Homemade Traditional Stuffing Recipe

This traditional stuffing recipe that is loaded with mushrooms and sausage has been served up at my holiday dinner table for years.

The procedure of stuffing protein meat has been literally going on for generations. In early recipes throughout the first century AD, you learn of people stuffing rabbits, chickens, pigs, and other animals that were accessible. Turkey stuffing was popularized in the early days of Thanksgiving as it is written in many 16th century Boston area documents.

Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables, that are reconstituted with liquid and then stuffed into the turkey cavity and then baked until it is firm and finished cooking. In addition, stuffing can also be cooked separately in a casserole dish in the oven, which would then be considered dressing. I personally like stuffing cooked outside of the turkey because the bird will cook much quicker without it.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 12 cups of cubed bread
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut in half
• 1 pound loose pork sausage
• 2 peeled and small diced small yellow onions
• 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 3 medium diced celery stalks
• 3 finely minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary and thyme
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 whisked eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Serves 16

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°.
2. Spread out the cubed bread on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and firm. Set aside.
3. While the bread is baking add a ½ stick of butter to a large frying pan or rondeau over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until broken up, lightly browned, and cooked throughout.
4. Remove the sausage from the pan or pot and add the remaining ½ stick of butter.
5. Add in the onions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned and then add in the mushrooms and cook for a further 8-10 minutes while occasionally stirring until lightly browned.
6. Place in the celery and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or just until the celery is tender.
7. Transfer the cooked vegetables, sausage, and baked cubed bread to a very large bowl.
8. Next, add in the herbs, salt, pepper, and chicken stock and mix gently until combined. See note about chicken stock.
9. Pour in the whisked eggs and then again gently mix until combined.
10. Transfer the mixture to a 13x9 casserole dish and cover with foil.
11. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
12. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 hour ahead of time, just keep it covered and warm at low temperatures in the oven until ready to serve.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of dressing to a casserole dish or pan, drizzle on ¼ to 1/3 cup of chicken stock, and cover with foil. Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

Any bread will work for this recipe, but you can take it to the next level with my sourdough.

Feel free to substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

In place of fresh herbs, substitute out with dry poultry seasoning.

Use a little bit of stock at a time, you may find that you need less or more when mixing it in.

When mixing the stuffing together, do so gently so that the bread or other ingredients to not break apart.

You can use bratwurst, Italian sausage, or plain pork sausage in this recipe.