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Mr. Sam

Thanksgiving Oyster Stuffing with Sage and Thyme

Briny oysters and buttery bread make a stuffing with a crisp, golden top and a soft center. A little of the oyster liquor gives the whole dish a savory depth that goes especially well with roast turkey.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Lb Country White Bread Cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Bread should be sturdy.
  • 6 Tbl Butter Unsalted.
  • 1 Yellow Onion Large and diced.
  • 3 Ribs Celery Diced.
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Minced.
  • 1 Tbl Fresh Sage Chopped.
  • 2 Tsp Thyme Preferably fresh.
  • 1/4 Cup Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped.
  • 1 Pint Oyster Meat With juice. If no juice, substitue 1 8 ounce jar of clam juice.
  • 1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
  • 2 Eggs Beaten.
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 1/2 Tsp Pepper

Method
 

  1. Dry the bread. Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the bread cubes over two rimmed baking sheets and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until dry to the touch. Transfer to a large bowl. Raise the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook for another minute. Scrape everything into the bowl with the bread and add the parsley.
  3. Add the oysters. Drain the oysters through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving up to ¼ cup of the juice. Check for shell fragments and cut any large oysters in half. Stir the reserved juice into 1 cup of stock, taste, and season with salt and pepper before whisking in the eggs. Pour over the bread and toss gently. Add more stock a splash at a time if the bread still feels dry. Fold in the oysters.
  4. Bake. Spread the stuffing in the prepared dish without packing it down. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165°F. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

We like to put our stuffing inside the turkey and cook it with the bird. This is optional or you can prepare per the above. If cooking inside the bird, reduce the chicken stock to 1 cup, or a little less.