Classic Sausage Chestnut Stuffing

This is a classic done right. Sausage Chestnut Stuffing will be a winner on your Thanksgiving table.

Keeping it classic

Sausage and bread stuffing is served every Thanksgiving in my family. Sometimes traditional recipes are the best. Although we don’t usually include chestnuts in our stuffing, they’re a common ingredient and add a wonderful crunch and sweetness.

I kind of cheated and bought pre-roasted, pre-peeled chestnuts to test this recipe with, but they were actually really good! I also picked up some fresh Italian chestnuts the other day, so I’m thinking I should use the real deal for next week’s family dinner. We’ll see.

Which bread is best?

Good quality bread is essential for a good stuffing. None of that sliced prepackaged stuff, and PLEASE refrain from using those stuffing croutons from the grocery store. I think you know what I’m talking about. My first several stuffing experiences were not very good, and I attribute that to that awful bread product.

Go to a bakery or the bakery section of your supermarket, and pick up some quality bread. I used sour dough for that extra kick of flavor. I needed a little more than 1 loaf, so I suggest you buy more bread than you think you might need, just in case.

Tips for great stuffing

1. Dry out the bread. The bread should be dried out so it can soak up the maximum amount of broth.
   • Option 1: The day before you’re planning to cook the stuffing, tear up the bread and spread it out uncovered on a sheet tray so it can dry out overnight. You can even do this several days in advance.
   • Option 2: Stick your bread in the oven, heat it to 300°F and allow it to dry out. You don’t want any browning here.
2. Brown that sausage properly. My old chef boss taught me to put ground sausage in a hot pan and just leave it. Don’t even worry about breaking it up right away. Leave it undisturbed for a solid 10 minutes or so, and you’ll see it’ll brown like a dream.
3. Cook the soffritto low and slow. In Italian, the combo of carrots, celery and onion is called a soffritto. Soffritto translates to under-fried or fried slowly. I actually spent an entire hour cooking my soffritto, because the flavor development is so amazing. The vegetables become incredibly sweet and flavorful this way.
4. Cook in advance. If the process sounds a little too time consuming for your Thanksgiving day schedule, don’t fret. You can actually prepare all of the stuffing ingredients the day before.
   • You can cook the soffritto up to a week in advance if you wanted. I’ve read recipes that state you can even add the broth to the bread the day before and refrigerate it. You could also wait until the day of to add the liquid. Whatever works for you.
5. Don’t skimp on the butter. If you try to cut back on the butter (and trust me, I’ve done it before), the stuffing won’t come out nearly as good. If you’re worried about the fat and calories, just eat less and try to avoid leftovers! 

More Thanksgiving Recipes:

1. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Brown Butter Pecan Topping
2. Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
3. Apple Cider Braised Turkey Legs
4. Garlic Mashed Potatoes
5. Pumpkin Meringue Pie
6. Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Whipped Sour Cream
7. Kale Apple Salad with Blue Cheese and Maple Glazed Walnuts
8. Pear and Pomegranate Salad with Goat Cheese and Pistachios

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