Sage and Sausage Stuffing

I didn't go home for Thanksgiving this year. Instead, my friends met me Chicago and we created our own Thanksgiving meal. My friend got this recipe from a cookbook and we decided to make it. The verdict? A win! A recipe I will add to the cookbook. 

Serves 10-12 people

Ingredients

- 2.5 lbs (about 2 loaves) high quality sandwich bread or soft Italian or French bread, cut into 3/4 inch dice (about 5 quarts)

- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

- 1.5 pounds sage sausage, removed from casings (I used Italian sausage) 

- 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

- 4 large celery stalks, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 2 teaspoons) 

- 3/4 cup minced fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons dried sage)

- 4 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken or turkey stock

- 3 large eggs

- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Adjust oven racks to lower- and upper-middle positions. Preheat oven to 275. Spread bread evenly onto two rimmed baking sheets. Stagger pans on oven racks and bake, rotating pans and stirring bread cubes several times, until bread is completely dried, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350. 

2. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides (don't allow butter to brown), about 2 minutes. Add sausage and mash with stiff whisk or potatoes masher to break it up into fine pieces (largest piece should be no greater than 1/4 inch), 8 minutes. 

3. Add onion, celery, garlic, and sage. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half the stock. 

4. Whisk remaining stock, the eggs, and 3 tablespoons of parsley into medium bowel until homogenous. Stir constantly with wooden spoon, slowly pour the egg mixture into sausage mixture. Add the bread cubes and fold gently until evenly mixed (may want to decrease amount of stock).

5. Use part of stuffing to stuff the bird if desired. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered 9x13 inch baking dish (or 10x14 inch oval dish). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until instant thermometer inserted in center of stuffing reads 150 F (about 45 minutes). Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown and crispy on top. 

6. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.