Marianne Martinez
Turkey dressing is a comfort dish for many, and cooking it in a crockpot is a great way to save oven space. This method is also easy, low-maintenance, and can be made ahead of time. The crockpot dressing can be made with bread, sausage, celery, onions, seasonings, and chicken broth. The crockpot's slow cooking keeps the dressing moist and gives it a wonderful flavor. The recipe can be adapted to personal preferences, such as adding mushrooms, cranberries, or apples. The crockpot dressing is perfect for holidays and large gatherings, as it can be kept warm until serving.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Advantages | Free up oven space for the turkey, make ahead of time, keep food warm, easy, low-maintenance, moist |
| Ingredients | Bread, Sausage, Butter, Eggs, Chicken broth/stock, Vegetables (Onions, Celery, Mushrooms, Carrots), Poultry seasoning, Salt, Pepper, Sage, Marojam, Cranberries, Apples, Rice |
| Recipe | Sauté vegetables in butter, add seasonings, moisten with broth, add eggs, transfer to crock pot, cook on low for 3-4 hours |
| Calories | 180kcal |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the ingredients
- Butter
- Vegetables: onions, celery, and mushrooms
- Parsley
- Bread: preferably stale bread cut into cubes
- Spices and seasonings: salt, dried sage, poultry seasoning, dried thyme, dried marjoram, and ground black pepper
- Eggs
- Chicken broth or stock
You can also add other ingredients like cooked sausage, apples, cranberries, or wild rice to make it more adventurous.
To prepare the ingredients, start by chopping the vegetables into small pieces. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables for about 3 to 5 minutes until they start to soften. If you are using sausage, add it to the skillet once the vegetables have softened. You can use pork sausage, Italian sausage, or ground sausage, depending on your preference. Cook the meat until it is no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks.
Next, add your spices and seasonings to the skillet. Stir in poultry seasoning, sage, marjoram, and black pepper. If you are using pre-made stuffing, you can sprinkle the seasoning packet over the bread cubes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and chicken stock. Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the chicken stock mixture.
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Cooking the vegetables
First, you'll want to gather your vegetables. The most common vegetables used in this dish are onions, celery, and carrots. You can also add mushrooms if you like, or other vegetables of your choice. Chop the vegetables into small pieces. The size of the pieces is up to you, but generally, they should be diced into relatively small bits to ensure even cooking.
Next, heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat. You can adjust the amount of butter to your preference, but typically, a few tablespoons are enough. Once the butter is melted, add the vegetables to the skillet. Sauté the vegetables in the butter for around 3 to 8 minutes. You want them to soften, but be careful not to brown or overcook them. You can also season the vegetables with salt and pepper at this stage, to taste.
If you're adding meat to your dressing, such as sausage, you can do so after the vegetables have softened. Cook the meat thoroughly, ensuring there is no pink meat remaining. If your sausage produces a lot of grease, you may want to drain the excess before moving on to the next step.
Once your vegetables (and meat, if using) are cooked, you can add in your seasonings. Common seasonings include poultry seasoning, sage, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper. Stir the seasonings into the vegetable mixture until well combined.
Now, you have your cooked vegetables ready to be added to the rest of your dressing ingredients. Simply follow the rest of your chosen crockpot dressing recipe, adding in your bread cubes, broth, and any other desired ingredients before transferring the mixture to your slow cooker.
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Combining ingredients
Next, prepare your meat. Ground sausage is a common addition to crockpot turkey dressing. Cook the sausage in the skillet with the vegetables until it is no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. If your sausage produces a lot of grease, drain the excess after cooking. You can also use pre-cooked sausage or other meats like turkey or pork, adding them directly to the crockpot with the bread stuffing.
Once the meat is cooked, stir in poultry seasoning, sage, and marjoram. You can also add dried thyme, dried marjoram, and ground black pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and chicken broth or stock. You can adjust the amount of broth used to achieve your desired consistency, adding more for a 'wetter' dressing.
Finally, pour the bags of stuffing into your crockpot. Bread stuffing is typically used, but you can also use cornbread stuffing or regular bagged herbed stuffing. Gently stir the sausage mixture into the crockpot with the bread stuffing until everything is combined.
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![[NEW] MAGNIFIQUE 4-Quart Slow Cooker with Casserole Manual Warm Setting - Perfect Kitchen Small Appliance for Family Dinners, Dishwasher Safe Crock, Red](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71x1NIKmZWL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Cooking the dressing
To make the dressing, you'll first want to sauté your vegetables. Chop up about 2 cups each of onion and celery, and add them to a skillet with some butter. You can also add in mushrooms, carrots, or apples if you like. Sauté these veggies for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, until they start to soften. You can also add in some ground sausage at this point if you're using it.
Once your veggies are softened, place them in a large bowl with your bread cubes. You can use stale bread cut into cubes, or bagged stuffing mix, whichever you prefer. Add in your fresh herbs and spices, such as parsley, sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, marjoram, and black pepper. You can also add in some cranberries for a pop of sweetness.
Next, moisten the mixture with chicken broth, adding just enough to reach your desired consistency. You can also add in some eggs at this point if you like. Finally, transfer the mixture to your crock pot, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally if you have a deep crock pot. Your dressing should be moist but still fluffy when it's done.
And that's it! You now have delicious, homemade crock pot dressing to serve alongside your turkey.
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Storing and reheating
When it comes to reheating, while some sources suggest using the crockpot on a 'warm' setting, this is not recommended due to food safety concerns. The USDA advises against reheating any leftovers in a slow cooker. The concern is that food may spend too much time in the "danger zone," the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F where bacteria thrive.
So, what are your best options for reheating? You can use a microwave, stovetop, or oven. For microwaving, place the desired portion of dressing in a microwave-safe dish, add a little broth or gravy, cover, and heat at 70% power for 2 minutes. Check the temperature, and if it hasn't reached 165°F, continue heating in 30-second intervals until it does. For stovetop reheating, add some broth or gravy to a saucepan along with the dressing and warm over low heat until it reaches 165°F, stirring occasionally. If using an oven, place the dressing in an oven-safe dish, add broth or gravy, and heat until it reaches the desired temperature.
Additionally, you can freeze leftover dressing for future use. To do this, transfer the dressing to freezer-safe containers or bags, and for extra protection, wrap it in foil before placing it in the freezer. It can be stored in the freezer for three to six months.
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Frequently asked questions
Cooking turkey dressing in a crock pot frees up oven space for the turkey and other dishes. It can also be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, making it perfect for busy meals.
You will need butter, vegetables (onions, celery, and mushrooms), parsley, bread (cubed white or wheat bread, or cornbread), spices and seasonings (salt, dried sage, poultry seasoning, dried thyme, dried marjoram, and ground black pepper), chicken broth or stock, and eggs.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until softened. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the cooled vegetable mixture, parsley, and fresh herbs. Moisten with chicken broth, then add the eggs.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. If you have a deep crock pot, stir the mixture once every hour. The dressing is ready when it is moist but still fluffy.
Yes, you can add cooked sausage, pork sausage, or ground sausage to the crock pot dressing. Simply cook the sausage with the vegetables until no longer pink, then stir in the poultry seasoning and herbs before adding to the bread mixture.
![[NEW] MAGNIFIQUE 4-Quart Slow Cooker with Casserole Manual Warm Setting - Perfect Kitchen Small Appliance for Family Dinners, Dishwasher Safe Crock, Blue](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/711ldRyR4NL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
