Surefire Stuffing
Submitted by snookie
Homemade bread stuffing with cubed Italian bread, toasted pecans, fresh thyme, and buttery sauteed onion and celery. Bound with egg and chicken stock for a moist, herb-fragrant holiday side dish.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minForget the boxed stuff. This is the stuffing that earns a permanent spot on the Thanksgiving table.
Cubed Italian bread, dried overnight for the right amount of chew, gets tossed with toasted pecans, fresh thyme, and a generous pile of butter-softened onion and celery.
Eggs beaten with chicken stock bind everything together without making it soggy. You get a stuffing that’s moist in the middle with just enough structure to hold its own on the plate.
The toasted pecans are the secret weapon here. They add a rich, buttery crunch that sets this apart from every other stuffing recipe in the rotation.
Pro Tips
- Dry the bread cubes overnight uncovered on a baking sheet. This step is non-negotiable. Fresh bread turns to mush when you add the stock.
- Toast the pecans until they’re fragrant but not dark. They’ll continue to cook inside the stuffing, so pull them early.
- Let the stuffing cool completely before using it to fill a bird. Warm stuffing inside raw poultry is a food safety no-go.
- For a crispier top, bake the stuffing in a buttered casserole dish instead of inside the bird. You’ll get golden edges all around.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut off 1 inch from the loaves of bread and trim of the bottom crusts.
Cut the remaining bread into ½-inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet.
Let dry overnight, uncovered.
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Spread the pecans on a small cookie sheet and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice, for about 7 minutes, until fragrant.
Let cool. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat.
Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Place the dried bread cubes in a large bowl.
Add the contents of the skillet to the bread along with the toasted pecans, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Toss well to combine. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the chicken stock until blended.
Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and mix until well blended.
Let cool completely before using.
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