This recipe is nearly identical to our Sausage Stuffing, but we added currants steeped in sherry for a little sweetness and switched up the sausage and herbs a bit. That’s all to prove the beauty of this stuffing: You can put whatever you’d like in there—apples, prunes, dates, chestnuts, pine nuts, walnuts. Over the holidays we like to eat this with turkey, goose, or pork crown roast.

This recipe was featured as part of our story on The Last Kodachrome Christmas.

  • Yield: 10 to 12 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr, 15 mins
  • Active: 1 hr, 10 mins

Ingredients (16)

  • 3/4 cup dried currants
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry
  • 1 (1-pound) unsliced wheat bread loaf, such as pain au levain (not whole or multigrain)
  • 1 (1-pound) unsliced white bread loaf, such as sweet batard
  • 1 pound breakfast sausage, casings removed
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery (about 4 large stalks)
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 large)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
  2. Combine the currants and sherry in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and set aside to steep.
  3. Cut the wheat bread in half widthwise; set one half aside. Remove the crust from the other half and discard it. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Using a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process the cubes in two batches into small, rough pieces (some will be about the size of rice kernels, others pea size), about 30 seconds per batch. You should have 3 cups of breadcrumbs. (If needed, cut more cubes from the remaining bread half and process.) Repeat with the white bread.
  4. Combine the breadcrumbs (a total of 6 cups) on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread into an even layer and bake, stirring every 5 minutes and rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time, until light golden brown and dry to the touch, about 17 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl; set aside. (Keep the oven on.)
  5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and, using two forks, break it into pea-size pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a medium bowl. Discard any fat in the pan.
  6. Set the pan back over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the celery, onions, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the currant-sherry mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Add the reserved sausage and herbs and stir to combine. Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Remove from heat. Transfer the sausage mixture to the reserved bowl of breadcrumbs and toss with two spoons until combined and the breadcrumbs are moistened. Let sit for 10 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until dry to the touch and golden brown on top, about 10 minutes more.