Traditional Sausage Stuffing

If you’ve never made sausage stuffing before, you’re missing out. Adding sausage takes your flavor and savor to a new level. In fact, you should be warned that it is entirely possible for this stuffing to upstage your turkey. It could literally be a meal of its own. This stuffing is full of textures and flavors. It has savory sausage, toasty bread edges, heady fresh herbs, chewy, sweet craisins, crunchy onion and celery, and creamy richness throughout. This stuffing is the best. You will come back to it again and again!

What kind of sausage should I use?

For this stuffing recipe, you’ll need to use ground sausage (mince). Ground sausage is often sold in various flavors. You can use a mild country sausage Italian sausage, maple sausage, or even a spicy sausage. Any sausage that you think would blend well with the flavors here will work.

Can I use dried herbs?

You can use dried herbs, but to achieve the best flavor for this delicious dish we highly recommend using fresh herbs. If you opt for dried herbs, be sure you use one-third of the amount or about 1 teaspoon. Also, you can add other fresh herbs of your choice. In fact, if you love the flavor of parsley, throw it in and you’ve got yourself a legendary Simon and Garfunkle stuffing to sing about.

Can I stuff this inside my turkey to bake?

Yes, this stuffing can be baked inside a turkey. Be warned that the internal temperature of the stuffing will need to reach a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be food safe. The interior of the turkey and the stuffing will be the last parts of the turkey to reach this temperature, which means that your white meat will be greater than 165 degrees F, which means it is overcooked and dried out.  It is a better idea for food safety (and for the sake of a moist turkey) to bake your stuffing separately.

Do I have to toast my bread to make stuffing?

You can toast the bread if you like, but it isn’t always necessary. The toasting process is meant to dry out the bread to prevent your stuffing from getting soggy, with the bread absorbing too much liquid too fast. Stale bread is already dried out and can be used instead of toasting, saving prep time. If you like crispier stuffing, then toasting is an easy step you can take. Dice your bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out into a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 225-degree oven for 30 minutes until stale.

What kind of bread should I use for stuffing?

The best kinds of bread to use to make stuffing are crusty, bakery-style loaves. French bread with a hard crust makes a great option, as does a country-style loaf or even sourdough bread.