Name: Dried Fruit and Nut Stuffing for Old-Fashioned Stuffed Turkey
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds white sandwich bread , cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , plus extra for baking dish; 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup); 2 celery ribs , chopped fine (about 1 cup); Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram leaves; 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves; 1 cup raisins; 1 cup dried apples , chopped fine; 1 cup walnut , chopped course; 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 3 large eggs

Why This Recipe Works

We discovered a few ways to get a roast turkey recipe with everything in one package—juicy meat, burnished skin, and richly flavored stuffing. We salted the meat to keep it flavorful and moist. We started the bird in a low oven and gradually cranked up the heat for the crispiest skin. And for our perfect turkey recipe, we removed the stuffing from the turkey when the meat had reached a safe temperature and mixed it with the remaining uncooked stuffing, so we could cook it all in a baking dish without having to overcook the turkey.

Before You Begin

This recipe was developed to work with our recipe for Old-Fashioned Stuffed Turkey.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes in single layer on baking sheet; bake until edges have dried but center is slightly moist (cubes should yield to pressure), about 45 minutes, stirring several times during baking. Transfer dried bread to large bowl and increase oven temperature to 325 degrees.

While bread dries, heat 4 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add onion, celery, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and brown slightly, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in thyme, marjoram, and sage; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vegetable mixture, raisins, dried apples, walnuts to bowl with dried bread; add 1 cup broth and toss gently until evenly moistened (you should have about 12 cups stuffing).

Use stuffing as directed in Old-Fashioned Stuffed Turkey recipe, adding eggs and remaining 1/2 cup broth in step 7.