Return skillet to medium heat and pour in deglazing liquid, which works to dislodge any browned bits—a.k.a. flavor bombs—stuck to the bottom of the skillet and brings much-needed brightness. Add about ½ cup of dry sherry, vinegar (like apple cider, sherry, or red wine), or dry white wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet, until all of the liquid has evaporated. Next, add 1 stick butter, cut into pieces, and cook, stirring, until butter has melted. Drizzle over bread mixture.
Next up, whisk 2 large eggs with 2 cups stock. This could be turkey stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth—whatever you pick, taste it first and make sure it’s seasoned to your liking. Often, the reason for bland stuffing is bland stock.
The butter, eggs, and stock add the moisture and protein that binds the bread, transforming what would otherwise be glorified, disparate croutons into luxurious stuffing with a rich, custardy interior and a crunchy top and bottom. Replace a portion of the stock with half-and-half for an even richer final product. Add the egg mixture to the bread, season with salt and pepper, and toss until combined, adding more stock ¼-cupful at a time as needed to ensure bread is fully hydrated.
Transfer stuffing to your prepared baking dish and dot with 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (this additional butter is crispy crust insurance!). Cover with foil, buttered side down, crimping edges to seal. Bake until a paring knife inserted into the center comes out hot, 30–35 minutes. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 450°. Bake until top is well browned (take it one step past golden brown for maximum flavor and crustiness), 20–25 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
That’s it! You have a stuffing to call your own. The only problem with a recipe that’s so open to customization? The next time holiday season rolls around, you might not remember what worked well. Jot down any flavor combinations you loved—a celery-heavy stuffing with rye bread and kielbasa? a brown butter ciabatta stuffing with leeks, shiitakes, and rosemary?—so that you can re-create it next year. If not, just rejoice in tomorrow’s leftovers, knowing that there are an infinite number of delicious stuffing possibilities in your future.
Return skillet to medium heat and pour in deglazing liquid, which works to dislodge any browned bits—a.k.a. flavor bombs—stuck to the bottom of the skillet and brings much-needed brightness. Add about ½ cup of dry sherry, vinegar (like apple cider, sherry, or red wine), or dry white wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet, until all of the liquid has evaporated. Next, add 1 stick butter, cut into pieces, and cook, stirring, until butter has melted. Drizzle over bread mixture. Alex LauNext up, whisk 2 large eggs with 2 cups stock. This could be turkey stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth—whatever you pick, taste it first and make sure it’s seasoned to your liking. Often, the reason for bland stuffing is bland stock. The butter, eggs, and stock add the moisture and protein that binds the bread, transforming what would otherwise be glorified, disparate croutons into luxurious stuffing with a rich, custardy interior and a crunchy top and bottom. Replace a portion of the stock with half-and-half for an even richer final product. Add the egg mixture to the bread, season with salt and pepper, and toss until combined, adding more stock ¼-cupful at a time as needed to ensure bread is fully hydrated.Alex LauTransfer stuffing to your prepared baking dish and dot with 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (this additional butter is crispy crust insurance!). Cover with foil, buttered side down, crimping edges to seal. Bake until a paring knife inserted into the center comes out hot, 30–35 minutes. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 450°. Bake until top is well browned (take it one step past golden brown for maximum flavor and crustiness), 20–25 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.That’s it! You have a stuffing to call your own. The only problem with a recipe that’s so open to customization? The next time holiday season rolls around, you might not remember what worked well. Jot down any flavor combinations you loved—a celery-heavy stuffing with rye bread and kielbasa? a brown butter ciabatta stuffing with leeks, shiitakes, and rosemary?—so that you can re-create it next year. If not, just rejoice in tomorrow’s leftovers, knowing that there are an infinite number of delicious stuffing possibilities in your future.