STUFFING WITH SAUSAGE AND HERBS
thanksgiving stuffing brought to you by my mama…
8-10 servings
Ingredients:
16 tbsps butter (2 sticks)
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
1 lb sausage (I used spicy italian sausage, make sure you remove casings)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
16 cups bread crumbs
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp sage (optional)
1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
1 tsp nutmeg
1.5 cups chicken stock
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup dried fruit (cranberries or apricots)
The Blistered Peppers Take:
Stuffing is kind of an odd food to begin with. It’s like someone decided we should eat like birds. But we have a couple tricks up our sleeve that will make you want to eat this stuffing all year long…
First of all, you’re going to want to get (or make if you’re an overachiever) a good quality sourdough, flavor is everything! Because you’re using fresh bread and not store-bought crumbs, you will need to cut the bread 1-2 days before cooking so that the bread pieces can dry and become… stale. Yes, stale.
Do NOT stuff the stuffing in your turkey. It’ll take longer for the turkey to cook and the stuffing will never crisp. We suggest cooking the stuffing in a separate baking dish. First, cook the stuffing uncovered and allow the top to brown and crisp up! After the top has browned, cover with foil and keep cooking for about 25-30 minutes. You’ll get the perfect balance of soft and crisp.
Remember stuffing needs accoutrements. My general rule of thumb is the more flavors the better. Sausage, dried fruit, mushrooms, celery, onion… garlic(!?), add it in!
Steps:
Place butter in skillet, allow to melt, then add onions and celery. Saute until tender. Remove from skillet and place in separate dish.
In the same pan, cook the mushrooms and sausage until meat is almost cooked through. Add the onion and celery back in and mix well.
Combine the mixture with the bread crumbs: in a 9x12 inch baking dish, filled with the dried bread crumbs, add in the cooked veggies and sausage - you can also combine these components in a separate bowl if that is easier. Add all the seasonings (salt, pepper, herbs, nutmeg). Mix well. Moisten with chicken stock and a whisked egg. Finally, fold in the dried fruits (apricots or cranberries).
If you haven’t already done so, pour the mixture into the baking dish. Place in oven at 350 degrees until top has browned (about 15-20 minutes), then cover with foil and continue baking (about 20-30 minutes).
Enjoy with a side of turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce!
