My Mom’s Sourdough Sausage Stuffing (The Secret Is the Crispy Bits)

The Recipe

Mom’s Sourdough Sausage Stuffing

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Ingredients

• 1 Billy Bread Coyote or Rustic sourdough loaf, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 14 cups)
• 4 to 5 tubes (1 pound each) Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage, a mix of Hot and Maple
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, plus more for the pan
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 ribs celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock

Instructions

1. Dry the bread. Cut the loaf into 3/4 inch cubes, crust and all. Spread them on a sheet pan and leave them out overnight. In a hurry? Bake them at 250°F for 40 to 50 minutes, tossing halfway, until they’re dry and crisp but not browned.
2. Make the sausage patties. Slice each tube of sausage into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, then press each round into a thin patty, about 1/4 inch thick. Thinner patties mean more crispy edge for the stuffing, which is the whole point.
3. Sear them hard. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the patties without crowding the pan and leave them alone. Don’t poke them, don’t move them. Let them go 4 to 5 minutes per side, until both sides are deep brown and crunchy. Work in batches and move the finished patties to a plate.
4. Peel off the crispy bits. Once the patties are cool enough to handle, peel or shave off the dark, caramelized outside with your fingers or a small paring knife. Chop or crumble those crispy bits and set them aside. That’s your stuffing sausage. Put the soft centers in a container in the fridge right away. That’s Thanksgiving breakfast.
5. Cook the vegetables. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of sausage fat from the skillet. Add the stick of butter, then the onions and celery. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re soft and sweet. Stir in the sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook 1 more minute.
6. Mix it all together. Heat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. In your biggest bowl, toss the bread cubes with the vegetables, the crispy sausage bits and the parsley. Whisk the eggs into 3 cups of the chicken stock and pour it over the bread, tossing gently as you go. Let it sit for 5 minutes. If the bread still has dry spots, add more stock, a splash at a time. You want it moist all the way through, not swimming.
7. Bake. Pile it into the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy and the center reaches 165°F on a thermometer.