This delicious oyster and sausage stuffing will be the bell of your next holiday feast. We used andouille sausage, which kicked up the spiciness nicely. But, if you prefer a milder alternative, you can use Italian sausage.
On the Ingredients
- Andouille sausages are smoked sausages originating in France. They’re usually made with pork, but you can get Andouille-style links made from other meats, such as chicken. In the US, these sausages are used heavily in Cajun cooking. They’re usually on the spicy side, with rich flavors that accompany the other elements of Cajun cuisine well.
- Cajun spice is a mixture of herbs and spices used in Cajun recipes. Cajun cuisine is a type of food developed by the Acadians, a francophone people expelled from Canada in the 1750s and 60s. They settled in Louisiana and brought delicious cooking traditions with them, which blended with Spanish and West African cuisines over time. The distinct flavor palate can be recreated with cajun seasoning, which is a mix of paprika, onion, garlic, marjoram, thyme, fennel seed, cumin, and cayenne. This spice is traditionally used with a base of celery, onion, garlic, and tomato. Other common additions are vegetables like sweet peppers and okra, seafood like shrimp and crawfish, and pork sausages.
- Oysters have been an important food source in coastal regions since prehistory. They’re low in calories but a good source of protein and nutrients. In flavor, they are briny and often described as earth and sweet. The flavor may vary depending on the variety and where they were raised. Oysters are enjoyed raw, steamed, baked, fried, and smoked. Some people object to the texture, which is a little silky and soft when raw but firms up considerably when cooked. Oysters are packed with vitamins and minerals, especially zinc, B12, and copper. Oysters also have a recently discovered antioxidant (DHMBA), which appears to be unique to oysters and is 15 times more potent than a synthetic form of vitamin E currently used to prevent damage caused by oxidative stress. More research is needed, but it looks promising in treating heart disease and increasing liver health. (Read more about oysters).
Oyster & Sausage Cajun Stuffing
8
servings15
minutes1
hour5
minutes1
hour20
minutesThis delicious oyster and sausage stuffing will be the bell of your next holiday feast. We used andouille sausage, which kicked up the spiciness nicely. But, if you prefer a milder alternative, you can use Italian sausage.
Ingredients
4 cups cubed sourdough bread (leave out uncovered overnight to make it stale)
12 oz andouille sausages (diced)
2 stalks celery (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1 large onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp fresh sage (finely chopped)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
12 oz smoked oysters (rough chopped)
1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Heat a skillet over a medium flame. Add the diced sausage and sauté until they are brown and have crispy edges. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain most of the grease, leaving enough to oil the pan.
- Add the celery, onion, pepper, garlic, and seasonings to the pan. Sauté until the veggies are tender.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread, veggies, sausage, and oysters. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, pouring it over the ingredients as evenly as possible. Stir and assess the moisture level. The bread should be moistened through but not soggy. Add more chicken broth if needed.
- Transfer the stuffing to a 10” skillet or similarly sized baking dish.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top golden ground. Serve warm, and enjoy!
