Sausage Stuffing
1 h 25 min
|
intermediate
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
I do not do bland stuffing in this kitchen; this version loads up juicy breakfast sausage, plenty of garlic with onion and celery, Honeycrisp apple for a little snap, and bouillon-spiked broth so it is deeply savory.
It bakes with crispy buttery edges and a tender custardy center, perfect for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, and it stands up to turkey, pork, or roast chicken and reheats like a champ.
Ingredients (10 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh breakfast sausage fresh breakfast sausage 1 lb
- 12 cups day-old white bread cubes, cut into 1-inch cubes (from about 1 standard loaf) white sandwich bread 1 loaf day-old (for white bread cubes)
- 1 large onion, diced onion 1 ct large
- 3 fresh celery, diced fresh celery 4 oz
- 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, diced Honeycrisp apples 1 lb medium
- 4 cloves garlic, minced garlic 0.36 head
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 2 oz
- 2 cloves garlic, minced garlic 0.18 head
- 2 cups chicken broth chicken broth 16 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder chicken bouillon powder 0.5 oz
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning poultry seasoning 0.05 oz
- 1 tsp rubbed sage rubbed sage 0.03 oz
- 1 tsp dried thyme dried thyme 0.02 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten large eggs 2 ct
How to Make Sausage Stuffing
-
Prep and dry the bread
Spread the 12 cups of bread cubes on two sheet pans in a single layer and dry in a 300 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp on the outside but not deeply browned.
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Heat the oven and pan
Raise the oven to 350 F and butter a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar casserole so nothing sticks when you pull that beauty out.
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Brown the sausage hard
In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the breakfast sausage in a little of the butter until well browned with fond building on the bottom, about 7 to 9 minutes, then transfer sausage to a bowl and leave the drippings in the pan.
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Cook the aromatics
Add the remaining butter to the skillet, then the onion and celery with a pinch of salt, and cook over medium heat until translucent and lightly golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.
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Add apples and garlic
Stir in the diced apples and all the minced garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the apples soften slightly and the garlic is fragrant, then take the pan off the heat.
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Bloom the seasonings
Sprinkle in poultry seasoning, dried sage, dried thyme, black pepper, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat so the spices bloom in the fat for fuller flavor.
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Warm the broth with bouillon
In a small pot, heat the chicken broth to steaming and whisk in the chicken bouillon until fully dissolved so it distributes cleanly and does not clump.
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Temper the eggs
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, slowly stream in 1/2 cup of the hot broth while whisking to temper, then whisk in the remaining broth.
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Combine bread, sausage, and veg
In your largest bowl, combine the dried bread cubes, browned sausage, and the onion celery apple mixture and toss so everything is evenly dispersed.
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Hydrate and rest
Pour the egg broth mixture over the bread and fold gently until every cube looks moistened but not soggy, then let it stand 10 minutes so the liquid fully absorbs.
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Bake covered then uncovered
Transfer to the buttered baking dish, cover tightly with foil, bake 30 minutes, uncover, and bake another 15 to 25 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the center hits 165 F.
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Rest and serve
Let the stuffing rest 10 minutes so it sets and slices clean, then take a proud forkful and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed.
Substitutions
- Swap breakfast sausage for hot Italian or fresh chorizo
- Spicy sausage brings gentle heat and paprika-forward depth that plays beautifully with apples while still giving you those meaty, crispy edges.
- Use cornbread instead of white bread
- Cornbread adds a tender, custardy crumb with toasted corn sweetness and a craggy top that crisps like a dream, so reduce the broth by about 1/4 cup to keep it from getting too soft.
- Trade Honeycrisp apples for firm Bosc pears or dried tart cherries
- Pears keep their shape and give a buttery perfumed bite, while cherries add chewy bursts of acidity that cut the richness and wake up the herbs.
Tips
- Dry the bread properly
- Bread that is crisp outside and a little dry inside drinks in seasoned liquid without turning gummy, so take the time to dry it in the oven even if it is a day old.
- Build and use the fond
- Scrape up the browned bits from the sausage with the moisture from the onions and apples or a splash of broth so that roasty flavor ends up in the stuffing instead of stuck on your pan.
- Season with smarts, not salt bombs
- Bouillon and sausage bring salt, so taste the tempered broth before it hits the bread and only add extra salt if it tastes flat.
- Moisture check that never lies
- Squeeze a handful of the mix and if it holds together but does not weep liquid you are in the sweet spot for custardy centers and crisp edges.
- Sofrito secret weapon
- Stir a tablespoon of sofrito into the aromatics for garlicky herb depth and a whisper of pepper brightness that makes the whole pan sing.
- Cover then uncover for texture control
- The foil traps steam to set the custard and keep the bottom moist and removing it lets the top crisp aggressively without drying the interior.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 342 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13 | g |
| Total Fat | 18 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My stuffing came out soggy, what went wrong?
- The bread likely was not dry enough or you added too much liquid, so dry the cubes until crisp, add the broth gradually, and stop when every cube is moistened but there is no pooling in the bowl.
- Can I assemble this ahead of time?
- Yes, assemble up to the point of baking, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then let it sit at room temp 20 to 30 minutes and bake as directed adding 5 to 10 minutes if needed.
- Can I bake this inside the turkey?
- It is safer and crispier baked separately, but if you stuff the bird keep it loose and confirm the center of the stuffing reaches 165 F before serving.
- What if I do not use eggs?
- You can leave them out and reduce the broth by 1/4 to 1/3 cup for a looser, crouton-style stuffing or use 2 tablespoons melted butter and a little extra time resting for better cohesion.
- How do I reheat without losing the crunch?
- Reheat in a 350 F oven uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes with a thin pat of butter on top so the edges re-crisp and the center warms without drying out.
Serving Suggestions
Big finish wants a sprinkle of chopped parsley and chives, a shower of black pepper, and if you are feeling extra, a drizzle of brown butter that melts into the crevices.
Great pairings include sharp cranberry sauce for tang, a bright arugula salad with lemon to cut richness, or go bold and fold in toasted pecans and a few fennel seeds for crunch and aromatic snap.
More pairings:
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