gluten free stuffing?

[Best Aunt]

The family member hosting Thanksgiving asked me to bring stuffing. I pulled out a family recipe which I was going to use. Then I remembered that one family member has problems with gluten.

Is there such a thing as gluten-free stuffing? If so, does anybody have a recipe?

 

[PollyannaMom]

I wonder if you could buy gluten-free bread (something made with rice flour, maybe) and use it in your regular recipe?

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Get a loaf or two or three (depending on how many people you are cooking for) and toast them in the oven. then cut them up and let them sit for however long your stuffing recipe says. Then follow your recipe. If it calls for flour you can substitute with a gluten free flour. It will taste slightly different because of the bread and the texture may change but it should work.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

I'm gluten free and this will be my 1st Thanksgiving eating this way. What I'm planning to do is make my own cornbread (Bob's Red Mill Cornbread Mix) the day before. Cut it up into cubes and let it dry out all day. Then make it into stuffing with GF chicken broth, dried cranberries, raisins, celery and onion.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

here's one! I had just read this in the am!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/08/health/20101108_thanksgiving.html#27

 

[honugirl]

Whole Foods has GF bread cube things in the GF freezer section. You can take those and just make your stuffing however you normally do.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I wouldn't recommend just going out and buying Gluten Free bread if you don't know what you should be getting. A lot (most!) of the GF bread available in the stores is disgusting. I don't think even making it into stuffing would help it. There are only a few types that are edible and even those are really dependent on individual tastes. Making stuffing for an entire family with it would really not be a good idea.

The cornbread idea sounds good, as long as it isn't made with any gluten flour. Otherwise I think I would talk to the GF family member and see what they recommend. Chances are that they aren't planning to have stuffing, or will bring their own. When we were trying a GF diet with DD a month or so ago, I wouldn't allow her to eat anything not prepared by me. Depending on your relative's sensitivity they may also not eat anything they have not prepared because the danger of cross contamination is really high.

 

[Kathi OD]

The easiest way is to just use the gluten-free bread in your normal recipe, that is IF everything else you use in the recipe is also gluten-free. If you use store bought broth, check to make sure it is gluten-free (many brands are not gf). I don't let mine get stale, as we always used soft bread anyway.

Be prepared for sticker shock on the bread. GF bread comes in much smaller loaves than regular bread and generally costs somewhere between $5 -6 a loaf.

Also, all GF bread is not created equally as far as taste is concerned. For taste, the best I've come across is Udi's.

 

[ratlenhum]

We use Kinnickinick white sandwich bread and it's pretty good. Gluten free bread is usually pretty firm and this brand comes frozen because there are no preservatives.

UDI brand also makes a great bread.

Use the GF bread as you would any other bread. Watch your seasonings though, not all are GF.

 

[Caropooh]

I'm gluten free and this will be my 1st Thanksgiving eating this way. What I'm planning to do is make my own cornbread (Bob's Red Mill Cornbread Mix) the day before. Cut it up into cubes and let it dry out all day. Then make it into stuffing with GF chicken broth, dried cranberries, raisins, celery and onion.

It's our first GF Thanksgiving also! DD11 is celiac.

Whole Foods has GF bread cube things in the GF freezer section. You can take those and just make your stuffing however you normally do.

I just saw them there on Sunday! We got ours down at GF Joes in Tumwater, sure hope they're good!

The easiest way is to just use the gluten-free bread in your normal recipe, that is IF everything else you use in the recipe is also gluten-free. If you use store bought broth, check to make sure it is gluten-free (many brands are not gf). I don't let mine get stale, as we always used soft bread anyway.

Be prepared for sticker shock on the bread. GF bread comes in much smaller loaves than regular bread and generally costs somewhere between $5 -6 a loaf.

Also, all GF bread is not created equally as far as taste is concerned. For taste, the best I've come across is Udi's.

My DD says Udi's is the best also!

 

[Minnie]

I check with the hostess to see if GF stuffing is normally provided... The taste of GF bread can take some getting used to and all the other guests may not care for the end product.

It is very nice of you to consider this but I would bet the family member will likely bring their own food or be very very careful about what is offered due to cross-contamination concerns and hidden gluten issues.

 

[honugirl]

Udi's white sandwich bread rocks! It's the best out of any I've tried. But you still have to toast it.

It's my first GF Thanksgiving also. Definitely will be a challenge! Actually all our family holidays are because our traditional foods aren't ones that are GF friendly. Sigh. I may just start vacationing somewhere else from Turkey Day to just after New Years to avoid the hassle...

Caropooh, GF Joes? Do you mean Trader Joes?

 

[Imzadi]

Try substituting Quinoa. It's a grain that is gluten free and is the only grain that is a complete protein. So it's healthy. It has a slight nutty flavor to it. But, is also bland. It's like rice, which can take on other strong flavors really well, like stuffing spices and turkey broth. People probably won't even know the difference.

I used a different pot to cook it today and accidentally used more water than usual. So it came out mushy & sticky like rice, or the consistency a moist stuffing would be.

Just make sure you wash it well before cooking, so it does not have a bitter taste.

 

[kiddo76]

I check with the hostess to see if GF stuffing is normally provided... The taste of GF bread can take some getting used to and all the other guests may not care for the end product.

It is very nice of you to consider this but I would bet the family member will likely bring their own food or be very very careful about what is offered due to cross-contamination concerns and hidden gluten issues.

ITA. My sister and nephew are gluten free. I make traditional stuffing and she brings a small pan of GF stuffing. I would make a seperate GF pan for her, but she insists on bringing her own. GF bread is expensive, especially when you have to buy several loaves to feed a crowd. I also think her GF stuff is gross since I'm not used to eating it, so I would never subject everyone else to it. The stuffing's the best part!

I must add that I no longer cook the stuffing in the bird due to cross contamination.

 

[Caropooh]

Udi's white sandwich bread rocks! It's the best out of any I've tried. But you still have to toast it.

It's my first GF Thanksgiving also. Definitely will be a challenge! Actually all our family holidays are because our traditional foods aren't ones that are GF friendly. Sigh. I may just start vacationing somewhere else from Turkey Day to just after New Years to avoid the hassle...

Caropooh, GF Joes? Do you mean Trader Joes?

Nope, I really do mean GF Joes! It's a really small store in a strip mall right off the I-5. It's totally gluten free. We've only been there once, but it's great! My DD was in heaven!
http://gfjoes.com/

 

[lovetoscrap]

I must add that I no longer cook the stuffing in the bird due to cross contamination.

The cross contamination concern with GF is from products with Gluten getting into the GF dish. For instance if you are making the stuffing and also a batch of regular cookies, small particles of flour can get into the air and can get into the stuffing. For some people that is enough to make them sick. Or if the counter isn't completely clean and there is a regular bread crumb or two, or a missed spot on a pan, or making regular and GF stuffing at the same time and using the same spoon to stir them.

People who are very sensitive to Gluten will sometimes not eat anything they have not either personally made or witnessed being made because even a tiny bit of flour or other gluten product can make them sick for weeks.

That is why it is best to call the relative and find out what they prefer. It would be a shame to spend the money on an expensive loaf of bread and go to the trouble to make it and then have them bring their own or just not eat it. It would also put them in a bad spot to know you went to all the trouble, but they don't want to risk getting sick.

 

[kiddo76]

The cross contamination concern with GF is from products with Gluten getting into the GF dish.

Which is why I cook my regular stuffing outside the bird, so Gluten won't get onto the turkey or in the drippings for making gravy.

 

[Best Aunt]

Thank you for the replies. You guys mentioned things that never would have occurred to me.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Most of the Gluten free stuffing cubes sold in stores have dairy in them so you should not use those if there is a dairy allergy as well.

If you can't find Udi bread, which is just now becoming widespread, Glutino is good as well.