My Mother-in-Law’s Legendary Stuffing Is Worth Fighting For

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My Mother-in-Law's Sausage and Herb Stuffing Recipe

This breadstuff stuffing look is made pinch crusty breadstuff and sage sausage and seasoned pinch poultry seasoning is timeless for bully reason.

Serves8

Prep30 minutes

Cook1 hr 5 minutes

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Overhead position of stuffing successful a achromatic baking crockery pinch a scoop taken retired of nan bottommost correct corner.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Julia Choi-Rodriguez

Leading up to nan first Thanksgiving I spent pinch my now-husband astatine his puerility home, he only talked astir 1 point — his mom’s legendary stuffing. The stuffing dates backmost to his grandfather, who would make it each twelvemonth earlier his mom took complete nan duty. He waxed poetic astir really it was ever nan first point to spell among nan galore dishes and that nan full family looked guardant to it nan most. 

So, this stuffing carried precocious expectations. And aft my first bite, I understood. This look is not each that different from nan rest; it’s conscionable a really good sausage and herb stuffing. It’s elemental and classic. Because connected Thanksgiving, we each want those comforting classics, whether we admit it aliases not. 

How I Make My Version of Mother-In-Law’s Stuffing

Marrying into nan family meant marrying this stuffing. Seeing arsenic really I grew up connected Stovetop stuffing, I had nary qualms astir that. However, since I create recipes for a living, I besides couldn’t thief but make a mates of mini tweaks to nan look my mother-in-law scribbled down for maine successful anticipation of hosting my first Thanksgiving a mates of years ago. Of course, nan extremity wasn’t to dress it up, but to good tune it successful my ain way. 

So, I replaced nan packaged breadstuff cubes pinch cubes from a caller loaf of breadstuff that I fto barren retired overnight. For seasoning, I reached into my pantry for nan only poultry seasoning that matters fixed my New England roots: Bell’s. This salt-free blend of dried rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, and capsicum was invented successful Boston complete 150 years agone and is sold successful a decidedly retro cardboard container pinch nan image of a turkey stamped connected it. While immoderate poultry seasoning tin beryllium used, if you tin find Bell’s, I do deliberation it tastes much of nan vacation than immoderate others I’ve tried.

This breadstuff stuffing look is made pinch crusty breadstuff and sage sausage and seasoned pinch poultry seasoning is timeless for bully reason.

Ingredients

  • 1 (about 1-pound) loaf

    crusty bread, specified arsenic Italian aliases sourdough

  • 2

    medium yellowish onions

  • 3

    medium stalks celery

  • 1 pound

    uncooked sage pork sausage

  • 3 tablespoons

    unsalted butter, positive much for nan baking dish

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) tin

    low-sodium chickenhearted broth (scant 2 cups)

  • 2 teaspoons

    salt-free poultry seasoning, preferably Bell’s

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly crushed achromatic pepper

  • 1

    large egg

  1. Cut 1 loaf crusty breadstuff into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 10 cups). Place successful an moreover furniture connected a rimmed baking sheet. Let beryllium retired overnight astatine room somesthesia to barren out.

  2. Arrange a rack successful nan mediate of nan oven and power nan oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, overgarment a 9x13-inch aliases 3-quart baking crockery pinch butter.

  3. Dice 2 mean yellowish onions (about 3 cups) and 3 mean celery stalks (about 1 cup). Remove nan casings from 1 lb uncooked sage pork sausage, if needed.

  4. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted food successful a ample skillet complete mean heat. Add nan onion, celery, and sausage. Cook, breaking up nan sausage pinch a woody spoon, until nan vegetables are softened and nan sausage is cooked through, astir 15 minutes. Transfer to a ample bowl.

  5. Add nan breadstuff cubes and 1 (14.5-ounce) tin low-sodium chickenhearted broth to nan bowl. Toss to harvester and to evenly moisten nan bread. Sprinkle pinch 2 teaspoons salt-free poultry seasoning, 1/2 spoon kosher salt, and 1/4 spoon achromatic pepper. Toss to coat.

  6. Whisk 1 ample ovum successful a mini bowl, adhd to nan breadstuff mixture, and flip to combine. Transfer nan stuffing to nan baking dish. Cover nan baking crockery tightly pinch aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook until warmed done and nan apical is aureate brown, astir 25 minutes more.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The stuffing tin beryllium wholly assembled, covered tightly pinch aluminum foil, and refrigerated overnight. When fresh to bake, fto nan baking crockery beryllium retired astatine room somesthesia while nan oven heats. Bake for nan aforesaid magnitude of time.

Storage: Leftovers tin beryllium refrigerated successful an airtight instrumentality for up to 4 days.