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I have tried about every type of Thanksgiving turkey stuffing recipe out there. My mom raised me on traditional bread stuffing for the Thanksgiving menu. After I got married, lo and behold. my southern husband was an adamant fan of cornbread stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey. We usually make cornbread stuffing, since I get to choose most of the rest of the Thanksgiving menu.

However, I must confess that the best turkey stuffing recipe I ever tasted was when I was little. As mentioned before, my mom always made traditional bread stuffing for Thanksgiving with celery, onions, sage, and lots of good stuff. My stepdad kept requesting oyster stuffing, which his mother always made during the holidays.

One year my mom gave in, requested the oyster stuffing recipe from her mother-in-law, and prepared oyster stuffing for our Thanksgiving menu that year. Oh my goodness, oyster stuffing is delicious. It was the best stuffing I ever ate, but I didn't dare tell my mother.

Years later, I searched many oyster stuffing recipes looking for common ingredients. I have experimented until I've come up with a pretty close facsimile of my step grandmother's oyster stuffing recipe. The good thing is that whether you prefer bread stuffing or cornbread stuffing, this stuffing recipe can be made either way. Also, most stuffing recipes cook the celery and onions first. This oyster stuffing doesn't. I like this better because it gives the oyster stuffing some crunch. I hope that you think about adding my oyster stuffing recipe to your Thanksgiving menu.

Traditional Oyster Stuffing Recipe- Makes 8 servings, enough for a 14 lb bird

10 cups white bread (about 1 loaf white bread) or pan of cornbread
16 oz canned oysters, chopped and drained (optional-reserve juice)
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onions
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 cup hot chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

Toast the bread in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven until firm, about 20-30 minutes. After toasting, cut or tear into small pieces. Use all of the bread, including the crusts. If using cornbread, crumble it up.

Melt butter on a stove over medium heat. Turn off heat. Add the celery, onions, bread and oysters. Next, add the spices. Mix together. Slowly stir in the broth next. Substitute some of the broth with reserved oyster juice if you want a stronger oyster flavor. Add the beaten eggs and mix well.

That's it! Now it can be stuffed inside the turkey. Or bake the oyster stuffing in a buttered casserole dish separately. Use a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes. The oyster stuffing should form a nice crust.

Thanks for considering my oyster stuffing recipe and happy Thanksgiving!

Learn more about this author, Angela Harris.
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