French Bread Oyster Dressing

Ingredients

Full Recipe

• 2½ loaves French bread (~1500 g)
• 1-2 qt oysters, shucked
• 1 lb bacon, cubed
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced (optional)
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ C butter, melted
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 eggs
• 1½ qt chicken stock

Small Recipe

• 1 loaf French bread (~600 g)
• 1-2 qt oysters, shucked
• 1 lb bacon, cubed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ C butter, melted
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 eggs
• ¾ C chicken stock

Directions

1. Poach Oysters: Bring chicken stock to a boil and poach oysters just until the edges begin to curl. Do not overcook. Remove oysters and reserve both oysters and poaching liquid.
2. Prep Bread: Cut French bread into fairly small cubes using a sharp knife; set aside.
3. Cook Bacon & Veg: Brown bacon thoroughly in a black iron pot. Remove bacon and sauté vegetables in the rendered drippings until limp.
4. Combine: Toss bread cubes with bacon, vegetables, seasonings, oysters, and melted butter.
5. Moisten: Gradually add the reserved oyster poaching liquid until the mixture is well moistened.
6. Bind: Add eggs one at a time to bind the mixture. You may not need all four - adjust as needed per batch.
7. Bake: Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and bake @400°F for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chef's Notes

• Alternate Uses: This dressing can be used to stuff poultry for baking or cooked stand-alone as a popular side dish.
• Cook Bacon Options: Bacon may be cooked in the oven for convenience. If browning in cast iron, add 2-3 oz water to aid rendering. The water will evaporate, allowing the fat to render fully without burning.
• Toast Bread: Cut bread into small cubes and toast while the oven preheats. Toasting creates a better vehicle for absorbing butter and bacon drippings.
• Add Liquid Gradually: Add stock in batches to ensure even distribution throughout the dressing.
• Bread & Liquid Note: A mix of French bread and brioche, cubed, air-dried 3 days, then toasted works well. Avoid over-adding liquid - 6-12 oz stock is usually sufficient; 20 oz is too much. A wetter mixture may still cook through but will be softer and may require an extra egg to bind.
• Higher-Temp Bake: If baking @425°F to share oven time with poultry, reduce baking time to ~20 minutes to compensate.

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