Bread Stuffing

Name: Bread Stuffing
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 680 g of Bread; 115 g of Butter; 3 Onions; 6 stalks of Celery; 3 cloves of Garlic; 1 liter of Chicken Broth; 30 g of Parsley; 1 tablespoon of Sage; 1 Mezza teaspoons of Poultry Seasoning; 1 Mezza teaspoons of Salt; 3/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper

American bread stuffing: day-old bread cubes with celery, onion, butter, sage and broth, baked in a dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Difficulty Easy
Preparation 25 minutes
Cooking 35 minutes
Servings for 12 people

Bread stuffing is the side dish no American Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey dinner goes without: cubes of day-old bread soaked in broth with celery and onion softened in butter, seasoned with sage, parsley and poultry seasoning, then baked until crisp on top and soft underneath.

It was once always cooked inside the turkey, hence the name; baked in a dish it is often called dressing, especially in the South, where cornbread versions are common. This is the plain bread version found in family cookbooks across the United States and Canada.

A sturdy loaf such as French or Italian bread holds its shape better than sliced sandwich bread, which turns mushy.

Ingredients for 12 people

680 g of Bread day-old French or Italian loaf, cut into 2 cm cubes
115 g of Butter plus extra for the dish
3 Onions large, chopped
6 stalks of Celery chopped
3 cloves of Garlic minced
1 liter of Chicken Broth or vegetable broth
30 g of Parsley fresh, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Sage dried, rubbed
1 1/2 teaspoons of Poultry Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons of Salt
3/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper

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Method

If the bread is fresh, spread the cubes on two baking sheets and dry them in the oven at 165 °C (325 °F) for about 10 minutes, until dry on the outside but not toasted, then let them cool. Day-old bread can be used as it is.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and butter a 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inch) baking dish. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions and celery for about 10 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Transfer the vegetables to a very large bowl and stir in the broth, the parsley, the sage, the poultry seasoning, the salt and the pepper. Add the bread cubes and fold gently until they have soaked up the liquid evenly.
Spoon the stuffing into the dish, which will be very full, and bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp at the edges and the center is hot. Serve with roast turkey and gravy. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Add 450 g (1 lb) of browned and crumbled pork sausage, or a couple of chopped apples, sautéed mushrooms or toasted pecans. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian stuffing. If you have no poultry seasoning, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and a pinch of dried marjoram.

Tips

Dry bread is the secret: fresh bread turns to paste. For a firmer stuffing that holds together in squares, beat 1 egg into the broth. Baking the stuffing in a dish is safer than cooking it inside the bird; if you do stuff the turkey, the center of the stuffing must reach 74 °C (165 °F).

Storage

Leftover stuffing keeps in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat it, covered, at 180 °C (350 °F) for 30 to 40 minutes with a splash of broth, until hot in the center.