Apples, Sausage and Sage Stuffing

Almost every American Thanksgiving spread will include stuffing, or dressing as it is called in the south. There are so many different versions too. Everyone has their favorite, and they are all different from house to house and region to region. In the south, most dressings are made with cornbread. In most other places, stuffings are made from old or stale bread. Stuffings or dressings have been a part of the Thanksgiving traditions since around 1836. I make different stuffings all the time. There are just too many stuffings and not enough time. 🙂

Adding a “stuffing” to a meat dish goes back to the early beginnings of time. It’s said that stuffing animals carcasses goes back as far as the 2nd or 1st centuries B.C from the early Roman times. In the early days, foods were roasted on a spit over an open fire, and there was no easy way to cook side dishes other than stuffing them into the animal carcass. Today, most people cook over a stove, which makes preparing multiple dishes much, much easier and heathier. At first, stuffing was cooked inside the carcass, adding flavors to the meat, but today, most people cook the meat and the stuffing separately, to prevent food-borne illnesses.

To make a stuffing or a dressing, regardless of what ingredients you use, always cook everything thoroughly before adding it to the stuffing mix. This is for two main reasons – 1) if you use raw ingredients instead of cooked, they will give the stuffing a very strong and unpleasant flavor, and 2) which is the most important reason, is to prevent cross contamination of foods and keeping the foods safe to eat for everyone. The dryness of the bread or the cornbread you use will determine the amount of liquid used to moisten the stuffing. Cut the vegetables to the same size of the bread so all the flavors really come together and don’t get lost in the cooking.

This year I made two different versions of an apple, sausage and sage stuffing, though, one was really just apple and sage because I made it vegetarian. All I did different was not add the sausage. 🙂

Apple, Sausage and Sage Stuffing

The combination of sausage, apples and sage are a New England tradition. When using them as a basis for stuffing, they go very well with chicken, pork or turkey. Sage is a hearty herb that is perfect for fall cooking. The leaves are protected by a “fuzzy” coating, which acts as a type of insulation for the leaves, and allows the herb to last longer through the colder months, making it perfect for fall cooking.

1 onion, diced

1-1 1/2 TBSP garlic

3 celery ribs, diced

1 lb bulk sausage

8 cups stale bread or stuffing mix

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 apples, peeled and diced

4 TBSP melted butter

1 1/2-2 cups broth

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped, or 1 1/2 tsp dried sage

1/4 cup chopped parsley and/or other fresh herbs, chopped

Preheat the oven to abut 375*F or 191 *C.

Spray cooking spray into a deep baking pan or dish.

Cube the bread. Any kind of bread will do. Different breads will add different flavors.

Cook all the vegetables and apples together with the salt & pepper in either olive oil and/or butter. I like using a combination of both to add more flavor and richness. Cook the vegetables and apples first for about 3 minutes, then add the sausage, unless you are making a vegetarian version, then cook the sausage separately.

Once everything is cooked add them, along with the melted butter and fresh herbs, to the cubed bread and mix together thoroughly.

Add the broth and firmly press into the bread mixture, making sure that everything is completely soaked through. Add it all to the prepared pan and thoroughly press it down again. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour, then remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or so, or until the top is lightly browned. Serve hot alongside your favorite meat or protein dish.

This is but one of an endless number of possibilities of delicious stuffings to make. Here in the United States, stuffings are traditionally served with turkey during the holidays, but by no means is that the only time they are eaten and enjoyed. You can enjoy stuffing anytime, with any meal. So let’s get stuffed, though I should be careful in saying this, because I know in other countries, this has a completely different meaning. I know in my dad’s native Australia, getting stuffed is something totally different. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.