Sausage Stuffing

My grandmother's recipe for sausage stuffing, good for stuffing into a Thanksgiving turkey or serving any time of year on the side. This is good stuff! Best of all, it couldn't be simpler to make!

Sausage Stuffing

Does every family have its tried-and-true traditional stuffing recipe? Mine does. This was my grandmother’s stuffing recipe and my mother’s too. It’s my sister’s stuffing recipe and yes, mine too. I just did the math: this means we’ve been using this stuffing recipe for 90 years. Ninety years, that’s a lot of tradition.

In Nana’s day, roast turkey was traditional for Canadian Thanksgiving in October and again at Christmas. Turkey was a special treat because whole birds were only available during the cold months.

Story goes, one year the family was finishing Christmas dinner when there was a knock at the door. My grandfather had forgotten inviting another family for dinner! Nana managed to put together a suitable repast and the family ate twice that day.

Me, I make the stuffing the day before; it’s the starting bell for the sprint of Thanksgiving cooking. Some years, then, I tuck the stuffing into the turkey for roasting, other years I turn it into a baking dish and just rewarm in the oven. Either way: delicious.

ALANNA's TIPS Good stuffing starts with good bread. Choose a loaf with heft and flavor. A hearty whole wheat works, so does a heavy white bread, so does rye bread. Corn bread would be excellent. Avoid anything that’s light and fluffy or thick with preservatives which inhibits drying. If you like, tear the bread into pieces and then air-dry in the oven for a day or so, or heat-dry for 15 or so minutes at 200F. Poultry seasoning is a commercial blend of herbs and if you don’t have any, just use a blend of sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram.

RECIPE for
NANA’s SAUSAGE STUFFING

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Can be made ahead & reheated
Makes 6 cups
  • 1 pound pork sausage or ground pork
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 8 ounces hearty bread (see TIPS), torn into pieces
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (see TIPS)
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet (two, if needed) cook the sausage, adding the onion and celery as they’re prepped. When the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables soft, stir in the bread, stirring to coat with fat.

Separately, mix the remaining ingredients and gently pour over the sausage-bread mixture, letting it soak in. Let cook for a few minutes, until egg mixture sets. As outside edges begin to brown, turn occasionally.

To serve immediately, transfer to a serving dish, serve and savor.

To serve later, transfer to an oven-safe baking dish, let cool, cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350F and warm clear through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE (How many calories in Sausage Stuffing? How many Weight Watchers points in Sausage Stuffing?) Per Half Cup: 167 Calories; 7g Tot Fat; 3g Sat Fat; 41mg Cholesterol; 158mg Sodium; 14g Carb; 1g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 10g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points
Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. In 2009, Kitchen Parade celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special collection of my mother's recipes. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture.

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Your Comments:

MMMM - that looks really good!
Anonymous Donalyn on 11/05/2009
 
That does look great! My aunt made regular and sausage stuffing one year and the sausage won hands down. Yum!
Anonymous Glenna on 11/05/2009
 
Just try sharing that dressing in the South -- it's practically heresy to make it without using cornbread. I always warn people that it won't seem like "real" dressing to them. FYI Alanna: Even Ron still uses Nana's recipe!
Anonymous Adanna on 11/06/2009
 
I think I remember that stuffing ... very much like the one I kind of 'made up'. Your mother (or Nana) must be where the memory comes from. I love putting sausage in the stuffing. Yum!!!
Anonymous LeAnne on 11/06/2009
 
I love sausage stuffing. I learned to make it from my mother. It was always the best part of Thanksgiving for me along with the mashed potatoes and gravy. This year I've finally changed my recipe so it's gluten and dairy free. Your photo looks a lot like my mom's stuffing. It's great to share these recipes over the generations. I love the stories of how they started if they are known. Some can be entertaining. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Blogger Diane-The WHOLE Gang on 11/09/2009