Brown Bread Stuffing with Chestnuts, Apples, and Sausage
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Ingredients (15)
- 1/4 cup duck fat or unsalted butter (1/2 stick), plus more for coating the baking dish
- 6 slices pumpernickel or dark rye bread (about 1/2 loaf), crusts removed, medium dice
- 6 slices wheat bread (about 1/2 loaf), crusts removed, medium dice
- 5 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound), casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
- 1/4 cup torn fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 2 medium celery stalks, medium dice
- 1 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, medium dice
- 1 cup coarsely chopped steamed or roasted chestnuts
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Tip
How to Store Fresh Sausage
Fresh sausage must be consumed or frozen within one to two days of purchase. They can be stored in their original packaging, but refrain from opening the package until you’re ready to cook. The easiest way to tell if a sausage has gone bad is its smell. Discard of anything that smells foul.
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Tip
How to Freeze Fresh Sausage
Sausage can be kept in its original packaging, but re-wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper to prevent freezer burn. A frozen fresh sausage’s optimal flavor will last one to two months beyond its initial freeze date, though properly packaged sausage can last significantly longer.
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Tip
How to Cook Fresh Sausage
To cook sausage in its traditional form (whole and with casing), spray a skillet with cooking spray and set the heat to medium-high. Add the sausages and allow their sides to brown. Continuously flip the sausages with tongs until they are browned evenly. Lower heat to medium-low and carefully had half a cup of water to the skillet. Cover the sausages and allow to simmer in the water for 12 minutes or until the they are cooked through.
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Tip
How to Freeze Pork
Pork fares best in the freezer if packaged with freezer-friendly materials like waxed paper, aluminum foil, or heavy-duty plastic bags.
Wrap any meat tightly so that air does not escape and freeze at 0°F. Generally, fresh cuts of pork can last up to six months, while ground pork can last up to three.
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Tip
How to Thaw Pork
Pork is easiest to thaw when placed in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Small roasts will take three to five hours per pound, while larger roasts can take up to seven hours per pound. Thawing ground pork depends entirely on the thickness of its packaging.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
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Next: How to Store Pork
Tip
How to Store Pork
Sealed pork products can typically last in the fridge for two to four days, with ground pork having a slightly shorter shelf life at one to three. Ham or other smoked pork products like bacon can be stored for up to a week, though this only applies to products that aren’t vacuum sealed or prepared with preservatives. The latter can obviously last a lot longer.
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This stuffing is moist inside and crispy on top. The mix of chestnuts, bread, and apples marries fall’s best flavors without being too heavy.
Game plan: The heat and time required to safely cook stuffing that’s packed into a good-size turkey usually results in a breast with the flavor of sawdust. The stuffing should be cooked to 160°F, the same internal temperature required for the turkey, so you’d think it would work perfectly. But when the bird is at 160°F and ready to serve, the stuffing (insulated against the oven heat by the bird) is still undercooked and needs at least another 90 minutes in the oven. Which is why preparing your stuffing separately, as done here, is ideal.
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with duck fat or butter. Place the diced bread in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- 2Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the duck fat or butter and crumble in the sausage. Cook until the sausage is lightly browned, stirring to break it up.
- 3Add the onion and sage and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
- 4Add the thyme, parsley, celery, celery seed (if using), apples, and chestnuts and cook until the apples are golden, about 3 minutes.
- 5Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour the mixture over the diced bread, tossing well to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6Spoon the stuffing into the prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes.
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