Sausage Leek Stuffing
Breaking news 📰, I’ve upgraded my Sausage Stuffing and added a few new spins to my favorite holiday 🦃🎄🎅🏻 side!
I don’t know about you, but Stuffing is my favorite part of any holiday 🦃🎄🎅🏻 meal. In fact, I’ve been known to make stuffing just because I love ❤️ it so much. Two, it makes for delicious leftovers, in particular Waffle Benedict 😋!
What makes this stuffing upgraded is leeks and Bell’s Seasoning, which contains Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Ginger, Marjoram, Thyme and Pepper.
As with my Sausage Stuffing, I also used my Garlic & Herb Compound Butter, which contains additional Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, as well as Garlic, Lemon Zest and Juice and Salt.
I hope you enjoy this stuffing and if it inspires your own, please let me know in the comments below!
Some Notes
Garlic & Herb Compound Butter – This Compound Butter adds so much flavor to the stuffing, so I wouldn’t go without. However, the Bells Seasoning does have many of the same flavors. With that said, you could go without, but I can’t attest to the deliciousness of the stuffing with just butter alone.
Cooking the Celery & Leeks – I began by melting two tablespoons of my Garlic & Herb Compound Butter. Once melted, I added two celery stalks and two leeks. Those were cooked with Bell’s Seasoning until the leeks were slightly translucent. Note: If the veggies start looking dry add a bit of bacon grease, which I did 👍!!! If you don’t have bacon grease, butter will do!
Cooking the Sausage – I used Jones Original Pork Sausage, so again I can’t attest to flavor if you use a different sausage. However, Jones Original Pork Sausage is a mild sausage. To cook the sausage, I added it to the same fry pan I used for the veggies, so flavor existed already. I made a pancake, before breaking it up, with the sausage because I wanted to get a char on the sausage because that’s flavor. Make sure your sausage has a bit of char before removing it from the fry pan with a slotted spoon.
Preparing the Bread – I used four mini corn breads and five slices of sourdough. I cooked the corn bread in the remaining sausage bacon grease. Note: If the fry pan is dry, add butter or bacon grease. For the sourdough, I drizzled the fry pan with EVOO and also added some additional Bell’s Seasoning, salt and ground pepper. Don’t be afraid of that seasoning because it’s delicious 😋!
Preparing in Advance – I always prepare my stuffing in advance; reason, the ingredients can easily be stored until you’re ready to bake the stuffing. Simply, prepare the veggies and sausage and add to heat resistant storage containers. Add the prepared bread to a bag and keep open overnight to allow the bread to get somewhat stale. When you’re ready to prepare your stuffing, add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl with chicken stock. Add to a casserole dish and top with milk and bacon. Deliciousness awaits once cooked and you’ve saved yourself some work when entertaining around the holidays.
What to do with the Leftovers – Stuffing Waffles or Waffle Benedict is a MUST! So delicious, simply add a large scope or two to a mixing bowl with some cheese and an egg. Mix together and bake to perfection!
When warming stuffing leftovers, you might need to add a bit more liquid to prevent it from drying out. Of course those crispy stuffing bites are also tasty! You could also freeze for up to three or four months.
Sausage Leek Stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP Garlic & Herb Compound Butter, Follow this link for my Compound Butter - https://jackieseatsandtreats.com/garlic-herb-compound-butter/
- 1 TBSP bacon grease, if needed because the veggies look dry
- EVOO
- 12 oz Jones Pork Sausage
- 4 slices bacon, sliced and crisped
- 2 large celery stalks, chopped
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 4 mini corn breads, cut into bite sized pieces
- 5 slices sourdough, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1½ TBSP Bell's Seasoning
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup milk, I used 1%
- Salt & Ground Pepper, as needed
Instructions
Prep Day
- Begin by melting the compound butter in a large fry pan. Once melted, add the celery and leeks and cook with 1 TBSP of Bell's Seasoning. Salt the veggies, as desired, and cook until the leeks are translucent. Note: If the veggies look dry add a bit of bacon grease or butter. Remove the veggies from the heat and set aside in a heat resistant storage container.
- In the same fry pan, add the sausage and cook allowing a char to develop on the sausage. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and set aside in a heat resistant storage container.
- Add the corn bread to the sausage bacon grease that's remaining in the fry pan and toast the cornbread. Set aside once done.
- If the fry pan is dry add a drizzle of EVOO and add the sourdough. Add a ½ TBSP of Bell's Seasoning and a bit of salt & ground pepper. Toast and set aside when done.
- If making the day before, place the veggies and sausage into the refrigerator. Add the bread bites to a storage bag and keep open overnight to allow the bread to stale a bit.
Baking Day
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add the veggies, sausage and bread.
- Mix together with 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Add the stuffing to a large casserole dish and spread out evenly.
- Add 1 cup of milk across the stuffing and spread cooked bacon over the top of the stuffing.
- Cover with foil and add to a 350 degree oven and bake for 1 hour. At the 1 hour mark, remove the foil and allow the top to brown a bit.
- Serve warm, as a holiday side. Enjoy and cheers 🥂!
