Basic Yankee Bread Stuffing Recipes

BASIC STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery, 2 chopped apples and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale country white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered 3-quart baking dish and dot with more butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Combine bread, onion, celery and all seasonings. Add melted butter. Toss gently to mix. Then add hot broth to moisten to desired consistency (but be careful NOT to make it soggy; a little dry is best since it will retain juices from cooking inside the turkey).
• Stuff into the cavity of the turkey before roasting, if desired.
• OR: Pour all into a large casserole and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, not letting the top get too crispy.
• NOTE: Allow 1 cup stuffing for each pound of poultry.

BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt butter in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook celery and onion in butter 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove Dutch oven from the heat.
• Gently toss celery mixture and remaining ingredients, using spoon, until bread cubes are evenly coated.
• Use to stuff one 10- to 12-pound turkey. Or to bake stuffing separately, grease 3-quart casserole or rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Place stuffing in casserole or baking dish. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. On two rimmed baking sheets, arrange bread in a single layer. Toast until dry and pale golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and celery are softened, about 7 minutes. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Add parsley, eggs, and bread; stir to combine. Add broth in 2 additions, stirring until absorbed after each addition. Season generously with salt and pepper and transfer stuffing to dish. Bake on middle rack until deep golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

YANKEE BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Place sausage in a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until browned. Drain on paper towels, set aside.
• Wipe out pan with paper towels and return to burner. Put butter in the pan to melt. Place the celery and onions in the pan and cook until tender.
• In a large bowl place the bread, sausage, celery, onions and seasonings.
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then mix into sausage/bread mixture.
• Pour broth over the mixture and mix. The mixture shoudl be moist and not mushy. Add more broth if needed.
• Place in large baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until heated through and a nice crust has developed on top.

BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Place the butter, shallots or onions in a saucepan, and allow the butter to melt over low heat. Do not sauté the shallots. Combine with the crumbs and other ingredients and toss lightly. Add more melted butter if needed, and taste for seasoning. Stuff the bird lightly just before roasting.
• Herb Variations:
• Instead of tarragon you can use any of the following herbs to taste. (It is better not to mix herbs, except for the addition of parsley, but mix if you must.)
• 1. About 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, soaked in a little white wine for an hour.
• 2. Sage. Use with discretion, or it smothers all other flavors.
• 3. Summer savory. This has a delicious flavor for turkey and is less known than most herbs.
• 4. Basil. The fresh is delicious and superb in the stuffing of a spitted bird. If fresh is not available, use about 2 teaspoons of dried basil, soaked in white wine beforehand.
• Another way to give the flavor of fresh basil to your dressing is by adding pesto , the Italian sauce normally used with pasta. Fortunately, it freezes rather well, so pesto can be made when fresh basil is in the market or in your herb garden and it is possible to have it with your Thanksgiving or Christmas bird. Add about 3 tablespoons of pesto or more to the basic bread stuffing.
• Additives for Basic Bread Stuffing:
• You will have to reduce the amount of crumbs, depending upon the quantity of additive.
• 1. 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely broken cooked chestnuts (These may be purchased in tins).
• 2. 1 cup or more toasted salted filberts.
• 3. 1 cup or more toasted unbalanced almonds.
• 4. 1 cup or more salted pecan halves.
• 5. 1 1/2 to 2 cups toasted walnut halves.
• 6. 2 cups finely diced celery. This makes a delicious change in the basic stuffing and is also good in goose.
• 7. 1 1/2 cups of finely diced fennel bulb. Omit any other herb save parsley.
• 8. A head of finely shredded Boston lettuce. Added to the basic stuffing at the last minute, this is surprisingly good. You may find you need additional salt.
• 9. Giblets. Chop the gizzard and heart very fine; reserve the liver. Sauté the gizzard and heart with the onions just enough to color them, then mix with the rest of the ingredients. Use the liver in the sauce later. Sauté it lightly in butter and chop exceedingly fine before adding.

BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and sage, and cook for 5 minutes. Place the mixture in a large mixing bowl, add the cubed bread and chicken broth, and toss to combine.
• When cool, stuff the turkey and bake. If you prefer, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the stuffing and bake in a casserole for 40 minutes.