With Thanksgiving just a couple days away, Coryanne from our Kitchen Council is sharing one of her favorite stuffing recipes that will be sure to please the entire family.
Stuffing in our house is a big part of the holidays. We often have 2-3 varieties on the table to compliment all the side dishes and those all-important left over menus we plan. This apple, sage and sausage stuffing is the one that we make a double batch of because everyone always wants a second helping, and it pairs so well the next day with potato pancakes. The flavors that are created when you sauté the onions and apples together are a beautiful blend of sweet, tangy, and savory. While you can also use a Gala apple for this recipe, when possible, I always use Piñata® apples because they offer a nice, juicy crunch when sautéed.
With so many complicated recipes at Thanksgiving, I love the simplicity of stuffing with apples because it means that I can hand the recipe over to my daughter and allow her to cook it solo from start to finish.
As simple as this recipe is, the trick to a stunning stuffing is to be mindful of the fat and salt that the sausage adds, and to be careful not to over-saturate the breadcrumbs. When working with extra fatty sausage meat, add the extra step of draining it on a sheet of paper towel or even using a sieve to rest the meat in if you are reserving drippings. This added step will go a long way to creating crumbly, not mushy stuffing. But the big step to avoid soggy stuffing is to add in the chicken stock gradually, folding as you go and only adding what you need to ensure a light fluffy blend.
And while this recipe does not include chopped walnuts or pecans, when time allows, I gently pan fry them in a bit of butter to brown and crisp the nuts for added crunch in an otherwise soft dish.