One of the most classic Thanksgiving dishes is homemade stuffing with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme! Many people choose not to take the time to make their stuffing from scratch and instead opt for a pre-made or boxed variety but they do not know what they're missing! Join Eric for a special edition episode of Simply Elegant Home Cooking costarring Eric's mom, Cheryl! They will be demonstrating this classic dish that has been enjoyed by the entire family for over 30 years! It is a family tradition to make this delicious homemade stuffing and Eric hopes that you take this special recipe and make it a holiday tradition in your own house too!
To make a great stuffing, there are a few tricks! First, you MUST use a homemade turkey stock! The boxed varieties are simply no substitute. Also, be sure to use a variety of fresh herbs, and lots of them! The classic combination today is fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Ingredients:
-1 loaf sliced Italian white bread
-1 large yellow onion
-3 medium sized stalks of celery
-1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
-2 tablespoon finely minced sage
-2 tablespoon finely minced rosemary
-2 tablespoon finely minced thyme
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 stick butter
-2 to 2 1/2 cups HOMEMADE turkey stock
Directions:
-Use a bread knife to cut the bread into a medium sized dice, several slices at a time.
-Lay the bread cubes out evenly on baking sheets and bake in a 250 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until dried out.
-Cut the celery and onions into a small dice.
-Mince the parsley and FINELY mince the sage, rosemary and thyme
-Preheat a large pan on medium heat. Add the stick of butter to the pan and allow it to melt. When the butter is melted, add in the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-After the bread is fully dried and the veggies are lightly cooked and softened, assemble the stuffing either in a large bowl or a large stock pot that will allow plenty of room to mix. Use a large spoon to gently mix the ingredients. Add in the fresh herbs gradually towards the end of the mixing process as they are delicate.
-Add in about 1 1/2 cups of the turkey stock and mix. Test the stuffing for consistency and flavor. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and add in more stock if necessary. In today's video a total of 2 1/2 cups of the stock were used but be sure to add gradually.
-In a 9x13 glass baking dish, use a small amount of butter and spread it evenly over the dish, making sure to butter the sides and the corners. This will add additional flavor and prevent sticking.
-Add the stuffing mix to the baking dish and use a flat spatula to press down gently until the stuffing is evenly distributed in the baking dish.
-Cover the stuffing with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes, until desired consistency is achieved.
-Serve and enjoy!