A good stuffing makes all the difference to a roast bird. Team fruit mixtures with richer duck and goose. Tasty herb or oatmeal mixtures are good with turkey or chicken.
Assemble stuffing ingredients beforehand. Then lightly mix ingredients together and stuff a bird just before roasting do not pack stuffing too tightly into the cavity.
Remember to remove stuffing after the first hot serving and store separately in the refrigerator. Stuffing is perishable and should be used up quickly.
You can cook a stuffing separately, except those with oatmeal, by wrapping the mixture in buttered foil and cooking in an oven heated to 350°F (180°C) or Gas no. 4 for 1 hour. Or place stuffing alongside bird for the last hour of the cooking time. For serving cold, let stuffing cool in the wrapping; serve it sliced with cold roast chicken or turkey.
Allow 4 oz (100g) breadcrumbs for every 5 lb (2.3kg) oven-ready weight of poultry to calculate the amount required. Above 15 lb (6.8kg) oven- ready weight for turkey there is no need to increase the amounts, since body cavity remains the same size and the extra weight is from the meat of the bird.
Lemon and parsley: Combine 4 oz (100g) fresh white breadcrumbs, finely grated rind of 1 lemon and 4 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season with salt and freshly milled pepper. Using a fork, stir 2 oz (50g) melted butter and 1 lightly beaten egg into ingredients. Use for roast chicken and turkey.
Spiced apple: Peel, core and dice 2 medium-sized -I cooking-apples and add to 4 oz (100g) fresh white breadcrumbs along with a seasoning of salt and freshly milled pepper, 1 level tablespoon castor sugar and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Using a fork, stir 3 oz (75g) melted butter into ingredients. Use for roast duck or goose.
Oatmeal and onion: Peel and finely chop 1 medium-sized onion and place in a mixing bowl along with 4 oz (100g) medium oatmeal, 2 oz (50g) shredded beef suet and a good seasoning of salt and freshly milled pepper. Mix together to make a loose stuffing which you spoon into the body cavity. During cooking oatmeal will swell and absorb poultry juices and cook to a delicious nutty flavour. Use for any roast poultry.
Orange and walnut: Combine 4 oz (100g) fresh white breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, grated rind of 2 oranges, 1 oz (25g) chopped walnuts and a seasoning of salt and freshly milled pepper. Peel and finely chop 1 medium- sized onion. Melt 2 oz (50g) butter over low heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Using a fork stir butter and softened onion and the juice of 1 orange into ingredients. This makes a delicious stuffing for roast turkey, chicken or goose.