This recipe gives you enough to stuff the turkey and have a side-dish as well. Both ways are delicious but completely different. I prefer the stuffed in the turkey version simply because it is more moist and flavorful. The side-dish version is great as well, but a bit drier.
Makes Enough Stuffing for a 25 lb. Turkey with Extra to Bake as a Side-Dish
1 1 Pound Loaf Challah Bread
1 2 Pound Loaf Brioche
12 Ounces Unsalted Butter
1 Pound Celery, Finely Diced
1 Pound Carrots, Finely Diced
2 Medium Onions, Finely Diced
4 Cups Cooked and Peeled Chestnuts, Medium Dice
6 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1 Tablespoon Rubbed Sage
3 Teaspoons Coarse Seat Salt
1½ Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock Or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Preheat oven to 225°F.
Cube the Challah and Brioche into 1-inch pieces. Divide the bread cubes between 2 or 3 rimmed half-sheet pans in 1 layer on each pan. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring the cubes half way through the baking time. Turn oven off and allow bread cubes to dry in oven for at least an hour. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl. At this point you can cover the bread cubes in the bowl with foil. The bread cubes can sit overnight on the counter.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter over medium heat and add the celery, carrot and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft, not browned, about 15 minutes.
Cool slightly. Add all ingredients, except the chicken stock, and gently mix so as not to make bread mushy. Add the stock gradually and continue to mix gently.
Cool completely before stuffing bird.
Hints and Tips: Never stuff a cold bird with warm stuffing. This is how bacteria can form. It’s best to make the stuffing the day before and refrigerate it over-night. Bring the turkey and stuffing out of the refrigerator no more than an hour before stuffing and roasting.
Don’t bother to dice the veggies by hand. Do it in the food processor. Just be sure you don’t puree them. DO cut the chestnuts by hand. If you put them in the processor they turn to mush.
If you don’t want to go through the whole roasting and peeling of the chestnuts (I don’t) you can purchase cooked and peeled chestnuts in the jar at Williams-Sonoma, Whole Foods, Fresh Market and possibly at your local grocery store.