Summary
Make a healthy and tasty meatloaf with ground turkey and stuffing mix. It's like Thanksgiving dinner in one dish!
What's on Your Plate
TL;DR: You press homemade stuffing into a ring mold, top it with seasoned ground turkey, bake it, and turn it out onto a platter. The stuffing becomes a golden crown, the center holds the cranberry sauce, and you get all of Thanksgiving in one slice on any weeknight.
I love it when I suddenly have something I didn't know I had. A few days after Spane and I shopped at one of the wonderful Armenian markets, I found the loaf of Stone bread the cashier had given us, still sitting on top of the refrigerator. In two days, it had lived up to its name. It was too hard to cut with a knife, and a whack with a skillet barely dented it. So I asked myself, what is the heaviest thing in the house? Me! I double bagged the loaf, put on flat shoes, and stepped on it until it crumbled. The sound alone was worth it.
With good stale bread, a package of ground turkey in the freezer, and cranberry sauce in the pantry, you already have a head start on Thanksgiving. I will show you how to turn those three things into a stuffing turkey meatloaf ring that slices beautifully and tastes like the holiday.
From Leftover Bread to Ring Mold
Cooks have stretched stale bread into stuffing for as long as there has been stale bread. Roman cookbooks describe stuffed birds, and every frugal kitchen since has found a use for the heel of the loaf. Meatloaf grew from the same thrift, and American cooks embraced it during the Depression, when a little ground meat had to feed a whole family. The ring mold arrived in mid-century kitchens with gelatin salads, and clever cooks soon discovered it works just as well for meatloaf. A ring cooks evenly, gives you more browned edges, and leaves a hollow in the middle that practically begs for cranberry sauce.
Why the Stuffing Turkey Meatloaf Ring Works
Truly dry bread drinks up broth without turning to mush, so your stuffing holds its shape when you turn the ring out. Because the stuffing goes into the mold first, it bakes against the hot metal and becomes the crisp golden top once you flip it onto the platter. The ring shape also solves the biggest meatloaf problem, a raw center and dry ends. Heat reaches the turkey from the inside and the outside at the same time, so it cooks through evenly and stays moist. White Worcestershire used to add savory depth without turning the pale turkey brown. It is no longer made, so I use a close stand in: 1 tablespoon sweet white wine, 1 teaspoon cooking sherry and 1/8 teaspoon regular Worcestershire. It is not exact, but it gives you the same gentle tang and keeps the turkey pale.
Pull the ring from the oven when an instant read thermometer reads 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part, then let it rest. Residual heat carries it to 165°F (74°C), the safe temperature for ground poultry according to the USDA safe minimum internal temperature chart. Check the stuffing too, since it cooks in contact with the raw turkey.
Common Mistakes and Gotchas
A few small things make the difference between a ring that slides out whole and one that falls apart.
- Swapping in a full tablespoon of regular Worcestershire. Dark Worcestershire overpowers turkey and turns it gray. Use the wine, sherry and 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire blend instead.
- Drowning the stuffing. Add the broth a cup at a time and stop when the bread is moist but not soggy. You may not need all of it.
- Skipping the oil. Grease every curve of the ring mold, or the stuffing crown will stick.
- Using powdered dried herbs at full strength. Powdered poultry seasoning is much stronger than freeze dried or fresh, so use less.
- Turning it out too soon. Let the ring rest about 10 minutes so the juices settle and the ring holds together.
Serving and Storage
Serving
Turn the ring out onto a pretty platter and fill the center with cranberry compote. Slice it at the table so everyone sees the stuffing crown. Serve it with mashed potatoes, green beans, or Brussels sprouts with roasted garlic. A light red such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais suits the herbs and the cranberry, and sparkling cider works just as well. If you are cooking for a small table, this ring makes a fine Thanksgiving dinner on its own.
Storing
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in an airtight container, and enjoy them within three to four days. You can freeze slices, wrapped well, for up to three months. Reheat to 165°F (74°C). The USDA guide to leftovers and food safety has more detail. Cold slices also make a wonderful sandwich, much like The Day After Thanksgiving Sandwich.
FAQ
Can I use fresh bread for the stuffing?
Fresh bread soaks up broth too fast and turns gummy. Cube it and dry it in a 250°F (120°C) oven for about 20 minutes first, or leave it out overnight.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make the stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate it. You can also assemble the whole ring, cover it with foil, and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking. Add a few minutes to the baking time.
What if I do not have a ring mold?
A Bundt pan works the same way. A loaf pan works too, but you lose the hollow center, so serve the cranberry sauce on the side.
Can I use ground chicken instead of turkey?
Yes. Ground chicken works the same way and cooks to the same 165°F (74°C).
Step by Step Photos
Stuffing Turkey Meatloaf Ring Recipe
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Stuffing Turkey Meatloaf Ring
Tips from the Chef
You could add other vegetables, oysters or fruit to your liking.
Equipment
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Ingredients
Stuffing
- 1 loaf (1 loaf) Barbari bread, very hard
- 1 (1) onion, chopped
- 4 stalks (4 stalks ) celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, unsalted, 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Herbs de Provence
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) *Poultry Seasoning, (see notes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (7.39 ml) *Chicken Base
- 12 oz (340.2 g) hot water
Turkey Meatloaf Ring
- 20 oz (453.59 g) ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) White Wine
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Herbs de Provence
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) *Poultry Seasoning, (see notes)
- 1/4 (1/4) bread crumbs, plain
Assembly
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) peanut oil, or sunflower oil to grease the mold
- 1 cup (280 g) Cranberry Sauce
Instructions
Stuffing
- 1 loaf Barbari breadBreak the bread up in whatever fashion works best for you. I found that putting it into several plastic bags, and then stepping on it worked very well.
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butterMelt the butter in a large sauté pan.
- 1 onion, 4 stalks celeryAdd the vegetables and saute until they have turned translucent.
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Herbs de Provence, 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) Poultry SeasoningAdd the herbs and mix well.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, put the bread and vegetables.
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (7.39 ml) Chicken Base, 12 oz (340.2 g) hot waterMix the chicken base and water in another bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Start by adding about a cup of the liquid to the bread mixture.
- Mix well, and keep adding liquid the bread is a nice consistency and the liquid is all absorbed. You may not need all of it.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Turkey Meatloaf
- 20 oz (453.59 g) ground turkey, 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) White Wine, 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Herbs de Provence, 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Poultry SeasoningIn a large bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, put the turkey, herbs, and Worcestershire.
- 1/4 bread crumbsAdd the bread crumbs, and mix well until all are mixed well together.
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) peanut oilLightly grease a ring mold.
- Place the stuffing in the bottom of the mold, using your fingers to spread it evenly.
- Top with the turkey mixture.
- Put some of the seasonings in small bowl with a little oil. Oil the top of the mold,
- Cover the mold with foil and refrigerate for about a half an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Cook in the oven until done, about 45 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 160.
- Let cool slightly, then remove the foil, and over turn onto a nice platter.
- 1 cup (280 g) Cranberry SauceFill the center with cranberry sauce.
