Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing Thanksgiving Recipe
This always goes fast, so I make a huge batch. Leftovers are great the next day—and the next!
Ingredients
| 2 | tablespoons | olive oil |
| 3 | tablespoons | butter |
| 2 | medium | onions, minced |
| 2 | stalks | celery, chopped |
| 2 | pounds | chestnuts, shelled and chopped |
| 2 | 12-ounce packages | Jimmy Dean brand hot sausage meat* |
| 1 | teaspoon | dried sage |
| 1 | teaspoon | dried cumin |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | thyme |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | salt |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper |
| 3 | loaves | dried, sliced bread** |
| 3–4 | cups | chicken broth |
| *Substitute your favorite, uncooked hot sausage meat if this is unavailable in your local supermarket. Do not use link sausages.** **Arrange slices of bread on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until dried on one side. Turn and repeat the process. |
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°
- Remove the crusts from the bread and cut the slices in to bite-sized pieces.NOTE: Place the crusts in your food processor and make fresh bread crumbs for another recipe. Freeze the crumbs in a sealable plastic bag.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet and add the onions. Cook until soft, but not browned. Add the celery and cook until soft.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and sauté the chestnuts for one minute.
- Place the onions, celery, and chestnuts in a large, spacious mixing bowl.
- Add the sausage, sage, cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper and mix well.
- Add the bread and mix until combined.
- Pour half of the broth over the bread mixture and use your clean hands to combine all the ingredients. Continue adding broth until the stuffing is moist but not wet.
- Fill both cavities of the turkey with the stuffing and secure, or place the stuffing in a 3-quart, 9x13x2-inch ovenproof baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes to crisp the top.
Preparation Time:
30 minutes plus 60 minutes baking time.
