Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidells Sausage Company, says, "Stuffing was the most important part of my family’s holiday menu. The turkey was always overcooked, but the stuffing was moist and delicious. We usually had two, sometimes three stuffings, but I leaned toward the kind with sausage. It was meaty and spicy, just like this one."
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all sausages and cook until brown and cooked through, breaking up bulk sausage with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery and red bell peppers. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Stir in green onions, thyme, hot pepper sauce and sage. Transfer sausage mixture to large bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Stir stuffing mix into sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
To bake stuffing in turkey:
Step 2
Loosely fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass or ceramic baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover stuffing. Bake until top is just crisp and golden, about 15 minutes.
To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 15x10x2-inch, 13x9x2-inch or 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish, using size called for in recipe. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups.) Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer.
Step 4
*Smoked pork-and-beef sausages that are sold at specialty foods stores. Smoked bratwurst, kielbasa or smoked Hungarian sausages can be substituted.
