Turkey is the centerpiece of the holiday table in many American households, but everyone has their own idea about what should go in the stuffing. If you are creating a brand new traditional stuffing recipe, it is important to get the basics down so that you can expand and refine it from there. It's not difficult to make turkey stuffing, but it does require prep work and attention to detail, so it is best to make the stuffing the night before.
Step 1
Sauté equal amounts of chopped onion and celery in 1 tbsp. or so of butter. The amount will depend entirely on the size of your turkey and how much stuffing you want to cook outside the bird. The general rule of thumb is 1/2 cup of stuffing for every pound of turkey. Season the cooking vegetables with sage, thyme, salt and pepper and set them aside to cool.
Step 2
Place raw turkey sausage in a large bowl. Add stuffing cubes and enough chicken broth to barely wet the bread cubes. Mix this together with your hands, being careful not to mash or squeeze the turkey sausage too much.
Step 3
Add the cooked, spiced vegetables and mix the stuffing again.
Step 4
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add just enough unsalted butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
Step 5
Fry the stuffing in small batches until it is golden brown and cooked completely through to at least 165 degrees F. You can use chicken broth to fry the stuffing, but it won't brown quite as well.
Step 6
Transfer each batch to a long, flat baking dish as it gets brown. Once all of the stuffing is cooked, cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature before refrigerating.
Step 7
Stuff the turkey loosely the next day, when the stuffing and the turkey are at about the same temperature.
Tips and Warnings
- Use your hands to stuff the turkey instead of a spoon to ensure that it is not packed too tightly.
- Never stuff a turkey the night before, as this increases the risk that salmonella will develop.
Things You'll Need
- Onion, chopped
- Celery, chopped
- Garlic, minced
- Unsalted butter
- Sage
- Thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
- Turkey sausage, raw
- Large bowl
- Stuffing cubes
- Chicken broth
- Large frying pan
- Long, flat baking dish
- Plastic wrap
Member Comments