Why do people put oysters in stuffing?

Why It Works. Oysters add a savory, briny flavor to the stuffing without making it overly seafood-y . Drying the bread allows it to absorb more flavorful moisture, like chicken stock and oyster liquor.

What temperature is stuffing cooked?

How do you safely cook stuffing? The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F . A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

What is the green stuff in canned oysters?

Green or blue or brown colouring is usually filtered matter - it's what they've been eating. Green is supposedly the most highly prized for taste. The green-coloured organ in the interior of bivalve molluscs (oysters, mussels, clams, scallops) is the hepatopancreas.

Are oysters killed before eating?

Most restaurants in the US keep their oysters alive — on ice — up until this shucking process, which afterwards, either leaves the oyster dead, or immobile . Since they don't move around much in the first place, it's not easy to tell which. So you're eating an oyster that was either just killed or is dying.

Why put eggs in stuffing?

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture . Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

How do you keep stuffing moist when baking?

You want your stuffing moist but not soggy and certainly not dry. The bread in the stuffing absorbs moisture, but if it's dry (as it should be, see above), it takes some time for the liquid to settle in. I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix .

Is it OK to make stuffing a day ahead of time?

No matter where you fall, getting a head start on what can be prepared before the big day is essential. One question that always crops up: Can you make stuffing ahead of time? The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes .

Where did oyster stuffing come from?

The history of Oyster Dressing dates back over 300 years ago. This savory side dish was brought to America by the British colonists . At the time, oysters were quite plentiful and could be easily gathered along the shoreline. This Thanksgiving side is still quite popular.

Why were oysters used to stuff turkeys?

The British brought the tradition of oyster stuffing to the colonies. In 1685, a British cookbook mentioned stuffing poultry or fish with oysters. Since oysters were plentiful (and extremely cheap) in the New World, they were used by the poor or laborers to stretch their meager meat rations .

Are oysters traditional for Thanksgiving?

While oysters aren't commonly associated with a Thanksgiving feast , they actually played a larger role in the origination of the holiday than you'd think. The mollusks were likely feature prominently on the tables of early American settlers, unlike a turkey.

What do people use canned oysters for?

Here are more than a few samples of what you can do with canned oysters, many of which I've prepared and served in restaurants. Oyster ice cream. Fhuseynli/Shutterstock. ... Carpet bag steak. Fanfo/Shutterstock. ... Oyster stew. ... Smoked oyster dip. ... Oyster chowder. ... Fried. ... Salad dressing. ... Seafood salad (Insalata di Mare) More items... Mar 5, 2024

Oyster Stuffing With Fennel, Tarragon, and Sausage Recipe (2024)

Sides
Thanksgiving Stuffings
Savory
Sausages
Oysters

Daniel Gritzer

Senior Culinary Director

Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated November 04, 2020

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Why It Works

Oysters add a savory, briny flavor to the stuffing without making it overly seafood-y.
Drying the bread allows it to absorb more flavorful moisture, like chicken stock and oyster liquor.
Fennel and tarragon blend beautifully with the oysters.

Adding oysters to Thanksgiving stuffing may sound like an odd choice, but it's a practice with a long history and delicious results. Here, raw chopped oysters are mixed with oven-dried wheat bread, sausage, and aromatic vegetables and herbs. The oysters add a wonderful savory flavor and subtle brininess.

Oyster Stuffing With Fennel, Tarragon, and Sausage Recipe (2)

Southern Cornbread Dressing With Oysters and Sausage Recipe

Recipe Details

Oyster Stuffing With Fennel, Tarragon, and Sausage Recipe

Active60 mins

Total2 hrs 30 mins

Serves8to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds (1 kg; about 2 loaves) high-quality sandwich bread or soft Italian or French bread, cut into 3/4-inch dice, about 5 quarts
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1 stick unsalted butter (113g), plus more for greasing dish
1 pound (500g) sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups; 300g)
2 large stalks celery, finely chopped (about 1 cup; 200g)
1/2 medium fennel bulb, finely chopped (about 1 cup; 200g)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons; 10g)
1 teaspoon mincedfresh thyme leaves
3 cupshomemade chicken stockor low-sodium broth (700ml), divided
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons mincedfresh tarragon
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 1/4 ounce; 8g), divided
2 cups raw oysters and their liquor (470ml; about 32 medium oysters), oysters chopped (see notes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Preheat oven to 275°F. Spread bread evenly over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Stagger sheets on oven racks and bake until bread is completely dried, about 50 minutes total, rotating sheets and stirring bread cubes several times during baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, without allowing butter to brown, about 2 minutes. Add sausage and mash with stiff whisk or potato masher to break up into fine pieces (largest pieces should be no bigger than 1/4 inch). Cook, stirring frequently, until only a few bits of pink remain, about 8 minutes. Add onion, celery, fennel, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of chicken stock.
Whisk remaining chicken stock, eggs, tarragon, and 3 tablespoons parsley in a medium bowl until hom*ogeneous. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, slowly pour egg mixture into sausage mixture. Add bread cubes, oysters, and oyster liquor and fold gently until evenly mixed. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Transfer stuffing to a buttered 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish (or 10- by 14-inch oval dish) and bake until browned on top and an instant read-thermometer reads 150°F when inserted into center of dish, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve.

Special equipment

Two rimmed baking sheets, 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish (or 10- by 14-inch oval dish), stiff wire whisk or potato masher, instant-read thermometer

Notes

You can shuck your own fresh oysters (see the video above for instructions), ask your fishmonger to do it, or buy containers of raw shucked oysters. Our tests showed that the stuffing tastes just as good with pre-shucked oysters as with freshly shucked. The easiest way to chop the oysters is to snip them in a container using kitchen shears; that way you don't lose their juices to the cutting board.

This Recipe Appears In

Want the Best Thanksgiving Stuffing? Consider the Oyster

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
591	Calories
21g	Fat
63g	Carbs
37g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	591
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g	27%
Saturated Fat 9g	46%
Cholesterol 175mg	58%
Sodium 1387mg	60%
Total Carbohydrate 63g	23%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 17mg	86%
Calcium 116mg	9%
Iron 12mg	69%
Potassium 727mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)