Featured Recipe
Apple Sausage Stuffing
By Kate
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Sausage and apples mingle with crisp bacon and celery in a rustic bread stuffing. Aromatics build layers; mustard and cinnamon give subtle warmth. Moist but slightly crisped top from broiling. Uses stale sourdough cubes for texture contrast. Practical substitutions included for bacon and apples. Teaches doneness cues beyond a timer, focusing on aromas and texture notes.
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Prep:
22 min
Cook:
43 min
Total:
65 min
Serves:
8 servings
stuffing
holiday
recipe
sourdough
pork sausage
Introduction
Stale bread, sausage, apples. A combo that feels old-school but holds up because textures play off each other. Tender pork and crispy bacon fat knit into sourdough’s chewy crumb. Mustard and cinnamon make you pause—sweet, savory, earthy. Scent in kitchen shifts mid-cook: from smoky bacon to warm fruit. No overthinking. Watch color changes, smell deepening, moisture balance rather than clock staring. Allergy-friendly, no nuts here. Easy swaps for apple or sausage type noted. Tackles hallmark problems: soggy stuffing, bland edges, undercooked meat. Real kitchen lessons back it all up — these are the signs that tell, not timers.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Use sold slab bacon over pre-cut for better fat control. Bacon renders fat, a flavor and moisture lifter. If unavailable, pancetta or thick-cut ham works fine but adjust salt. Granny Smith recommended for tartness and firmness; soften slower so stuffing holds texture. Other firm apples like Braeburn fine, avoid overly sweet or soft types like Fuji — they turn pulpy. Stale sourdough ideal for crumb texture that absorbs without dissolving; day-old bakery bread usually okay but if fresh loaf then dry cubes in 120 C oven 10-15 minutes. Chicken stock—low sodium or homemade—adds depth over water. Ground pork sausage traditional; substitute with spicy Italian sausage or even turkey sausage but expect flavor shift. Mustard and cinnamon small but necessary; mustard seeds release oils, cinnamon adds gentle warmth but avoid over spicing. Egg binds without weighing down. Salt and pepper crucial given sausage variance. Adjust seasoning after mixing but before baking.
Method
Technique Tips
Render bacon slowly, patience yields crispiest lardons and a clean fat pool for sauté. Onion and celery need translucence, not browned, to keep balance—browning brings bitterness here. Garlic and apple added late to preserve freshness and to avoid garlic burning and apple falling apart; short coddling just until softened. Deglaze with hot stock to pick up that fond—that golden stickiness is flavor gold. Evaporate liquid thoroughly so mix is moist, not wet; excess liquid leads to soggy stuffing. Mix well but do not overwork sausage; overmixing tightens texture. Spread loosely so heat penetrates evenly; dense packing=wet interior, dried edges. Bake in middle rack for even heat distribution. Oven temperature slightly reduced here to avoid burning edges before interior cooks. Jiggly edges, bubbling juices, and a golden top are your doneness signals. Final broil step creates appealing crust but needs watchful eye—seconds count. Resting is underrated; juices redistribute restoring moisture balance inside bite. Last tip: if stuffing looks dry mid-bake, splash extra stock around edges but avoid puddling on top.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use slab bacon for best fat control; renders down nicely. Watch it crisp but don’t rush—slow is key. Pancetta or thick ham can sub in—adjust salt.
- 💡 Granny Smith brings tartness, firm texture; other firm apples work. Avoid soft kinds. If using fresh bread, dry cubes in low oven until hard.
- 💡 Taste for spices early on; sausage seasoning varies widely. Be bold with salt and pepper. Adjust before baking—oven dulls flavors slightly.
- 💡 Mix the stuffing gently; don’t overwork sausage. Loose mix means even cooking. Dense stuffing leads to soggy inside. Spread evenly in baking dish.
- 💡 Final broil creates crispy top; stay vigilant. Seconds count. If stuffing looks dry mid-bake, splash stock around edges. Avoid puddles.
