Prep Time 20 min Cook Time 4-5 hours on Low
It all started when I was a newlywed cooking my first Thanksgiving. Since I only had one oven, I thought about using my slow cooker to help free up cooking space. I dug around for a recipe and unbeknownst to me, it was poorly written and there just wasn't enough moisture, resulting in a really really dry bread stuffing. We did what we could to salvage it for dinner and I was careful in writing down what I needed to do for the next year.
Round Two was delicious! I use my same basic foundation recipe year after year, but will mix it up by adding different ingredients. I have also learned to do a trial run before the big day to make sure it's really going to work.
This year, I messed around by adding golden raisins and a few dried cranberries. Perfection!
If you like a traditional stuffing, but with a few delicious surprises, then you will LOVE this.
by Kim Demmon
What you'll need
- 8 - 16 oz ground pork sausage
- 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- 1 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 large Granny Smith Apple - chopped (I leave the skin on)
- 12 cups dried bread cubes (13 oz bag)
- 4 large leaves fresh rubbed sage- diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (regular also works)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 cup butter- melt
- 2 cans (15 oz cans) or one 33 oz box of Chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
Notes:
Omit the nuts for allergy issues.
Variations:
Try this with corn bread cubes! Add cranberries for a tangy taste.
How to make it
- Place the bread cubes and pecans into a large mixing bowl and grease the crock of your slow cooker with butter or oil.
- Brown sausage. When the sausage is almost finished, add seasonings, onion, garlic, celery, apple and raisins and saute until sausage is done.
- Add sausage mixture to the bowl of bread cubes.
- Melt your butter and pour over the bread cube mixture. Mix gently.
- Pour enough chicken broth to the bread cube mixture until it becomes moist (not mushy) while blending with a wooden spoon or hands. Save any unused broth to add later if needed.
- Transfer the mixture into your slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Check at the 2 hour mark. If the middle is dry, add more broth.
