Classic Bread Dressing with Sage and Thyme | Adapted from Cooks Illustrated | Makes 12 to 16 servings
I found this recipe in a newspaper several years ago and noticed that it originated from Cooks Illustrated. If you’re not familiar, that’s the magazine and culinary team that tests and tests recipes until they are perfected. When I scanned the ingredients list, I knew this must be a winner. The fresh herbs are essential. I’ve been making it every year for Thanksgiving, but have also made it to serve with all sorts of pork and poultry dishes throughout fall and winter.
Hear are some helpful tips and hints: This recipe can easily be halved and baked in a 9-by 13-inch baking dish for a smaller crowd. You can substitute three 14-ounce bags of plain, dried bread cubes for the homemade dried bread cubes, but you’ll need to increase the amount of chicken broth to 7 cups. When I serve with pork, I add a handful of pecans and dried cranberries to the halved version.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
4 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 onions, minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
3 pounds high-quality white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch cubes and dried
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Method
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sage, thyme and marjoram and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a very large bowl. Tip: You will need a VERY large bowl to handle all the dried bread cubes.
2. Add the dried, cooled bread, broth, eggs, salt and pepper to the vegetables and toss to combine. Turn the mixture into a buttered 10- by 15-inch baking dish.
3. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden, about 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
To make ahead: The stuffing can be assembled in the baking dish, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. To bake, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and proceed to bake as directed in Step 3.