How to Make Stuffing Without a Recipe

Every year, culinary editors from all over the country are entrusted with coming up with innovative and fascinating stuffing recipes (and somehow different from the hundreds of stuffing recipes that already exist right here on Epicurious alone). What if I told you that you could make the Thanksgiving stuffing of your dreams without using any of those recipes? All you needed was a simple formula and whatever add-ins you liked.

Stuffing is a forgiving meal. You can also call it dressing. It is willing to work with any baking dish you choose and any bread you have on hand, and it is simple to scale up or down to meet your guest count.

In this series, I often give you a ratio to use that doesn't call for any particular measurements. It's a good idea to be a little more precise for the best stuffing. But don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to mix and match to your liking as this is only a ratio rather than a recipe. Let's get going:

A 3-qt baking dish, 10 cups of bread cubes, 3 cups of chopped vegetables, 3 cups of liquid, and 2 big eggs are required for 8 to 10 servings. A form of fat, some spices, and herbs are also required, and you can choose to add up to 1 lb. of meat or any other mix-ins you like.

A 2-qt baking dish, 5 cups of bread cubes, 112 cups of chopped veggies, 112 cups of liquid, and 1 large egg are required for 4 to 6 meals. Additionally, some type of fat, some spices, and herbs are required. You can also choose to add up to 12 pound of meat and any additional mix-ins you like.

Got it? Let's now delve a little more deeply.

1. Cube some bread and dry it.

Any type of bread (or combination of breads) is acceptable. Although I normally bake my homemade gluten-free cornbread to use for stuffing, you could certainly buy a loaf if you'd prefer. You may combine it with something like dark rye, French bread, or another crusty white bread, or use a single loaf of bread, such as whole-grain sourdough. My coworker Joe Sevier uses a mixture of cornmeal and biscuits to make the dressing that his family adores. However, stay away from pre-sliced sandwich bread since if you're not careful, it can turn to mush.

Whatever bread you decide to use, cut, shred, or crumble it into any number of uniform-sized pieces. There's no reason you can't make your bread cubes a little bigger than the standard half-inch size used in traditional stuffing. If you prefer a more rustic stuffing, tearing your bread is a fantastic choice.

The steep rips are excellent for capturing all the toppings and become well toasted in the oven. When you have 10 cups of broken-down bread (or 5, if you're preparing a smaller batch), spread them out on one or more baking sheets, and toast them for 20 minutes at 325°F, tossing them occasionally, until they are crisp and dry like croutons. Place all of the bread into your largest basin after allowing them to cool.

2. Prepare some add-ins.

Dice some produce to give your homemade stuffing flavor and texture while your bread cools. White or yellow onion and chopped celery are the most traditional ingredients for stuffings, but you don't have to stop there—in fact, you don't even have to start there. Try using leeks, shallots, or garlic in instead of onions. Or, if you're opposed,

allium, do not include them. How about mixing finely diced fresh apples with sour fennel? Or how about kale and mushrooms? Consider making your stuffing using the sweet potatoes or squash in place of another traditional side dish on the menu. Up till you have 3 cups (or 112 cups if you're preparing a smaller batch), keep chopping fruits and vegetables.

Place the vegetables in another bowl and prepare the meat next if you want meat in your filling. Chop some pancetta or bacon, de-case some fresh or smoked sausage, or shred some rotisserie chicken. For large batches, you can use up to 1 pound of beef; for smaller ones, only 1/2 pound. I adore adding hot Italian sausage or fresh chorizo to my stuffing. We chose Epi's favorite stuffing recipe, which uses sage-flavored breakfast sausage, which is also highly popular. If the meat is raw when you start,

You should brown it over medium-high heat in a sizable skillet. Fry the meat in a small amount of fat (2-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter or other cooking oil) until it is completely done. Transfer the meat, along with any produced fat, to the basin containing the dried bread cubes.

Add your chopped vegetables to the skillet after that. You should first add a bit additional fat to the skillet if the meat you used didn't render much. You should start with a little extra fat, roughly 6-8 Tbsp total, if you didn't cook any meat. In order to preserve every last bit of taste, sauté your vegetables over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are softened and starting to brown.

3. Add some extras and toss before seasoning.

Even if you're using a heavily spiced sausage in your mix, you don't absolutely need to add dry herbs or spices to your stuffing, although you can if you'd like. Add roughly 12 tsp of freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, or crushed red pepper flakes. It can be lovely to add a small amount of lemony coriander or flowery crushed fennel seeds (roughly 1/2 tsp of either should work).

A few generous shakes of poultry seasoning or any other savory spice blend you enjoy, such as za'atar, garam masala, or sazón, can be added straight away. Without a doubt, you should add some kosher salt. After seasoning the vegetables in the hot skillet anyway you choose, pour them into the large dish of bread and combine everything.

The aromatic spices and the richness of the meat and fat will be balanced by the addition of fresh herbs. You can garnish the mixture with a couple handfuls of finely chopped fresh sage, parsley, rosemary, or thyme.

 

Add any extras after that, such as a handful of toasted nuts like pecans, hazelnuts, or roasted chestnuts. You might also include some dried fruit, like golden raisins or dried cranberries. Add these extra ingredients in amounts up to 1 cup.

Combine everything, then give it a taste. The optimum time to taste is right before adding the liquid and the eggs. Although you won't be able to fully predict how the finished stuffing will taste, you should be able to tell if you've applied the right amount of seasoning. This is the time to add more salt and spices if it tastes a touch dull.

4. Combine eggs and liquid.

If you want to make vegan or vegetarian stuffing, you can substitute vegetable broth for the traditional turkey or chicken stock that traditionally moistens stuffing. Low-sodium chicken broth from the grocery store will perform just fine, but utilizing homemade stock is the key to making stuffing shine. Do you desire greater flavor? To add some brightness to your stuffing, you can substitute some of the stock with a little white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (no more than 1/4 cup). You can also thin out the stock with a little wine, liquor (dry vermouth and brandy are both good options), or apple cider (use about 12 cup of any of these to 212 cups broth or stock).

For a large quantity of stuffing, you'll need about 3 cups of liquid (112 cups for a small batch), however depending on your add-ins, you might not need all of that liquid: Starting with one egg for a small batch or two for a large batch, whisk your eggs into half the liquid required for your stuffing. Toss everything together to coat after pouring this over the large bowl of stuffing mixture. Give it five minutes to sit.

then throw it again while squeezing some bread between your fingers: If it's still firm, add additional liquid, about 12 cup at a time, and continue tossing and pressing the bread until it begins to squish slightly between your fingers. The majority of bread stuffings will require the entire amount of liquid, however you might only need part of it if you utilized some softer breads, like cornbread.

5. Fill the baking dish with the stuffing.

Use a 3-qt. baking dish if you're making a lot of stuffing. The same big skillet you used to saute the aromatics or a 13x9" casserole dish, just make sure it's oven-safe. A 2-qt pan, which is an 8" square baking dish or a 9" round pan with at least 2" high sides, is required for smaller batches. Spread butter or oil in the dish, then pour the moistened stuffing mixture into it.

To pack it in, lightly press down on it; do not smush it. To help the exposed pieces get extra crispy, smear the top with more pats of butter or sprinkle it with more oil. Then, cover the dish with aluminum foil.

For those who like to plan ahead, the good news is that the stuffing can now be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. But if you're aiming to cook the entire Thanksgiving feast in a single day, you can also keep going.

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6. Bake your stuffing and serve it.

Two baking sessions are required for this stuffing. First, cook the dish thoroughly by baking it covered at a moderate temperature for 30 to 40 minutes. Stage two: Remove the dish's lid and preheat the oven for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the stuffing's top is golden brown and crispy. However, the precise temperature is not as crucial because stuffing is glad to go in your oven with anything else that might need a particular temperature.

The temperature for the first stage of cooking should be between 300°F and 375°F in a preheated oven, and the temperature for the second stage should be between 400°F and 475°F. Depending on how your oven scheduling needs to work on Thanksgiving, you can bake the first batch or even the entire two-stage batch in advance.

Before the turkey goes into the oven to roast, I like to complete stage one of my stuffing bake in the morning. When the stuffing springs back when you lightly press it and there is no liquid accumulating around the borders, it is ready. I usually take a break at this point and bake the turkey one last time while it rests. (Stuffing that has been partially baked can remain on the counter for a few hours.) But I only operate in that manner;

This stuffing's main selling feature is that it revolves around execution. The stuffing can also be entirely baked the day before you intend to serve it and then warmed through for about 20 minutes while you prepare the gravy on the stove.

I believe that good stuffing doesn't require any garnishes, but if you'd like, you can add some color by sprinkling on some chopped fresh parsley or any other fresh herbs you used in the stuffing. A large serving spoon and a table full of hungry visitors are all that are left.