Long Island Oyster Stuffing
Oyster Liquor Transforms This Humble Recipe For Thanksgiving Dressing
Savory Oyster Dressing
Cooked slowly on the the stove and moistened only with water and oyster liquor, this stuffing gets its subtle umami and briny flavors from the native Eastern oyster.
Why not add oysters to your Thanksgiving stuffing?
We use a simple recipe familiar to generations of American families. Our local version offers the subtle, briny flavor of oysters raised in Long Island bay waters.
Recipe makes enough stuffing for up to a 15-pound turkey, with leftovers. Ingredients are estimates - Adjust to your preference. It uses no eggs and cooks in the skillet.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (avocado, peanut, olive, peanut, sunflower, corn, canola all have healthy fat.)
3 cups shucked oysters (reserve the liquor juices and oysters separately)
14 cups of bread, preferably day-old, of any type, torn into small pieces. (1 cup of bread weighs about 128 grams. To get 14 cups, plan on 1,792 grams or two to three loaves - give or take. )
1 cup water (you may need up to 2 or 3 cups)
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups diced celery (3-5 stalks)
1/3 cup (-+) minced parsley, any variety, ie Italian, curly, cilantro.
2-3 teaspoons (-+) BELL’S seasoning. Add more to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Tear the bread into small pieces into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine the oyster liquor with enough water to make about 2-3 cups of liquid.
Moisten the bread with some of the oyster-water liquid. Make sure you reserve enough liquid to add to the cooking veggies.
Cook Those Veggies
In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over medium heat. Do not let it smoke. Add the chopped onion, cooking until transparent. Add the diced celery and continue cooking to translucency. Stir in minced parsley and seasonings, salt and pepper.
Add Oysters and Remaining Liquid
Mix in the oysters and remaining liquid with the veggies. Continue stirring just enough to warm the liquid. Do not overcook. Season to taste. Remove from heat when warmed.
Pour the oyster-veggie mixture over the torn bread. Gently toss with fingers until bread is thoroughly moistened to where it’s almost soggy. Add more seasoning if desired while moistening.
Cook On The Stove Top
Transfer stuffing into the heavy skillet. Cook slowly over low heat, using a spatula to turn and flatten the stuffing. Stuffing is done when excess moisture has been absorbed and flavors are thoroughly combined. Usually, this is right before the stuffing would begin to brown. Stuff the bird or keep the dressing warm until served.