Colonial Oyster Stuffing Recipes

COLONIAL OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Spread the bread cubes in a baking pan, in a single layer.
• Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until the bread is dry and slightly colored. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl (this can be done ahead, just cool the bread and place in an airtight container until ready to use).
• In a large skillet, saute the onions and celery in the oil over medium low heat until the onions are soft, 10 - 15 minutes.
• Add the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, sage and oregano, and sautee for 5 more minutes.
• Add the wine, and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the bread cubes and mix well to combine.
• Add the oysters, cream, and parsley to the bread mixture, and mix to combine.
• Add enough of the chicken stock to the bread to moisten it, but not so much that it gets soggy (this depends on how dry your bread and vegetables were, so an exact amount is impossible to give).
• Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish and cover with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes , then uncover and bake for about 10 more, until the top is crisp and golden brown.
• Serve while still hot.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter, and set aside.
• Sprinkle a layer of crushed soda crackers on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of oysters, along with their juices, on top of the crackers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with a few pats of butter. Repeat, beginning with another layer of crackers. Top with a final layer of soda crackers and then pour the cream over everything. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and paprika. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

COLONIAL BACON-AND-OYSTER-STUFFED BRISKET

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss together oysters, sage, parsley, mace, cinnamon, bacon and pepper.
• With a long, sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut a pocket in the brisket. Make the cut parallel to the cutting board and in the middle of the meat, cutting almost -- but not through -- the sides of the brisket. Sprinkle the brisket generously with salt. Dust it lightly with flour.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. In a Dutch oven with a tight-fitted lid, heat the oil over high heat. Brown the brisket on both sides. Transfer the brisket to a plate. Stuff the brisket pocket with the oyster-bacon mixture. Using toothpicks, seal the pocket.
• Drain the oil from the Dutch oven. Return the brisket to the Dutch oven, and pour in the red wine and the reserved oyster liquor. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and continue baking until the brisket is well browned and very tender, about 1 hour more.
• Remove the brisket and transfer it to a plate, reserving the liquid. Cover the brisket with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice it thinly across the grain, transfer it to a platter, spoon over some of the reserved liquid and serve.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F and toast the bread until golden brown on the middle rack. turn into a large bowl.
• Meanwhile heat butter until melted and foam subsides. Add onions and celery and cook about 5 minutes until tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in the spices.
• Stir in the bread cubes, and drained oysters and toss well, until the stuffing is moist, but not packed together; stir in the stock and eggs. Put in bird while moist, remoisten and adjust spices as necessary. If cooked in a casserole dish at 350°F until heated through with a crust on the outsides, 25 to 40 minutes.
• Oyster juice may be used in place of some of the stock.

CREOLE OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Drain the oysters and cut them in half. Reserve the liquor.
• Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet and add the onion, celery, green pepper, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about five minutes. Add the reserved oyster liquor and cook about 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the oysters and stir. Cook about five seconds. Remove from the heat. Add the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs. Blend well. Let cool.
• Stuff and roast the turkey (see accompanying box). Butter a baking dish and add any leftover stuffing. Dot the top with about four tablespoons of butter and place in the oven. Bake about 30 minutes. Serve the separate stuffing with the carved turkey.

OYSTER STUFFING WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place bread on baking sheet. Bake until beginning to dry, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover bread and store at room temperature.)
• Butter 11x7x2-inch baking dish. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushroom liquid evaporates and mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. In same pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add celery and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add leeks; cook until vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Add sautéed vegetables, parsley and dried herbs to mushrooms; toss. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add bread cubes and oysters to vegetables in bowl; stir to combine. Mix in reserved 1/2 cup oyster juices and Turkey Stock. Season with salt and pepper. Use 9 cups stuffing for turkey. Transfer remaining stuffing to prepared baking dish; cover with foil and chill until ready to bake. Bake stuffing, covered, at 325°F, until heated through, about 45 minutes.

HOLIDAY OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
• Bring the turkey broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, and melt the margarine in the broth. Stir in the stuffing mix until thoroughly combined. Transfer the stuffing to a large bowl. Stir in pork sausage, ground beef, onion, and egg until the mixture is well combined, and lightly mix in the oysters, turkey giblets, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Transfer the oyster stuffing to the prepared baking dish, and cover dish with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sausage and ground beef are cooked through and the stuffing is crisp and lightly browned, about 1 hour.

COLONIAL OYSTER-SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter or margarine for 5 minutes or until onion is transparent. Transfer to a large bowl.To vegetables, add bread, sausage, oysters, bouillon granules, poultry seasoning, marjoram, salt and pepper. Mix well.Use to stuff an 8- to 10-pound turkey or other poultry or bake in a greased covered casserole in a preheated 325° oven for 30 minutes.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until dry but not colored, about 15 minutes. Transfer bread to very large bowl. Add spinach to bread.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallots, chopped celery and garlic and sauté until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir vegetables into bread mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add oysters and sauté 2 minutes. Mix oysters and 2 tablespoons tarragon into stuffing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Mix 1/3 cup chicken broth into stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups chicken broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil and bake until stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes.