Sausage Stuffing is a favorite Thanksgiving side dish. This homemade version tastes incredible and is very easy to create in your own kitchen.
Just the smell alone of this cooking in my house brings back every single Thanksgiving of my childhood. Watching the parade with my mom, helping out a little in the kitchen prepping the Banana Cream Pie and listening to Christmas music. Maybe that’s why I make this every year. Or maybe it’s because it is so incredibly tasty.
Thanksgiving Side Dish
All growing up, I hated stuffing (or dressing) at Thanksgiving. Maybe it just got in the way of my favorite side, mashed potatoes and gravy. Or maybe it was just the way my mom made it. Sorry, mom, I love you!
But guess where this recipe comes from? My mom.
I know, I just said that I hated it.
The ingredients are all the same, with a few tweaks here and there in the prepping. They make all the difference, though!
How To Toast Bread Cubes
When it comes to the bread, I prefer to toast my own. You can certainly purchase plain bread cubes for stuffing at the grocery store around the holidays.
All you need to do to toast your own is tear simple white sandwich bread into bite size pieces. Place it all on a baking sheet and bake on a super low temperature for about 30-40 minutes.
You’ll want to toss the bread about every 10 minutes to help even browning. This can be done up to a week ahead. Make sure your bread crumbs are completely cooled and store them in an airtight container.
Homemade Stuffing
Lastly is the liquid you will need to help bring the moisture to this dish. I use simple chicken stock. I heat it up with a few teaspoons of poultry seasoning and diced celery for some aromatics.
The trick with celery is start with the inner stalks first when measuring it out. I’m not talking about the bitter yellow ones, but the super tender light green one. I even chop up the leaves and include them in my broth. You will be surprised of how much flavor this adds.
How To Make Sausage and Herb Stuffing for Thanksgiving
Of course since there is sausage in the title, there is sausage in the recipe. I truly love using Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage for this. I prefer using either the Country Mild or Regular sausage, but there is also a Sage variety that could be great if you like the strong taste of sage.
All you need to do to prepare it is crumble it up in a large saute pan and brown it over medium high heat. I also like to saute my onions along with the sausage so I cut down on the cooking time.
If you are looking for a recipe for quite possibly the best turkey of your life, you need to make my Perfect Roasted Turkey.
I also have you covered with it comes to other fabulous holiday recipes.
2CupsCelery, DicedUse the inside stalks first, including the leaves
1 1/2TBSPPoultry Seasoning
4 SprigsFresh Thyme
2 SprigsFresh Rosemary
1/2tspKosher Salt
1/4tspFreshly Cracked Pepper
1/2CupButter
1MediumYellow Onion, Diced
1lbBreakfast Sausage
Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Tear bread slices up into bite size pieces. Place onto two cookie sheets and toast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. Check and turn bread every 10 minutes. You only want it slightly brown, but dry through out. Cool completely and transfer to a extra large bowl.
In a large pot add chicken stock, diced celery, poultry seasoning, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pan break up sausage and brown over medium high heat. Drain onto a paper towel and add to bread. Using the same pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add in diced onions. Saute until translucent and slightly browned. Pour onions and butter over bread and toss together.
Remove herb stems from chicken stock. Slowly ladle in seasoned chicken stock and celery over the bread mixture and stir to combine. Don't add in all the stock at once because you might not need it all. Just add enough till the bread is completely moist, but not drenched.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place stuffing mix into a 9×13 pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
You can make this ahead. Once you’ve placed it in a 9×13, cover well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake it, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes and bake it for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.
If you don't plan on stuffing the bird, but preparing the dressing as a side dish, you can prepare uncooked stuffing ahead of time as long as you freeze the stuffing immediately after mixing the wet and dry ingredients. USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing.
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.
Make-ahead stuffing can be prepared and stored in the freezer or refrigerator. "Make-ahead stuffing freezes well and can be made as much as two months early if stored in the freezer properly," Tiner says. "Stuffing that is made ahead and only refrigerated should be used within seven days."
Do not refrigerate uncooked stuffing. If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 3 to 4 days.
The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.
Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.
Easiest way is to cut the bread into cubes then spread it out on a baking sheet. Make it spread out so there's no piles. You want the air to be able to get to all pieces. Then just leave it out on a counter or somewhere that you won't have to worry about pets (if you have any) getting into it.
dry!" The reason for this is that stale or dry bread will hold up better after cooking and keep its texture even after adding your broth or liquid. If you use soft, fresh bread, you'll ultimately wind up with a soggy, mushy stuffing.
Do not refrigerate uncooked stuffing. If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 3 to 4 days.
This is my husband's tried-and-true method — nothing glamorous, but it heats the stuffing well. Be sure to add a little broth or butter to your stuffing before reheating to prevent drying out. Transfer stuffing to a microwave-safe dish and cover with a piece of parchment paper.
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. It's fine to eat leftover stuffing cold, or you can reheat it, covered, fully before serving. In the freezer Wait until it's totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
In fact, using stale bread and fresh bread will both leave you with equal amounts of mush. The longstanding tip to use old, stale bread for the perfect stuffing is actually a myth. Letting bread go stale doesn't actually dry it out. After sitting out on your counter, bread goes through the process of retrogradation.
People have a habit of leaving the food out on the buffet table long after the meal is finished. If turkey, stuffing, or gravy is left out at room temperature (40 to 140°F) for over 2 hours it may no longer be safe to eat. Bacteria prospers at this temperature, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
Can you prepare stuffing ahead of time and reheat? YES! This stuffing is baked to golden perfection the day before the big meal. You store it in the fridge overnight and then simply warm it in the oven before dinner.
Stir in bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, thyme, and sage until well mixed. Stir in enough chicken broth to moisten. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Spoon into large resealable bags and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
You can assemble the dressing up to 1 day in advance and keep in the fridge. You may need to increase the bake time by about 10 minutes or so, though, since the dressing will be going into the oven cold. The cornbread dressing can be frozen up to 3-4 weeks in advance, then thawed in the fridge overnight before baking.
Unopened stuffing mix can remain at peak quality for 12 to 18 months when stored at room temperature. For optimal preservation, it should be kept in a cool, dry place away from direct light and exposure to moisture, which can hasten spoilage.
If you choose to stuff your turkey, you must cook it immediately after stuffing. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey and stuffing. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
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