Sausage Stuffing

This is the stuffing my friends LOVE!  I love to share and am delighted people like my recipe!
Here it is and Happy Thanksgiving!

2 large loaves Brioche bread loaves sliced and cubed, don't remove
 crusts about 18 cups 
1 and 1/2 sticks butter(6 oz.)
4 stalks celery 1/4 " dice
2 onions,  1/4 "dice
1/4 cup fresh sage sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 and 1/2 Lbs. fresh Italian fennel sausage out of the casing
1and 1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsps. kosher salt
1/2 tsps. ground black pepper


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 Place the cubed bread into a large bowl. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onions.
sweat over low heat until the vegetables are tender, but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and stir add to the cubed bread. In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat pat down the sausage and cook to a nice brown color. Turn the sausage over and cook the other side to a nice brown color.
Begin to chop  the sausage with a metal spatula into chunks while continuing to brown the sausage.
When the sausage is cooked through remove from the pan and cool thoroughly. Then break up the lumps with your hands, to make smaller pieces.

Add to the bread and vegetable mixture. Stir in the chicken stock and toss the mixture.
Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. place the mixture into a 9x13 oven proof baking dish.
Cover the dish with foil. put into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve immediately. 
Alternatively stuff the bird. 

Recipe, writing and photos by Karen  Pickus, 2012
Courtesy Karen  Pickus 2012