Your Grandmothers Favorite Stuffing

Pork sausage, McIntosh apples, walnuts, and a full herb garden of sage, oregano, thyme, and parsley tossed with toasted bread cubes and moistened with melted butter and boiling water. This is the kind of stuffing that smells like Thanksgiving and tastes like it’s been passed down for generations.

The sausage gets browned and crumbled first, then drained of fat. It contributes savory, porky richness without making the stuffing greasy. McIntosh apples are the right variety here. They break down during cooking and add a sweet, slightly tart moisture throughout the stuffing that firmer apples won’t provide.

Toasted bread cubes are critical. Fresh bread absorbs too much liquid and turns to paste. Toasted bread soaks up the butter-water mixture while holding its shape and creating a stuffing with distinct texture.

Stuff the turkey loosely. The stuffing expands during roasting, and packed-tight stuffing stays raw in the center.

Chef Tips

• Always remove all stuffing from the turkey after roasting. Stuffing left in the cavity can harbor bacteria as it cools.
• Bake any extra stuffing in a separate dish at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes.
• Use sage with a light hand if adjusting. It’s potent and can overpower everything else.
• The boiling water dissolves the butter quickly and hydrates the bread cubes evenly throughout.

Variations

• Cornbread stuffing: Replace toasted bread cubes with crumbled cornbread for a Southern take.
• Cranberry walnut: Add dried cranberries alongside the apples for a tarter, more colorful stuffing.