MAKE-AHEAD SAUSAGE STUFFING

Make-Ahead Sausage Stuffing image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 2h35m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One stale 1 1/2-pound loaf bread, sliced, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
2 cups homemade turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Steps:

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Melt 5 tablespoons of the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions, celery, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl with the sausage; add the bread cubes, and toss to coat.
Let the bread-sausage mixture cool to room temperature. Transfer it to a resealable plastic bag, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat the stock and 4 tablespoons of the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Whisk the eggs and parsley together in a large bowl. Break the frozen stuffing with your hands into smaller chunks, add to the bowl and toss. Add the stock-butter mixture, and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and dot with the 2 remaining tablespoons butter. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until the stuffing is hot, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes more. Serve warm.