Sausage, Apple and Herb Stuffing

By S. Danford

Ingredients

• 8 oz sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 6 oz sweet Italian pork sausage
• 1 T butter
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped celery stalks and leaves
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples cut into 1 inch cubes (3 cups)
• 1 T chopped fresh sage
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
• 3 large eggs
• Thyme sprigs, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300
Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet
Bake until dry and lightly toasted about 12-14 minutes
Remove from oven and transfer bread into a large bowl
Increase oven temperature to 350
While the bread is baking, cook sausage in a large skillet over med-hi heat until browned, about 6 minutes, using a spoon to break sausage into small pieces
Transfer the sausage into the bowl with the bread
Leave the grease in the skillet and add butter, onions, and celery.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and translucent., about 6-8 minutes
Add apples and cook until soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes
Stir in the sage, thyme, salt and pepper
Cook , stirring constantly, until fragrant about 1 minute
Add 1 cup of stock, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet to release browned bits.
Transfer apple mixture to the bowl with bread and sausage.
Whisk together eggs and remaining 1/2 cup stock in a bowl until combined then stir into bread mixture.
Transfer mixture to a 2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes
Remove foil, top with thyme sprigs and continue to bake until stuffing is lightly browned on top and set, about 15-20 minutes more.
Let stuffing stand 5 minutes before serving