Savory Sausage Stuffed Bread (Printer-Friendly)

A hearty dish combining sausage, bread, apples, and herbs baked until golden and flavorful.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Meat

01 - 1 pound fresh breakfast sausage

→ Bread

02 - 12 cups day-old white bread cubes, cut into 1-inch cubes (from about 1 standard loaf)

→ Produce

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 celery ribs, diced
05 - 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and diced
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Liquids and Seasonings

09 - 2 cups chicken broth
10 - 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
11 - 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
12 - 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Dry bread cubes overnight or toast briefly in a low oven. Dice onion, celery, and apples uniformly. Mince garlic and lightly beat eggs in a separate bowl.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, brown breakfast sausage until fully cooked, breaking into bite-sized pieces. Transfer sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving drippings in the skillet.
03 - Add butter to the skillet with sausage drippings. Sauté onion, celery, and apples for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and aromatic. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes without browning.
04 - Add sautéed vegetables and apples to the sausage in the mixing bowl. Sprinkle poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, thyme, salt, and black pepper over the mixture. Gently incorporate bread cubes. Dissolve chicken bouillon powder in chicken broth, then evenly pour broth over the mixture. Let the bread absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Fold in beaten eggs carefully to moisten without overmixing.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread stuffing evenly. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden and crisp.
06 - Allow stuffing to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving to meld flavors and facilitate clean serving. Optionally garnish with fresh herbs.

# Additional Suggestions:

01 - Use stale bread for optimal texture to prevent mushiness by ensuring the bread soaks up flavors without becoming soggy.
02 - Brown sausage thoroughly for depth, and sauté vegetables and apples until soft and fragrant to enhance richness.
03 - Fold ingredients gently after adding broth and eggs to maintain bread structure and achieve a tender stuffing.
04 - Cover baking dish initially to retain moisture; uncover for the last 15-20 minutes to develop a crisp top layer.
05 - Stuffing can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before baking, adding broth if needed.

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