Growing up, the only stuffing that was ever on our Thanksgiving table was the classic stuffing from a box. It was (and is to this day) the only stuffing my Dad ever wants to eat. Because of this, that is what I was happy eating every Thanksgiving day. When I got married though, I discovered that Trevor not only didn’t like boxed stuffing, but didn’t really like stuffing in general that much at all. As with all foods that I like and Trevor doesn’t, I made it my personal goal in life to change his mind about the standard turkey side dish.
And that is how I ended up making this stuffing every year for the last six years and will likely have to make it every Thanksgiving for the rest of my life. Tweaked and perfected over the years, it has become one of those recipes that I hope our kids have to also make each Thanksgiving once they are older. It definitely takes some more work than its boxed counterpart, but the stuffing can be prepped and assembled the day before–a huge bonus when you already have a lot to cook for one day.
I haven’t yet convinced my dad that there is anything better than boxed stuffing, but at least I discovered a recipe that my once stuffing-averse husband now craves year after year.
- 12 cups artisan style bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 14 ounces)
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3-4 large leeks)
- 2 large tart granny smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
- 2 cups chopped celery with leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ⅔ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1⅓ cups (about) low-salt chicken stock
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. (Alternatively, you can cut bread a day or so in advance and let it dry out that way).
- Sauté sausage in heavy large stock pot over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling into small pieces with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off any drippings in the pot, then add butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery, sage, and thyme to skillet; sauté until leeks soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in dried cranberries and rosemary. Add sausage to mixture, then stir in parsley. Mix in bread (you may need to do this in a big bowl if your pot is not big enough). Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Stir egg into stuffing. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix broth into stuffing, then transfer to prepared dish (adjust broth amount based on how wet or dry you like your stuffing). Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 60 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
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