Thanksgiving Tradition Oyster Dressing Recipes

OYSTER DRESSING RECIPE

Steps:

• Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the crumbled saltine crackers.
• Mix well and set aside.
• Place skillet over Medium heat on stove top.
• Add one stick of butter.
• Add chopped celery.
• Add chopped onion.
• Stir and cook celery and onions until translucent. About 5 minutes.
• Pour cooked celery and onions over the cornbread and crackers mixture.
• Add salt.
• Add black pepper.
• Add ground nutmeg.
• Add sage.
• Add beaten eggs.
• Mix all ingredients well.
• Slightly chop the oysters in a small bowl. Add oysters and oyster liquid to mix.
• Stir well.
• If mixture is dry, add evaporated milk as needed.
• If mixture is too wet, add crumbled saltine crackers as needed.
• Butter a 9×13 baking dish on bottom and sides.
• Pour the dressing mixture into the baking dish.
• Bake at 350F degrees for 45 minutes.
• Remove when done and set on wire rack to cool slightly.
• Enjoy!

OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Toast the bread and tear apart into pieces. Reserve in a bowl.
• Melt the butter in a pan with the celery and onions.
• Allow the vegetables to soften for a few minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock, Old Bay seasoning, oyster liquor, kosher salt and black pepper.
• Allow the mixture to simmer for about five minutes.
• Add in the oysters (cut in pieces if they are large).
• Sprinkle in the fresh parsley.
• Mix.
• Combine enough of the toasted bread pieces to absorb the liquid (you may not use them all).
• Be sure the mixture is not too wet, or too dry.
• Line a casserole dish or cast iron pan with butter.
• Add the dressing and cover with foil.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• In the last few minutes of baking, remove the foil and dot with a few pats of butter.
• Broil for a minute or so to brown the top.
• Serve and ENJOY!

GRANDMOTHER'S OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine turkey neck, celery leaves, carrot top, onion and water to cover. Simmer for 2 hours as the turkey roasts. In a large bowl combine stale breads, set aside. In a large saute pan melt butter with vegetable oil. Add onions, celery and sage and cook over medium heat until onions begin to brown Add onion mixture and enough of the giblet broth to moisten bread, toss, and set aside. About 1 hour before the turkey is done, using a turkey baster or a large spoon remove all but 1/2 cup of fat from pan. Toss the oysters with the bread stuffing and add it in an even layer to the roasting pan with the turkey, stirring to coat the bread. Return the turkey to the oven and continue roasting for the final hour. Serve as a side dish

OYSTER DRESSING II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in celery, sweet onion and yellow onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in poultry seasoning and ground black pepper. Stir in oysters and chicken broth, and remove from heat.
• Place Italian bread in a large bowl. Pour oyster mixture over the bread and mix to coat.
• Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven 2 hours.
• Turn off oven. Remove foil and allow stuffing to remain in oven about 10 minutes, until surface is crisp.

OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• In a greased casserole pan, place a layer of crumbled crackers, then a layer of oysters (drained but save the liquid), dot with butter and season with salt, pepper or seasoned salt. Repeat layers as desired or based on pan size. For a 9x9 or 9x13 it varies. Usually 3-5 cans of oysters are needed.
• Mom used to include some Ritz crackers but it isn't required. Nothing is exact about the recipe, I just build it in layers until it looks right. Quantities depend on the pan.
• Once you have the layers done, (the top layer should be crushed crackers dotted with butter) pour the oyster liquid and milk/cream back on the creation to moisten. Usually it is a 50/50 mix. I have added some white wine and/or beer (up to ½ cup each). The key is to make sure all the crackers are moist/soggy. You don't want any dry pockets. I usually let it set, covered, in the fridge for a few hours while the other stuff is being prepared. Then you bake at 425 degrees until brown/done (45 min or longer depending on oven).

TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• In a LARGE black cast iron Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and saute' the smoked sausage, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and green onion tops until all of them are tender.
• The one thing you want to remember is to keep the butter hot, but don't let it burn (and don't let the garlic burn either or it will turn bitter).
• I also suggest that you keep stirring the mixture to cook it uniformly.
• Next, stir in the parsley.
• Then gradually stir in the chopped oysters, the oyster liquor, and the turkey pan drippings. Notice I said to gradually stir. The reason for this is that you do not want to reduce the heat, lowering the cooking temperature will cause excessive water to be released from the oysters and you'll have to add too much bread to the finished dish.
• Now cook the oysters gently over medium high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring all the while.
• And when all the ingredients are well mixed, drop in the poultry seasoning, basil, thyme, seafood seasoning, black pepper and salt. About the salt; taste your raw oysters to see if they are naturally salty before adding the prescribed amount.
• You may have to reduce additional salt if nature has provided her own.
• At this point, cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes to allow time for the flavors to marry.
• This is one of the secrets to making a really good oyster dressing. Don't rush or skip this step!
• After the simmering process is done, remove the pot from the fire and begin adding the bread chunks a few at a time.
• Note that you do not have to add all four cups.
• If you want your dressing moist, stop adding bread when you get to the texture you desire.
• If you want a drier stuffing, add all four cups, even a little more if your taste and needs dictate.
• Now taste the dressing again and make your final seasoning adjustments.
• The objective is to get the bread to absorb all the pan liquor, thereby binding everything together.
• When, in your estimation, the dressing is ready (it shouldn't be soupy, but it shouldn't be dry either), allow it to cool slightly. Then rapidly stir in the raw egg to tie everything together and cover it for a few minutes to let it set up.
• This is where the richness comes in and it's how the final blending brings out full flavor.
• Oh, and if by chance you've miscalculated and made the mixture a bit too dry, just pour in a little extra turkey drippings.
• The only thing left to do is to transfer the dressing right from the Dutch oven to a buttered casserole dish, generously sprinkle the top with the buttered cracker crumbs, drizzle on a little extra melted butter, and bake it for about 25 minutes uncovered in a 375°F oven.
• Fresh bread chunks are better than dried crumbs in your oyster dressing because they tend to cook up fluffy rather than pasty. So to make fresh bread chunks, just take fresh sliced bread or French bread and pull apart small bite-side pieces.
• To make your buttered cracker crumb topping, simply drop regular saltine crackers into the processor and, while the blades are spinning, pour in a couple of tablespoons of melted butter.