Apple Sausage Stuffing

This was DELICIOUS!!!  I only made this to go in the Pork Crown Roast we made for Christmas but this was SUPER yummy and I might have to make for Turkey day going forward!!!!  SUPER good -- do it up!!!

Ingredients

• 14 ounces Ciabatta Bread, cubed  (or just buy regular cubed stuffing mix -- 15-ounce package)
• 1 1/2 pounds Mild Italian Sausage, bulk
• 1 1/2 large Sweet Onion, chopped
• 4 large Celery Ribs, chopped
• 2 large Honeycrisp Apples, cored and cubed
• 6 large Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup Italian Parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons each Fresh Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, chopped
• 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 2 large Eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons Butter, for greasing the pan

instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Cut 14 ounces of ciabatta bread into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes.
• Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread is completely dried out.
• Let the bread cool completely.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 1/2 pounds of ground Italian sausage. Cook until done and remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Add 1 1/2 large chopped onion and 4 large chopped celery ribs to the sausage grease and sauté for about 7 minutes.
• Add 2 large cubed Honeycrisp apples and cook for another 7-10 minutes until everything is softened.
• Add 6 large chopped garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute.
• In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, sautéed ingredients, 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, and 2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped sage, rosemary, and thyme.
• Start with a cup of stock. Toss everything together. Continue adding a 1/2 cup of stock at a time until the stuffing starts to clump together and is moist, but not wet.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, and 2 beaten eggs.
• Stir until completely mixed together.
• Increase the oven to 350°F.
• Generously grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with 3 tablespoons of butter. Spoon the stuffing into the dish.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, until heated thoroughly. Uncover and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

notes

• Choose a bread that is crusty on the outside but chewy on the inside. It will hold up well when chicken stock is added.
• The key is to buy day-old bread and make sure it is stale and/or dried out.
• Drying the bread in the oven can be done ahead of time. Make sure it is completely dried out and cooled before you store it in plastic bags.
• You can substitute a bag of regular cubed stuffing mix if you prefer (15-ounce package).
• To save time, prep the vegetables ahead of time and store them in ziplock bags in the fridge.
• The rule for sautéing vegetables: heat the pan then add the oil. Heat the oil then add the vegetables.
• Cut the onions and celery to a uniform size and shape. This will ensure they cook evenly.
• Don’t be tempted to grab the powdered parmesan that comes in the green can. There’s no comparison between that and freshly grated parmesan. Even the pre-grated packages lose flavor over time.
• You know you’ve added too much chicken stock if there is a puddle of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. If that is the case, throw in more bread cubes to soak it up.
• I always choose stock over broth as the stock has more of a full mouthfeel and a richer flavor because of the gelatin that is released from the simmering bones when cooking.