Dutch Potato Poultry Stuffing
For as far as we can trace, all my ancestors were Pennsylvania Dutch. Add to that the fact my father was a potato farmer, and you see why we never had a holiday dinner without potato filling (Pennsylvania Dutch for stuffing)! My husband and I have three grown daughters and seven grandchildren.
For as far as we can trace, all my ancestors were Pennsylvania Dutch. Add to that the fact my father was a potato farmer, and you see why we never had a holiday dinner without potato filling (Pennsylvania Dutch for stuffing)! My husband and I have three grown daughters and seven grandchildren.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 5 cups mashed potatoes without added milk and butter or seasoning
- 6 cups crustless day-old white bread cubed
- 2-1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup celery leaves chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley minced
- 3/4 cup egg substitute
- 1 turkey 12 to 14 pounds
- Carbohydrate 21.4021650491123 g
- Cholesterol 45.3151875059531 mg
- Fat 8.26903184527541 g
- Fiber 2.21984651488692 g
- Protein 12.9917332177384 g
- Saturated Fat 3.8256645769882 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (208g)
- Sodium 426.668775676925 mg
- Sugar 19.1823185342254 g
- Trans Fat 0.854932818185664 g
- Calories 213 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, bread cubes, onion, celery leaves, parsley, butter, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat flour and egg substitute. Stir in milk; pour into the potato mixture and mix well. Add more milk if filling seams dry.
- Just before baking, stuff the turkey. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Bake at 325 deg; for 4-1/2 to 5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 deg; for the turkey and 165 deg; for the stuffing. When turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with a tent of aluminum foil and baste if needed. Remove all stuffing.
Why combine mashed potatoes and bread cubes in a single poultry dressing? Known regionally in Pennsylvania Dutch communities as potato filling, this preparation relies on the starch of plain, unseasoned mashed potatoes to bind dry bread cubes without creating a heavy paste. Day-old white bread works best because its low moisture content allows it to absorb the liquid mixture of milk, flour, and egg substitute before cooking begins.
Integrating the components requires a deliberate approach to texture. Combine the potatoes, bread, chopped onions, celery leaves, parsley, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a large vessel before incorporating the liquid binder. Whisking the flour directly into the egg substitute prevents lumps from forming when the milk is added. The resulting mixture should feel moist; add extra splashes of milk if the bread cubes appear dry, since they will continue to draw hydration from the surrounding ingredients.
Timing requires precise coordination between the interior cavity of the bird and the dense potato matrix. Stuff the cavity loosely right before the roasting pan goes into the oven, ensuring heat circulation can penetrate the center. A 12 to 14 pound bird roasted at 325 degrees Fahrenheit typically requires four and a half to five hours.
Safety and doneness depend entirely on internal temperature readings rather than visual cues alone. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the meat until it reaches 180 degrees, and confirm the center of the stuffing registers 165 degrees. Alternatively, baking the filling separately in a covered three-quart baking dish at 325 degrees for 70 minutes, uncovering it for the final ten minutes, offers a reliable method to bypass cavity safety concerns entirely.
