Apple, Pork and Shallot Stuffing

By KrissyW330

Ingredients

• 1 loaf whole-wheat or country-style bread (1 1/2 lb), crust discarded and bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (12 cups)
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 lb shallots, chopped (3 cups)
• 1 1/2 lb sausage
• 1 1/2 cups minced onion
• 1 cup minced celery
• 3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon ground sage
• 2 lb tart apples such as McIntosh, Gala, or Cortland
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground allspice
• 2 cups turkey giblet stock
• or low-sodium chicken broth

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F.


Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring and pressing with fork occasionally to break up lumps. Add sausage to bread using slotted spoon. Discard fat from skillet.

Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 20 to 25 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots, onions and celery are well browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

While shallots are cooking, peel, core, and coarsely chop apples. Boil cider in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until cider is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Add apples to browned shallots along with marjoram, salt, pepper, and rest of spices and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples begin to soften, about 8 minutes.

Transfer apple mixture to bowl with bread cubes, then add stock and toss well.

Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Cooks' note:
Stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.