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Horizontal image of a white casserole dish filled with a bread stuffing.

Oyster Dressing


  • Author: Fanny Slater
  • Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x

Description

Add some southern flair to your Thanksgiving table with this briny oyster dressing made with dry sherry, crusty bread, and savory leeks.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces sourdough or crusty white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (about 2 large)
  • 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped shucked raw oysters, 1/3 cup oyster liquor reserved
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
  2. Arrange the bread cubes on baking sheets in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried and hardened, about 25-30 minutes. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Raise the oven temperature to 400°F and lightly coat the inside of a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking pan or a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  4. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and swirl to coat the pan. Add the leeks and celery, season with the salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Saute until softened, about 3-5 minutes. 
  5. Pouring slowly and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it, add the sherry and chicken stock. Stir to combine and then remove the pot from the heat. 
  6. Add the oyster liquor, chopped oysters, sherry-stock mixture, and thyme to the bowl of dried bread cubes. Toss until the bread cubes are thoroughly moistened, adding a few additional tablespoons of stock at a time if the bread looks dry or crumbly and isn’t clumping together.
  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, making sure to push the dressing all the way into the corners and smoothing the top to evenly distribute it around the pan. Cube the remaining cold butter and evenly scatter over the top.
  8. Tent the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, rotate the pan, and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with parsley and serve.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
  • Category: Stuffing
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Casserole

Keywords: oyster, dressing