Discover The Best Stuffing For Turkey

Turkey is one of the lean meats that provides high quality protein. However, it is important to know how to choose your stuffing. Here are two healthy alternatives.

Stuffed turkey is a very common dish for family Christmas meals. In those gatherings with so many diners, choosing the most suitable turkey stuffing will be key so that all guests can enjoy a delicious dish.

The best stuffing for turkey

Turkey is one of the lean meats that provide important nutrients in the diet. Specifically, as highlighted by  data from FoodData Central – United States Department of Agriculture , it contains proteins of high biological value, fats, group B vitamins, selenium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and others. important nutrients.

However, it is essential to keep in mind that its caloric content varies enormously depending on the preparation. Therefore, when choosing ingredients for the garnish,  it is a good idea to look for alternatives that respect the concept of a healthy and balanced diet. So here are two options.

1. Sausage and nut stuffing

First of all, we offer you a recipe for stuffing for turkey with a mixture of very powerful ingredients, which will keep your whole family full after the main course.

Dried fruits like nuts, which stand out in this recipe,  provide unsaturated fat, high-quality vegetable protein, fiber, minerals, tocopherols, phytosterols and phenolic compounds,  according  to information published in the journal. Nutrients .

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons of butter (120 g)
• 2 cups chopped onion (400 g)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon of  ground achiote (5 g)
• 1 C. 1 teaspoon ground cumin (5 g)
• ¼ cup ground beef (30 g)
• 1 cup chopped sausage (240 g)
• Cup of chopped bacon (180 g)
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 1 cup of different varieties of chopped dried fruit (150 g)
• ½ cup of chopped walnuts (60 g)
• 1 cup sliced ​​olives (120 g)
• 3 sprigs of fresh herbs to taste
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (3 g)
• 2 chicken broth cubes
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg (2 g)
• 1 cup of white wine (250 ml)
• 2 cups of breadcrumbs (120 g)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper

Preparing the stuffing

Despite the large amount of ingredients, the preparation of the filling is quite simple.

1. First melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, cumin and salt. Cook the mixture until the onion is golden.
2. Mix the eggs well and season with salt. Book.
3. Add the sprigs of aromatic herbs to the mixture.
4. Add the breadcrumbs and eggs to the pan to make the mixture more moist.
5. Continue to cook all this mixture for another ten minutes, and after this time remove the herb sprigs from the mixture.
6. Then add the minced meat, sausages and bacon.
7. Stir in the nuts, apple, dried fruits, olives, cinnamon, nutmeg and white wine.
8. To finish with this garnish, prepare the chicken broth with water and the cubes in a separate saucepan, then pour the mixture over the previous preparation.
9. Let reduce a little and place everything in a mold for the oven.
10. Finally, cook all the stuffing for about 30 minutes at a temperature of 180ºC.

2. Rice and fruit stuffing

You can also prepare the turkey using a mixture of rice and fruit. This stuffing will be fresher and lighter than the previous one, with sweeter flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of bacon in pieces (200 g)
• 3 tablespoons of butter (60 g)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 cup of dried cranberries (150 g)
• 2 cups of brown rice (300 g)
• 1 ½ cup of white wine (360 ml)
• 2 apples, peeled, seedless and cubed
• 3 cups of chicken broth (750 mL)
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 sprigs of thyme

Preparing the stuffing

1. First, fry the bacon until golden brown, and when ready, set it aside.
2. In the same saucepan, add the butter and brown the onion, garlic and celery.
3. Keep stirring the mixture until the liquid reduces.
4. Meanwhile, taste the rice to make sure it’s cooked through, and balance the seasoning with salt.
5. Once the rice is ready, add the bacon, cranberries and another cup of chicken broth. Remove the mixture from the heat, and once the mixture is smooth, you can add the rest of the rice and the last cup of broth.
6. After that you will add a cup of rice and wine. Cook the rice until all the liquid has evaporated, after which you will add a cup of chicken broth and let the liquid evaporate again.
7. To finish with this turkey stuffing option, add the apple cubes to the mixture and mix everything together.
8. In this last step, you can also add the herbs and let it cook, covered, over a low heat for about 5 minutes.
9. Once this time has elapsed, turn off the heat and remove the herbs.

As you can see, preparing a stuffing for turkey is a simpler task than you might think, and it gives you the opportunity to create the flavor combination that best suits your needs, tastes and desires. . Let your imagination be free !