STUFFING

and you still call it stuffing eh?

Mrs F was busy downloading stuff from that Saveur site beth. She thought there were some cool recipes.

actually, I call it dressing, but if you were to mistakenly try to cook it in the bird, it would then be stuffing.

Are you having it for dinner, or supper?

at all depends, whether Im having it in Pa or TEnnessee

I brine every bird I roast for as long as I can. It makes for the moistest boid you'll ever eat. I wash it off, rub it down with herbs, sea salt, pepper, herbs and olive oil. I only stuff a bird with herbs, fruit and onion. Sometime, but not always, I put paper thin lemon slices under the skin.
I have never tried corn meal or oyster stuffing, I'm going to have to it now...
I think the key to a good bread stuffing is really good heavy bread. I dry it and add whatever I have in the house ie bacon, dried berries, apples, onions, lots of herbs, stock and the guts if they're in the bird. I don't have a recipe.

I always wanted to brine a turkey. However we do this 500Degree bird for 10 min/pound and its fantastic (you must start with the bird at room temp).

MAybe for Christmas when some friends and us are going to do a turkey in a smoker.

brining is the sh*t...

never go back to any of the other methods been tried, i won't.


i fill the cavity with celery, onion and apples, and let 'er rip...

do you mean that you are in favor of brining? Im not sure I understand you fully.

Usually when I say that something is "the ****" , I am dumping on it.
As in
Ive got the shits.or "This is real ****"

yes.

sorry.

I forgot you were amish...

I always make two dressings/stuffings, whatever we're calling them... one for inside the bird and one for under the skin.

For the skin one I always use a lighter dressing/stuffing - toasted pine nuts, cooked rice, raisins soaked in brandy, sauteed minced onion or shallots, a bit of savory, that kind of thing. It's great for cornish game hens, too, with a jalapeno jelly glaze (with some of that brandy) - yummy.

For the inside (and any leftover for the pan), generally just the usual - sauteed celery, onion, ground pork or oysters (one of, not both), bit of cooked rice, nuts (I use pecans or walnuts), bread cubes and crumbs, beaten egg if you need it (although I never do), and really, anything you want. The simpler the better, really, so you can taste all the flavours. And, of course, whatever herbs you like. If you don't overstuff (pack lightly), it will be moist. And you just cook the turkey a little longer per pound than you would if it wasn't stuffed. My turkey is never dry.

One of the secrets (other than brining) to a moist turkey (well, two secrets, actually), is to cook it upside down for most of the cooking time. The juices run into the breasts and flavour them. Then for the last 45 min or so, flip the bird over and let the skin crisp. When you take the bird out of the pan, place it on your carving platter, tent some foil over it and let it stand. The juices will resettle throughout the whole bird. Make your gravy, mash your potatoes, etc, then take the stuffing out and start carving.

Mmmmmmm, sounds good.

Eh, we should have a meet up COOK meet - sort of like a Throw Down

Forget that! I'm just coming to eat!!!

<salivating, thinking of Osso & Mame in the same kitchen>

Best turkey I made in years was spatchcocked (love that word). I've never stuffed the bird with other than, say, some garlic cloves and herbs, dressing on the side with good hearthbread, herbs, mild ital sausage, broth - have never put stuffing under the skin of a chicken or turkey, and have never cooked a goose. Nearly set the house on fire once with a duck..
That jalapeno jelly/brandy glaze sounds tempting.. I like spicy food and turkey can be so damned dull sometimes.

Anybody looked at Bittman's 101 things to do ahead re thanksgiving? Lots of ideas there for days other than thanksgiving too..
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/dining/18mini.html

I've gotten lazier as a cook - Mame could cook circles around me.

Brining the bird...change water every 12 hours.
1 cup salt per 4 cup water or stock.
1 cup brown sugar
pepper, garlic, onion and herbage
I try to do it for at least 24 hours and leave in a cold fridge,( or in a cold garage - it was natural in Alberta, BC not so much...)
Trust me it's awesome, just don't forget to rinse it off before roasting.

I should add, just for the sake of clarity, the bird must be thawed before you begin this process.

Seems like a lot of salt,......?

Yup, it is. The object of brining is to get moisture into the bird not water log it, or bloat it. Osmosis baby... When you wash the bird, inside and out, the salt washes off.

Thank you Ceili.
I decided to brine, one of the two turkeys.