Old-Fashioned Bread Stuffing

Jamie Stolper

Food Editor's Notes:  My family likes classic, old-fashioned stuffing for Thanksgiving and other special occasions.  Although you can add mushrooms, chestnuts, chopped giblets, or other flavor enhancers and herbs to this recipe, I use this basic version almost every time and I always make it in a separate glass casserole dish.  This makes it easy to prepare in advance and easier to serve, plus you can produce a nice crust on top which many people like.  I almost always use chicken fat, which can be bought in a kosher market (or you can use the fat that rises to the top of chilled homemade chicken stock).  This recipe can be made without the eggs, but increase the chicken stock to 1 cup.  I think the eggs add body to the texture and prefer it that way.  It also produces a crispy browned bottom, as well as top, to the stuffing, whereas the no-egg, all chicken stock version produces an evenly moister, softer stuffing.  Go by your preference – both taste great!  If you have drippings from a roast chicken or turkey, definitely drizzle some of this over the stuffing while cooking to give it an even richer flavor

Ingredients

8 cups dry bread cubes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chicken fat or margarine (1 stick)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or dried sage leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten well
1/2 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup if not using the egg)
Drippings from a roast chicken or turkey (optional)