What is oyster dressing/stuffing?

[Micca]

DW's aunt used to make the version with the saltines. I liked it and would think anyone who likes oysters would enjoy it. I agree it's more of a side dish.
I'd still want some kind of traditional stuffing with the turkey.

 

[laurafergie]

I love a good oyster dressing, but it can only be used as a supplement to corn bread dressing if I am going to be around. IMO, a good corn bread dressing cannot be replaced.

Which is why we have both in our house! Cornbread stuffing in the turkey. Oyster dressing as a side dish.

To make the oyster dressing:
1/2 lb bacon diced and cooked - remove from pan
Add about a cup of each - celery, onion, carrots, mushrooms - diced -saute
Season with salt and pepper, sage and thyme

put in a big bowl and add any bread you like, I like french bread - cubed
chopped fresh parsley (a lot)
quart of oysters
4 eggs
Chicken stock maybe 1-1/2 cup

buttered 9 x12 pan bake 350 30 min covered, then uncover and bake 15-20 min more.

 

[NotUrsula]

I grew up in coastal S. Louisiana in a seriously oyster-centric family. (My dad was a p/t commercial fisherman) Our version is bread, always with some rye included, and it also includes sausage. When my dad was alive it was made with whole oysters, but I've got issues with the texture of them, so I re-invented it using ground oysters. (All of the flavor and none of the texture - YUM.) A LOT more people seem to enjoy my version than my mom's, I think primarily because a lot of people don't want to eat whole oysters.

What I do is make a make a salt-free turkey stock with some of the giblets, and then I add butter, minced onion, celery and garlic, plus some black pepper. On the side I fry the oysters and some good-quality loose salsiccia, blot off the oil, and then dump the meat into a food processor and grind it very fine. Then I add that to the stock/veggie mixture, and then use that liquid to moisten the breadcrumbs to the right consistency. (Note that I do NOT use any egg.) I cook this both in the bird and in a foil-covered pan, but the pan requires some extra butter to keep it sufficiently moist. I use about a lb. of meat total, between the cooked oysters and the cooked sausage.

One year I experimented with using oyster mushrooms instead of real oysters because I had a guest who was allergic to shellfish. It came out OK, but my family prefers the real thing.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Would you happen to have the recipe for this? I had it once and thought it was delicious, but I've never been able to recreate it myself.

This isn't my MIL's recipe, but I'm sure it's quite similar. This one I copied from the Beverly Lewis' Amish Heritage Cookbook.

Oyster Filling2
12 oz jars oysters, undrained
3 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
dash pepper
4 cups flat oyster crackers
1/2 cup browned butter

Place oysters, with juice, milk, salt and pepper in saucepan. Heat just to boiling, immediately remove from heat. Butter 4-quart vovered baking dish. Layer oyster crackers and oyster/milk mixture. Crackers will float, gently push them into milk, evenly distributing oysters. Bake, covered, at 325F for one hour. Drizzle with browned butter before serving.

 

[MushyMushy]

This isn't my MIL's recipe, but I'm sure it's quite similar. This one I copied from the Beverly Lewis' Amish Heritage Cookbook.

Oyster Filling2
12 oz jars oysters, undrained
3 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
dash pepper
4 cups flat oyster crackers
1/2 cup browned butter

Place oysters, with juice, milk, salt and pepper in saucepan. Heat just to boiling, immediately remove from heat. Butter 4-quart vovered baking dish. Layer oyster crackers and oyster/milk mixture. Crackers will float, gently push them into milk, evenly distributing oysters. Bake, covered, at 325F for one hour. Drizzle with browned butter before serving.

Thank you! That sounds like the same ingredients in the dish I tried, but a different method. I know that the person who made it soaked the oyster crackers in the milk, oysters & butter, but this sounds like it would turn out really nice by cooking it in a saucepan. I'm definitely going to give it a try.

 

[gawrsh2008]

Here is my Papaw's recipe.



Oyster Dressing – serves 16

¾ loaf day old French bread, cubed, about 3 cups
2 green bell peppers, diced
6 stalks celery, diced
5 medium eggplants, peeled and diced
1 stick butter
4 onions, diced (about 3 cups)
½ gallon oysters, drained and cut in half (reserve liquid)
Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs, slightly beaten
½ lb Parmesan cheese, grated
Creole seasoning

Put diced eggplant in salted water to cover. Bring water to boil and continue boiling for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Sauté’ onions, celery and bell pepper for 8 minutes. Add garlic and drained eggplant and continue cooking for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Add oyster and breadcrumbs. Add oyster liquor gradually until you get the right consistency. The mixture should be somewhat loose, like creamed spinach. Cook 2 hours on low heat, uncovered.
Add eggs and Parmesan after cooking is done.

This can be made up to 3 days in advance and reheated in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

[pigletgirl]

Never had it, again its probably a regional thing.