Bacon Stuffing

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Categories: Dressings- Stuffing- Gravies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 loaf day-old sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
  • 6 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 ribs celery, finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup finely diced dried apricots
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup apple juice or broth

Directions

  1. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet; transfer to a 200 degree oven to dry slightly, 30 minutes. (For chicken breasts and other small cuts, use coarse breadcrumbs, about 3 cups.)

  2. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is almost crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 2 Tbsp. bacon fat from skillet, save extra bacon fat for another use.

  3. Add the butter to the pan; when the butter begins to bubble,, stir in the celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring until softened but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes. Add the bacon, plus the apricots and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper; gently mix.

  4. Drizzle with apple juice, starting with 1/4 cup and adding more if required. Mix again to combine. The stuffing mixture should be quite moist but not runny, enough to soften the bread an bind all ingredients together.

  5. makes 8 cups

  6. Variations:

  7. Mediterranean: Replace apricots with 3 Tbsp. diced sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella. Replace the bacon with 6 to 8 slices pancetta. Use with pork loin roast or a rack of veal.

  8. Smoked cheese and mushroom: Skip the apricots and bacon. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup cubed smoked Emmenthal or Gouda Cheese, plus 1/4 cup sautéed, chopped leeks and 1/2 cup sautéed, chopped mushrooms. Use to stuff a chicken breast or Portobello mushroom caps or in a flank steak roll-up.

  9. Lobster and brie: Skip the apricots and replace with 1/2 cup cubed brie cheese (freeze cheese to sow melting while cooking) and 1/2 cup cooked lobster or crab meat. Use with salmon, sole, halibut or chicken breasts.

  10. Bacon, apple and cheddar: Switch 1 apple, diced, for the apricots. Add 1/2 cup cubed aged white cheddar cheese and a pinch of cinnamon.

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