, I'll make up a compound butter and work it under the skin. I just baste 2-3 times after I've flipped it and always get a nice golden brown skin.
