STUFFING
Move over turkey and let the real star of the show take center stage – stuffing. Everybody knows and loves the classic thanksgiving stuffing, but do you ever wonder if stuffing could be… more? Well, we dared to dream and found an entire world of stuffing just waiting to be discovered!
Method
Italian Ciabatta Stuffing Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 °F with convection.
Add the focaccia cubes to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the bread cubes until completely dry, 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Allow the bread cubes to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 375 °F with convection.
Add the pancetta to a large skillet, preferably cast iron or carbon steel. Heat the pancetta over medium heat and cook until the fat is completely rendered and the meat is cooked, 4-5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the skillet and reserve on a plate or sheet tray lined with paper towels.
Add the prosciutto to the rendered fat and fry over high heat until crisp, 1-2 minutes per side.
Using tongs, remove the prosciutto from the pot and transfer it to the same paper towel-lined bowl or sheet tray.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until translucent.
Add the artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pinenuts to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes and stir to combine.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large metal bowl. Add the pancetta, prosciutto, and focaccia croutons to the bowl. Fold to combine the mixture thoroughly using a plastic spatula.
Add the eggs and enough stock mixture to moisten the bread without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and fold to combine once more.
Transfer the mixture to a greased (using neutral oil, or light olive oil) 9x13 casserole dish or large cast iron pan.
Top the stuffing with an even sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Cover the dish in aluminum foil.
Bake the stuffing for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Cornbread Stuffing Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and parchment.
In a large bowl, combine the cornbread mixes and prepare the batter as directed by the box instructions.
Transfer the cornbread mixture to the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Bake the cornbread until golden brown and firm with poked, 13-15 minutes.
Allow the cornbread to cool completely. Decrease the oven temperature to 200 °F.
Invert the rimmed baking sheet on a clean work surface to reveal the cornbread. Peel off the parchment and cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes.
Transfer the cornbread cubes to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the bread cubes until completely dry, 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Allow the cornbread croutons to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F with convection. Prepare a 9x13-inch casserole dish or large cast iron pan with an even layer of softened unsalted butter
Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron or carbon steel, over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-6 minutes or until completely cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pot and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or sheet tray.
Then, add the onion and celery to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, 4-6 minutes.
Add the garlic and sage, stir to combine and continue cooking the mixture for 1 minute.
Transfer the reserved sausage, vegetable mixture, and about 80% of the cornbread crouton to a large metal bowl. Fold to combine the mixture.
Add the eggs and enough turkey stock to moisten the cornbread croutons without liquid pooling at the bottoms of the bowl. Then, season to taste with salt and pepper, and fold to combine once more.
Transfer the cornbread mixture to the prepared dish. Top the mixture with the reserved cubed cornbread croutons, then gently press them into the batter.
Cover the dish in aluminum foil, then transfer the dish to the preheated oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Cheddar Bacon Biscuit Stuffing Method:
Place the biscuits rolls on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the biscuits according to the package instructions.
Allow the biscuits to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 200 °F.
Slice the biscuits into 1-inch cubes and transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the biscuit cubes until completely dry, 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Allow the biscuit cubes to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 375 °F with convection.
Add the bacon lardons and water to a large skillet, preferably cast iron or carbon steel. Heat the bacon over medium heat and cook until the fat is completely rendered, the water has evaporated, and the meat is cooked through and crisp, 6-8 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and reserve on a paper towel-lined plate or sheet tray.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat from the skillet. Then increase the heat to medium and add the onion, celery, and fennel to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4-6 minutes.
Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg to the pot. Stir to combine the mixture and cook for 1 minute longer.
Add the reserved bacon lardon, vegetable mixture, and biscuit croutons to a large metal bowl.
Fold to combine the mixture thoroughly using a plastic spatula.
Add the eggs and enough stock mixture to moisten the bread without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and fold to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a greased (using neutral oil, or light olive oil) 9x13-inch casserole dish or large cast iron pan.
Cover the casserole dish in aluminum foil.
Bake the stuffing for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy
Ingredients
Italian Ciabatta Stuffing Ingredients:
1 large loaf olive ciabatta (~16 oz), cubed
4 oz pancetta, cubed
4 oz prosciutto slices, sliced
1 white onion, diced
¾ Cup canned artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
½ Cup sun dried tomatoes, drained + roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
⅓ Cup pine nuts, toasted
3 - 4 Cups turkey broth
To taste kosher salt
To taster freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
As needed neutral oil, or light olive oil
As needed Parmesan cheese, grated
Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 boxes cornbread mix (i.e. Jiffy)
3-4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
12 oz ground breakfast sausage
1 white onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ Tbsp fresh sage, minced
2 whole large eggs, beaten
3-4 Cups turkey stock, preferably homemade
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
Cheddar Bacon Biscuit Stuffing Ingredients:
1 refrigerated biscuit dough roll (8 large biscuits)
12 oz slab bacon, sliced into lardons (or breakfast sausage)
½ Cup water
1 white onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
½ fennel bulb, core removed + chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ lb sharp cheddar, shredded
2 whole large eggs, beaten
3-4 Cups turkey broth, preferably homemade
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
As needed neutral oil, or light olive oil