Here's How To Best Dry Out Bread For Stuffing

When the holidays roll around, people start to get excited about the delicious array of seasonal food and drink that will soon grace their tables. No matter what your favorite part of the festive feast a bowl of homemade stuffing really completes the spread. Stuffing is one of those dishes that only requires a few ingredients but whipping it up by hand can make all the difference taste-wise. There are tons of stuffing variations you can play with such as using croissants for an extra buttery texture or enhancing the flavors by adding winter veg. However, if you love a classic stuffing recipe, you'll know that one ingredient holds it all together — the bread. 

To give stuffing its perfect crumbly texture, you need to dry your bread beforehand. There are two main ways to do this: air-drying or baking in the oven. While some cooks choose to air-dry their bread on the counter, drying it in the oven will give you better results. You can also toss your bread in the air fryer right before you cook. However, if you want to make the crispiest bread cubes that brilliantly absorb flavor, the oven has got to be your go-to.

Traditionally, just leaving your bread out for a few days before Thanksgiving and letting it go stale is the most common method for stuffing preparation — but this doesn't mean it's the best way to get things done. Letting the bread go stale at room temperature can leave pockets of moisture in the dough, which can result in soggy, flavorless stuffing. Baking your bread to completely dry it out eliminates this potential problem and leaves you with fully dehydrated bread that's more than ready to soak up surrounding flavors. 

To make your stuffing, slice the bread into small cubes and evenly space them on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for around 30-40 minutes, shaking frequently to stop it from sticking — no oils, sprays, or butter needed. The cubes will become crispier and stiffer with the heat, meaning that they won't fall apart completely when you mix them in your stuffing. You can also dehydrate your bread in the air fryer by cranking it up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and popping the cubes inside for 5-10 minutes. By far the most effective method if you're short on time. Once done, you can use your leftover turkey stock from making gravy and add some to your stuffing along with herbs, onions and celery, and your dried bread cubes.