WELL-SEASONED stuffings are good "extenders" for the cheaper cuts. Follow the same general rule for mixing and stuffing, but remember "variety is the spice of life" and try different seasonings now and then.
For the "dry" type of stuffing in the following recipes, use medium dry bread—3 to 5 days old. Pick the pieces of bread apart with the fingers, until all the crumbs are fine and are even in size. A 1-pound loaf makes about 1 quart of fluffy crumbs. Add melted fat for richness—about 1 tablespoon for a cup of crumbs. Then use any seasonings desired—savory or thyme, or onion, celery, parsley. Dried fruits, sausage, diced salt pork fried crisp, or tart candied apples may also be added to stuffings. If desired, rice, potato, or some other starchy base may be used instead of the breadcrumbs.
Stuffing swells as it absorbs meat juice so pile it in lightly, don't pack. If the roast is to be cooked prompdy, put the stuffing in hot. If it is to be stuffed and cooked later, put the stuffing in cold and keep the meat chilled so there will be no danger of spoilage.
If crumbs are prepared in advance of using, keep them in a covered container in a cold place.
In the following recipes quantities are given according to meats of a certain weight and cut. If desired, these stuffings may be used with other meats or other cuts, but quantities must be adjusted accordingly.
(5- to 6-pound fresh pork shoulder)
¼ cup chopped celery and leaves
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2 tablespoons fat |
Cook the celery, onion, and parsley in the fat for a few minutes. Then add the bread crumbs and other seasonings and stir until well mixed and hot.
(2 2-pound sections spareribs)
½ cup chopped celery and leaves
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5 tart apples, diced |
Cook the celery, onion, and parsley for a few minutes in one-half of the fat, then remove them from the pan. Put the rest of the fat in the pan,
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