A Classic Sausage And Mushroom Stuffing Recipe

Preheat the oven to 300°F and grease a 9 x 11-inch baking dish. Using a serrated knife, cut the bottom crust off the loaf and discard or save it and use it to make bread crumbs. Cut the loaf into 1-inch slices, then tear the bread into jagged bite-size pieces (you can also cut the bread into neat, uniform cubes, but we like our stuffing looking rugged). Spread the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until it’s dry and lightly toasted, stirring a couple of times, about 30 minutes. (If you’re making this a day ahead, you can skip the baking step and let the bread dry out on the counter overnight.) Transfer the bread to the largest mixing bowl you own. Turn the oven up to 375°F. Meanwhile, bring the stock and vermouth to a boil in a saucepan and reduce by half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a metal spatula, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to the bowl with the bread. Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onion, fennel, celery, celery seeds, if using, and garlic to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the thyme and sage. Add the reduced stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the broth into a measuring cup (you should have 2 to 2 1⁄2 cups) and pour the vegetables over the bread. Add the parsley and toss well. Season the broth with salt and pepper. In the same large skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) of butter over medium-high heat. Continue cooking the butter until it just begins to brown and smells nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Turn the heat to high and sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes; season with salt. Pour the mushrooms over the bread mixture. Add half of the reserved broth and toss well; if the bread soaks up all of the liquid (it should), add a splash more and toss again, adding more broth until the bread stops soaking it up. Transfer the stuffing to the baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Let the stuffing cool for 10 minutes before serving.