My Mom's Turkey, Smoked Oyster Dressing, and Gravy Recipes
One holiday tradition I cherish is using my mom's technique for baking a turkey stuffed with her delicious smoked oyster dressing recipe. Just one bite transports me back to the warmth of home. It’s amazing how cooking has the power to bring back those comforting memories. What favorite family recipe do you love?
Equipment
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1 turkey size according to guests
- ½ c butter melted
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme dried or fresh
- 1 tsp sage dried or fresh
- 1 tsp rosemary dried or fresh
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the dressing:
- 12 oz seasoned stuffing mix
- 8 tbsp butter divided
- 1 celery rib finely chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 8 oz 8 oz. package of baby Bella mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts chopped
- 1 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 1 3.75 oz smoked oysters finely chopped, oil discarded
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh sage
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 packets gravy mix
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the stuffing:
- In a large bowl, add in all of the prepared ingredients for the stuffing except the butter, smoked oysters, salt, pepper, stuffing mix and broth. Mix the ingredients in the bowl.1 celery rib, 1 medium onion, 1 8 oz 8 oz. package of baby Bella mushrooms, 1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, 1 tbsp fresh sage
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.1 tbsp olive oil
- Sauté ingredients until the ingredients are tender (up to 8 minutes). Remove from the heat.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and blend with the sautéed ingredients. Pour ½ of the melted butter and broth over the stuffing and stir in a circular motion. Pour the remaining liquids over the uncoated stuffing so that all of the stuffing is thoroughly coated. Mix again. Top with salt, pepper and gravy mix (if using) and ensure all of the stuffing is evenly coated. Mix well and set aside.12 oz seasoned stuffing mix, 8 tbsp butter, 1 cups chicken or turkey broth, 1 3.75 oz smoked oysters, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 2 packets gravy mix
For the turkey:
- Prepare the turkey according to the Reynolds cooking bag instructions. In addition to the instructions, I will outline some tips that make the whole process pretty easy.
- Put the prepared Reynolds bag into your turkey pan. My mom simply put the flour and other bag ingredients in to a bag and shook it up. Set aside.
- Preparation Tips: Ensure you thoroughly thaw the turkey in preparation for the big dinner. Take the thawed turkey out of it's bag and remove the cavity bags, plastic leg clips, and other items that come with the turkey. Thoroughly wash the turkey in look warm water and pat dry with paper towels.1 turkey, 1 large onion, 2 celery stalks
- In a bowl, add spices, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside. In a separate bowl, melt a stick of butter until it is soft. Set aside.1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tbsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Coat the turkey with the softened butter using a basting brush. Ensure you cover the entire outside of the bird and inner cavity. Then coat the turkey with the spice mix ensuring you get the entire outside of the bird and inside the cavity.½ c butter
- This next step may require a helper as you are going to lift the buttered and slippery bird into the bag. I think it's easiest to have one person open the bag while the other person puts the turkey into the bag.
- Once turkey is in the bag, loosely stuff the cavity of the bird with your prepared stuffing. You can also stuff the neck of the bird and shut the large neck flap using long wooden toothpicks.
- Seal the turkey bag. Put any extra stuffing into a glass baking dish that's coated with butter and measures 9x13. Bake the turkey according to the Reynolds bag baking instructions and based on the size of your bird. You will not need to open the bag and/or baste your turkey during the entire baking process. Bake the extra stuffing according to the stuffing directions or directions below.
- Once the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh, it is ready. I find the Reynolds cooking time is pretty spot on. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest.
- Remove the stuffing from the turkey cavity and place in a serving dish.
For the gravy:
- You can use the juice from the turkey bag to make your favorite gravy recipe. My mom simply poured the juice into a sauce pan and added her favorite gravy powder mix (aka. McCormick's Turkey Gravy). This year I used two packets of gravy mix and it worked out perfectly. If you need extra liquid, I substitute chicken broth to add to the juice given off from my cooked turkey. Just follow the instructions on the gravy packet for delicious sauce.
For the extra stuffing:
- Any extra stuffing can be baked in a buttered glass baking dish. Cover the extra stuffing dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, uncover the dish and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes more, until stuffing is well browned and slightly crisp in areas. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot.
To serve:
- Slice the turkey and serve warm. Serve the stuffing and gravy warm. Enjoy this delicious meal full of flavor, nostalgia, and hopefully delicious leftovers.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition facts for the smoked oysters and the gravy mix are estimates. Please use the package nutrition facts for both items to determine the actual values.
I like to use quality sourced meats like those from Butcher Box. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1978mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 779IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you try this recipe? Let us know how it was.