Oyster Dressing Recipe, Oyster Stuffing Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

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This is the dressing of oyster lover dreams! The oyster nectar makes the dressing so moist and flavorful. What’s not to love about a dressing that includes fresh oysters? Oyster Dressing can often be one of the best parts of a Thanksgiving dinner. This dressing must be served as a side dish and not as a turkey stuffing in the turkey.

This recipe was shared with me by Doc Lawrence and his Sips Across America columns. The recipe is by Chef Josh Butler, Executive Chef at the Florida Governor’s Mansion in Tallassee, FL.

Oyster Dressing Recipe, Oyster Stuffing Recipe, Whats Cooking America (1)Photo Credit: Matthew Mead, The Associated Press

LearnHow To Shuck Oysters.

Pleasecheck out my Thanksgiving Turkey dinner menu which includes Grandma’s Oyster Dressing.

History of Oyster Dressing:

Oyster dressing is a favorite of New Englanders that dates back to the 18th century in America as oysters were predominantly found along the eastern coast of North America. Oysters had been used with or without bread crumbs for stuffing poultry or fish over 335 years. The tradition of oyster dressing was brought over from British colonists that settled in America. In Britain, oysters were added to stuffing that was more traditionally used in fowl (chicken), fish, calves he ad, leg of mutton, hares (rabbit) and pigs.

Oysters used to be more plentiful and the most commonly eaten shellfish in America. They were cheap and plentiful enough for the working class to afford. Many early American cooks stuffed their turkeys and chicken with oysters since it was an inexpensive source of protein. Turkeys were very expensive and adding the oysters helped ensure there was enough protein to feed a large group. As the express wagons and railroads made it more possible to transport goods in the mid-19th century, the oyster market was able to expand and set off a national oyster addiction. Fresh, raw oysters were commonly served in taverns as oysters were a cheap food to serve with beer and liquor. By 1850, every major town in America had an Oyster saloon also known as oyster bars, oyster house or raw bar.

1685 – Earliest cookbook reference: The Accomplisht Cook, London, Sauce with Oysters and Bacon, The oysters were cooked and mixed with spices and herbs stuffed in the pullets belly and roasted.

1796 – American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, Meats – To smother a Fowl in Oysters: “Gill the bird with dry oysters, and sew up and boil in water just sufficient to cover the bird, salt and season to your taste – when done tender, put it into a deep dish and pour over it a pint of stewed oysters, well buttered and peppered, garnish a turkey with sprigs of parsley or leaves of celery: a fowl is best with a parsley sauce

1832 – The Cook’s Own Book: Being A Complete Culinary Encyclopedia, by A Boston Housekeeper. Chicken Stuffing recipe – “Fill your chickens with young oysters cut small, truffles, parsley and spices and roast them.”

1880 – Miss Parloa’s New Cook Book and Marketing Guide by Maria Parloa – Boiled Turkey – “Chop half a head of celery very fine. Mix with it one quart of bread crumbs, two scant table-spoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two heaping table-spoonfuls of butter and two eggs. Stuff the turkey with this; sew up and truss. The stuffing may be made the same as above, only substitute oysters for celery, and serve with oyster sauce.”

References:
The Washington Post, Food Section – A Short Course On the History of 8 Thanksgiving Foods, by Amanda Moniz, November 22, 2013
New England Recipes, Oyster Stuffing History.
Wikipedia, Oyster bar.
Oysters: A Culinary Celebration, by Joan Reardon, 2004, Guilford, Conn, Lyons Press.
Historic Columbus Taverns: The Capital City’s Most Storied Saloons by Tom Betti and Doreen Uhas Sauer, 2012, Charleston, SC, History Press

Oyster Dressing Recipe, Oyster Stuffing Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2)

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Grandma's Oyster Dressing Recipe:

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American

Keyword:Grandma's Oyster Dressing Recipe

Author: What's Cooking America

Ingredients

  • 4tablespoonsbutter,divided
  • 1cuponion,chopped
  • 4green onions,chopped
  • 2stalkscelery,chopped
  • Pinchcayenne pepper
  • 3cupsCornbread,crumbled (either homemade or store bought)
  • 3cupsbread crumbs,small dice*
  • 1/2cup freshparsley,minced
  • Saltand freshly-ground pepper to taste
  • 2largeeggs,lightly beaten
  • 1pint fresh liveoystersshucked and drained (reserve 1/2 cup oyster liquid)**

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  2. Lightly butter a large rectangular baking pan.

  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Saute onions and celery in the butter until tender; remove from heat an add a small pinch of cayenne and let cool.

  4. Combine cornbread and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Gently fold in sauteed onions, salt, pepper, and parsley.

  5. Add beaten eggs and toss more; moisten with the reserved oyster liquid until moist but not soggy. Gently stir in the oysters.

  6. Pat the mixture into the prepared baking pan (it should make a 1-inch layer in the pan).

  7. Dot with remaining butter and bake about 45 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center.

Recipe Notes

* Check outMaking Homemade Bread Crumbs

**Lean How To Shuck Oysters

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Categories:

Heirloom Recipes Holiday Turkey Dinners New England Oyster Side Dish Thanksgiving

Comments and Reviews

Oyster Dressing Recipe, Oyster Stuffing Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

FAQs

Why 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. Fennel and tarragon blend beautifully with the oysters.

How to prepare oysters recipe? ›

All you need is a pot with a steamer basket. Place the shucked oysters in the basket, set over boiling water, and cover to steam for 4-5 minutes until they are firm and opaque. Once cooked, season with lemon juice, garlic butter, herbs, or other flavors.

What is the history of oyster stuffing? ›

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.

What temperature should dressing be cooked to? ›

Cook until the center of the dressing reaches 165 degrees. When checked with a food thermometer. Never place frozen dressing or other frozen food in a slow cooker, it will not reach proper safe temperature fast enough.

What gives oysters their flavor? ›

Just like wine, oysters can vary greatly in flavor, as influenced by the waters they live in. For example, White Stone Oysters tend to have vegetal, sweet, and mushroom notes because of the relatively low salinity of the Chesapeake Bay. In contrast, oysters grown in New England tend to be very salty.

Why do you put lemon juice on oysters? ›

Lemon juice on an oyster is an easy way to enhance its natural briny flavor. Think of this as the purist's version of an oyster sauce. Just a dash of lemon juice lets you appreciate all of the oyster's flavors by complementing and enhancing them.

How long to soak oysters before cooking? ›

You'll want a ¼ cup of salt per 4 cups of water. Step 3: Plunge the oysters into the saltwater bath and refrigerate them for 1 hour. The oysters will filter the cold water, purging any sand they may have in the process.

Are oysters good for you? ›

Oysters are highly nutritious shellfish that offer a wide array of health benefits. They're packed with high quality protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants — all of which benefit health. Still, raw oysters can contain potentially harmful bacteria. To avoid getting sick, enjoy oysters cooked instead.

How long do oysters last in the fridge? ›

When properly cared for live oysters will live in your refrigerator for 10 to 21 days. Are they alive? When oysters are dead in their shells they are no longer suitable to eat. To see if your oysters are alive, the shell should be closed or close when tapped lightly.

What country invented stuffing? ›

Purportedly ancient Roman, or else Medieval, cooks developed engastration recipes, stuffing animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds.

What did Native Americans use oyster shells for? ›

Anthropologists have also found intact Oyster shells inside of fire pits, which indicate that the Native Americans not only would have consumed them raw but also fire roasted and steamed them inside of seaweed wraps.

Why do we have oysters at Christmas? ›

As well, oysters started to become associated with Christmas, because they were most readily available to be consumed during December. By the mid-1800s, the country flooded with Irish immigrants. Poor, starved from the potato famine, and in search of sanctuary, the Irish brought with them their strict Catholic diets.

How do I know when my stuffing is done? ›

A food thermometer should be used to check the internal temperature of the turkey in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing and the innermost part of the thigh and inside the stuffing to ensure all locations reach 165ºF.

Can I cook stuffing at 325 instead of 350? ›

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.

How do I know when stuffing is cooked? ›

For roasting always include the stuffing when calculating your cooking times. If you're using a temperature probe you want the centre to be 70ºc. Sausage Stuffing Balls need about 30 minutes in the oven on a Gas Mark 3, 325º Fahrenheit 170º Celsius. If you're using a temperature probe you want the centre to be 70ºc.

What is the importance of oyster sauce in cooking? ›

Oyster sauce adds a savory flavor to many meat and vegetable dishes. The sauce is a staple for much Chinese family-style cooking. It is commonly used in noodle stir-fries, such as chow mein. It is also found in popular Chinese-American dishes such as beef with stir-fried vegetables.

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.

What does adding oyster sauce do? ›

Along with a jolt of flavor, oyster sauce adds a dark caramel color to any dish, which, according to assistant food editor Jessie YuChen, is referred to as “the sauce color” in Mandarin. It's a shade you'll notice in many Chinese dishes like stir-fried broccoli, Cantonese beef chow fun, and lo mein.

Why do people eat oysters at Christmas? ›

This was due to food being able to travel further without spoiling. As a result, the myth of the “r” month oyster was born. As well, oysters started to become associated with Christmas, because they were most readily available to be consumed during December. By the mid-1800s, the country flooded with Irish immigrants.

References

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