Crispy Golden Stuffing with Custardy Center

• 18 cups sourdough bread, cubed, toasted or air dried
• 1½ lb breakfast sausage, optional
• 2 onion, large dice
• 4 stalks celery, large dice
• 5 cloves garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 oz unsalted butter, divided use
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 teaspoons herbes de provence
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
• 4½ cups turkey stock
• 1 cup turkey stock
• 3 egg, beaten
• rosemary salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Step 1

   0:25
   Slice sourdough bread into cubes roughly 1-inch in size. Freezing the bread for 20 minutes beforehand makes slicing easier without compressing the loaf.
2. Step 2

   0:53
   Spread the bread cubes onto a tray and bake in a 250°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until completely dried out and hard like croutons. Alternatively, cube the bread the day before and let it air-dry on trays for 24 hours.
3. Step 3

   1:25
   Heat a little neutral oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, cook until browned with some color, and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer sausage to a bowl. If excess grease remains, reserve a little to cook the vegetables.
4. Step 4

   2:05
   Return the pan to medium heat. Add about half the butter (6 oz) and melt. Add the large-diced onions and celery. Cook, adding a bit of reserved sausage grease if desired. Season with rosemary salt (or salt).
5. Step 5

   4:35
   After the vegetables have cooked for about 10 minutes, add the sliced garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chopped sage, chopped rosemary, stripped thyme leaves, herbes de provence, and black pepper. Mix well, turn off the heat, and allow the herbs to infuse.
6. Step 6

   5:22
   Place the fully dried bread cubes into a very large bowl. Pour the onion-herb mixture over the bread. Deglaze the pan with a little stock if there is fond, and add it to the bowl along with the cooked sausage and the remaining 4 1/2 cups stock. Mix thoroughly and let sit to allow the bread to absorb the liquid and fat.
7. Step 7

   6:07
   In a separate bowl, whisk 3 eggs into 1 cup reserved stock. Pour the egg mixture into the stuffing and mix well. Let the combined mixture sit for another 5 minutes.
8. Step 8

   6:29
   Use the remaining 2 oz butter to generously grease a baking dish, working it into all the corners and edges to promote crispy textures. Add the stuffing mixture to the dish without packing or smashing the top too firmly to preserve some surface texture. Brush additional melted butter over the top.
9. Step 9

   7:24
   Bake in a 375°F oven for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp while the center remains soft, juicy, and custardy. Allow to rest about 20 minutes before serving. The edges and corners will be extra crispy and golden.