Cathy Ballou Grandmothers Oyster Dressing Recipes

MOMMY ANDERSON'S OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a pot, add the giblets, neck bone, onion and stock. Simmer and cook on low for 20 minutes. Discard the onion and neck bone. Remove the remaining giblets and chop. Place back in the stock and set aside. Strain the oysters over the pot of stock and set aside the oysters.
• In a large bowl, mix all the stuffing cubes with the parsley and set aside.
• In a saute pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter, celery, onions, sage, thyme and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and a nice grind of pepper. Cook until the onions and celery are tender, but the garlic is not browned. Remove to the bowl of bread cubes. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the oysters. Saute until the edges begin to curl on the oysters. Remove to the bowl of stuffing cubes and stir to combine with everything. Pour the stock over the mixture and stir. This is a wet dressing, so it will be very moist. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Press down to make it compact, and then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then raise the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake uncovered until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes more.

CATHY BALLOU GRANDMOTHER'S OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine turkey neck, celery leaves, carrot top, onion and water to cover. Simmer for 2 hours as the turkey roasts. In a large bowl combine stale breads, set aside. In a large saute pan melt butter with vegetable oil. Add onions, celery and sage and cook over medium heat until onions begin to brown Add onion mixture and enough of the giblet broth to moisten bread, toss, and set aside. About 1 hour before the turkey is done, using a turkey baster or a large spoon remove all but 1/2 cup of fat from pan. Toss the oysters with the bread stuffing and add it in an even layer to the roasting pan with the turkey, stirring to coat the bread. Return the turkey to the oven and continue roasting for the final hour. Serve as a side dish.

OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• The day before making the stuffing, bake the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk to combine well. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs and creamed corn, whisking to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more buttermilk.
• Swirl the vegetable oil in the hot cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the skillet, then crumble 6 cups of the cornbread and spread out on a baking sheet. Let the cornbread dry out at room temperature, uncovered, about 24 hours.
• Make the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and celery are semitranslucent, about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; add the crumbled cornbread, oyster crackers, thyme and sage and stir well. Next, add the oysters with their liquor and the eggs; stir until combined. Pat the mixture down into an even layer.
• Put the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp around the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes.

GRANDMOTHER'S OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine turkey neck, celery leaves, carrot top, onion and water to cover. Simmer for 2 hours as the turkey roasts. In a large bowl combine stale breads, set aside. In a large saute pan melt butter with vegetable oil. Add onions, celery and sage and cook over medium heat until onions begin to brown Add onion mixture and enough of the giblet broth to moisten bread, toss, and set aside. About 1 hour before the turkey is done, using a turkey baster or a large spoon remove all but 1/2 cup of fat from pan. Toss the oysters with the bread stuffing and add it in an even layer to the roasting pan with the turkey, stirring to coat the bread. Return the turkey to the oven and continue roasting for the final hour. Serve as a side dish