Great-Grandmother's Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday. There are no presents to buy, no wrapping needs to be done, no trees to set up. There is no stress, no fighting crowds. It’s a holiday solely dedicated to eating delicious food with the people you care for while being grateful. I adore being surrounded by loved ones and catching up around a fire pit - preferably with a glass of mulled wine!
I’ve always said if I was given a choice of last meal, it would be Thanksgiving dinner. Not sure what went wrong in my life that led to me being offered a last meal in the first place, but regardless, I am prepared! 🤣
The turkey is, of course, the centerpiece. This year, we raised our own turkeys on the farm for the first time. We mis-timed our turkey poult order a bit, though, which means our turkeys will be ready for Christmas this year, but not in time for Thansgiving, so we supported our local mentor farm, Polyface, and ordered one of their pasture-raised turkeys for Thanksgiving. We have really enjoyed the new experience of raising our own turkeys. I was not prepared for how delightful they are! They are friendly and love to follow us around making their soft little whistling noises. I’ve found them to be a lot neater than most other poultry, and they for sure smell better! I’ve never understood why we seem to only have turkey for Thanksgiving, but these birds have been so fun to raise, that I am looking for reasons to have it year-round!
For me, there are three side dishes that make the meal. Without green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and my great-grandmother's stuffing, its just not Thanksgiving. The stuffing is always a hit, so I’m always tasked with bringing it to the family gathering. This means I make extra for leftovers, so I never complain!
If you’re looking for a comforting, rich, mouth-watering stuffing recipe, look no further. I got you!
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups store-bought stuffing cubes. I like to mix Pepperidge Farm's Cornbread Classic Stuffing and their Herb Seasoned Cubed Stuffing.
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted, grass-fed butter
1½ cups diced yellow onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed) -- see note below
1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
2¾ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don't wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step
In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.
Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.
Note: If you can't find bulk sausage, simply buy regular sausage and remove the casings.
Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stuffing can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake; follow the baking instructions in the recipe. It can also can be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.
Enjoy!
Warmly,
Shari
