Going to be doing Stuffings. Wondering if the wet ingredients can be made ahead. Before cooking, combine the bread chunks with the wet ingredients. I don't see any problem with doing this.
Would like to make the stuffings ahead and reheat but they might get dried out. Thoughts? Cooking for 12 and don't really have the oven space for everything.
We've precooked it the day before and then heated it up in a crock pot. Need to watch the temps to stay in the safe zone but not dry it out. We've found that if you add a little chicken stock, just a teaspoon or so per cup of stuffing when first warming it up it helps it to stay moist.
I always prep the stuffing the day before, basically following the recipe up to the point it goes in the oven. Then instead of baking I cover and put in fridge and then bake it off on thanksgiving. I take it out of the fridge an hour or so before baking to knock the chill off so it doesn’t take too long to bake
Use your usual recipe, but delete 10-20 per cent of the liquid, as your stuffing, over time, will absorb all the liquid you need at this ratio. I have done this on the job with great results. If, when the stuffing is cooked, you feel it is a bit dry, drizzle in some stock and a bit of butter to your desired "wetness." You can always add liquid, but, it is difficult to remove.
In one of my past jobs, I had to cook about 50-60 turkeys plus all the trimmings, and I can vouch for this technique to be very useful.
We (and I at home) regularly pre-do our stuffing to bake later, just don't use too much moisture.
Sure make it the day before and refrigerate. Cut back on liquid as said above. Pull from refrig an check for liquid, go with it or add a little more. and take straight to oven. Do not set on counter for any length of time, you will go into the danger zone in the hot kitchen. Make sure you take the temp to 165.
Last edited by mountainsmoker; November 26, 2019, 06:14 AM.
You can pre assemble the stuffing and refrigerate until you want to cook it day of. I do a spatchcocked bird, so I'll put the turkey on a wire rack over the stuffing. Once the bird is done, I'll check the stuffing and see if it needs a little liquid. When the bird rests the stuffing goes back in the oven to finish cooking and crisp up the top. Good thing about stuffing/ dressing is that it's pretty forgiving, so don't worry too much and have fun
Thanks for the advice. This was more a question about Meathead's Stuffing Muffins recipe. I have decided, to save on time and headache, to use the Stuffing Muffin recipe and just put the mix in a casserole dish to bake instead of a muffin pan. Makes things much easier. Will reserve some of the broth to add just prior to cooking.
Hope y'all have a great day. And as we say in Miami, Buen Provecho.
Par bake. I did this this year. Baked it most of the way, chilled and refrigerated, then finished the bake on the day of.
Recipe calls for 40-45 minutes at 350 covered, then bump the temp to brown the top and finish the cook, 425 for 15-20 minutes. The par bake recipe goes 40-45 at 350 up to 3 days ahead, then on day of service, reheat at 350, then do the the 425 for 15-20 minutes. I might use a thermometer, see where the center was on the parbake for the reheat.
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