Brown sausage and toast bread cubes first so vegetables do the seasoning heavy lifting in this sourdough stuffing
Method
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01
Prepare and dehydrate bread cubes
120 minRecipe recommends starting 24 hours ahead; can be bagged and held.
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02
Preheat oven to 350°F
15 minYou want 350°F dead-center on the rack — use an oven thermometer to verify, because stuffing's a slow cook and an off oven ruins it.
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03
Brown sausage and add seasonings
10 minLet cool in pan with juices.
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04
Sauté onions, garlic, celery until browning
8 minUse butter over medium-high heat.
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05
Add mushrooms and cook until liquid evaporates
12 minStir occasionally until vegetables reduce.
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06
Add seasonings and chiles, simmer until cooked
10 minReduce heat to low, cook until moisture mostly gone.
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07
Combine bread, sausage, herbs, and vegetables in bowl
5 minToss everything together until the bread's evenly moistened and the sausage's fat coats the whole mixture, but don't compress it or you'll end up with a dense brick instead of something with some give.
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08
Gently fold in egg-stock mixture gradually
8 minAdd broth a little at a time, stop when bread stops absorbing.
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09
Transfer to greased baking dish
3 minUse greased 13x9 inch deep baking dish.
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10
Bake uncovered until internal temp 160°F
60 minCover with foil if top browns too much before done.
From Mike's Notebook
Don't skip toasting the bread cubes dry — they'll turn to mush if you add broth to fresh bread.
Stop adding broth when the bread quits drinking it, not when the pan looks wet.
Let the sautéed vegetables cool slightly before folding in the egg mixture, or you'll scramble it.