How to Dry Out Bread for Stuffing  | America's Test Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How to dry out bread quickly for stuffing? ›

Drying Bread in the Oven

We start by cubing our bread—for traditional recipes, we favor a simple white sandwich-style loaf—then toast it in the oven at a low 275°F for about 45 minutes, tossing it every now and then to help it dry evenly.

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

I wrap the bread (loaf, slice, doesn't matter) in a damp paper towel and microwave for a short amount of time. 10-15 seconds for a slice.

Store airtight with the two cut halves facing each other and pressed together. Wrapping bread to retain moisture keeps it soft, though it robs crusty artisan bread of its crispy crust. Wrapping in plastic (or foil) rather than cloth keeps bread soft longer.

Since no preservatives are used in home baking, baked products tend to dry out quickly and should be consumed in 1 to 2 days. Do not refrigerate. Refrigeration pulls moisture from bread, which speeds up the staling process and causes bread to dry out.

Place your bread bag with celery stalk back into the fridge and let it sit for several hours. I have had the best results when it sits overnight in the fridge. Remove your celery stalk from the bag. It should be fairly dry and tough by this point having lost most of it's moisture the bread.

Let your dough rise enough before baking it

If the dough doesn't fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn't had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won't bake properly.

Butter, mayonnaise or a prepared sandwich spread may be used as lining to prevent the bread from absorbing moisture from the filling.

You'll need day-old loaves to get stale so that the stuffing doesn't get too mushy. Don't cube that bread! Ragged, imperfect pieces of bread have more surface area; it's those nooks and crannies that give you good texture. Speaking of texture, that's what stuffing is all about--you want a mix of crispy and soft pieces.

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

How do I dry out bread for stuffing? ›

Spread the cubed bread on top of two cooling racks set in two half-sheet pans. Heat your oven to the lowest setting (typically 150°–200°F) and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until completely dry. If your oven only goes down to, say, 250°, start by baking for 30 minutes, then check the dryness of a cube or two.

Once your bread has been microwaved, the steam evaporates and the sugars harden, producing a loaf that is dry and tough. On the other hand, toasters are powered by infrared radiation, which is less selective than microwave radiation, and doesn't specifically target certain components in your food.

To dry out bread for stuffing, dressing and other bread puddings, cook the plain bread cubes (no oil or seasonings) in the air fryer at 350 degrees F until toasted and dried through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Giving your bread a quick bake in a 350ºF oven will starve it of its moisture—which is exactly what you're looking for. Cut your loaf into evenly sized cubes or slices (depending on what you're making), and toast them, dry, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Proceed with your recipe.

If you use a pan that is too big, the bread will be flat and dry. If you use a pan that is too small, the bread will bulge with a rounded top or overflow the pan. Most pans include the size on the bottom of the pan, but you can measure it yourself using a ruler. Muffin tins are often used.