Apple, Walnut, & Sausage Stuffing
Stuffing is one of the reasons I love Thanksgiving, and I make plenty of it to make sure there is enough for leftovers! I place some in the bird and then make a side dish (or two). This is a classic stuffing, with toasted baguette cubes, apples, walnuts, and sausage. It’s just the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and crunchy. Once on your plate, the sliced turkey and stuffing can be covered with a delectable bourbon pan gravy. Not only does this help warm up the turkey and stuffing, it adds a lovely counterbalance to all the other flavors on the plate.
Ingredients
- 2 Baguettes cut into ½” cubes (10-12 cups)
- 1 pound Sausage
- 4 T Olive Oil
- 2 Large Onions peeled and medium dice
- 3 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1½ cups Celery medium dice (6 large stalks)
- 1 ½ cups Apple medium dice (1 large apple)
- 2 cups (8 oz.) Mushrooms washed and sliced
- 1½ cup Chicken Stock
- ½ cup White Wine
- 3 T Fresh Sage chopped
- 1 T Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 1 cup Toasted Walnuts* rough chop
- 2 Eggs beaten
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry completely; dry overnight or place in a 350° F oven for 10 minutes.
- In a large size sauté pan over medium heat, heat 2T of the olive oil; add the sausage. Using a spoon, break it into pieces and cook until brown. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into a large bowl.
- If needed, add the remaining 2T olive oil to the pan (you may have enough oil left from cooking the sausage); and sauté the onions for 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic cook and another minute. Add the celery, apple and mushrooms. Continue cooking until slightly softened, about 5-8 minutes.
- To the large bowl with the sausage, add the bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, chicken stock, wine, sage, thyme, and walnuts. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with salt & pepper, then add the eggs and fold them into the stuffing. The stuffing mixture should look moist, but not have puddles of liquid. If too dry, add a little more wine or stock.
- Stuffing can be used to stuff turkey or place in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake in a 350° F oven until hot, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 5-10 minutes to brown and crisp up stuffing.
- *To roast nuts: preheat oven 350º F. Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Shake the pan and continue baking until nuts are toasted, about 3-5 minutes more. Let them cool. The roasted nuts can be store in an airtight container for weeks.
Notes
TIPS & TRICKS
– You can cube and dry out your bread ahead of time. Store in an air tight containers. It can also be frozen. – If the sausage is in a casing, remove it. I like to use Italian sweet pork, but you could also use chicken or turkey sausage. – You can also do step #1 to #3 ahead of time or can be frozen. Fall Season, November 2018
– You can cube and dry out your bread ahead of time. Store in an air tight containers. It can also be frozen. – If the sausage is in a casing, remove it. I like to use Italian sweet pork, but you could also use chicken or turkey sausage. – You can also do step #1 to #3 ahead of time or can be frozen. Fall Season, November 2018