Bacon and Bourbon Thanksgiving Stuffing

This recipe makes a HUGE amount of stuffing--enough to stuff a 24 lb. turkey--so adjust the ingredient amounts as needed. The flavors of bacon and bourbon make it richer than any stuffing I've ever had, and I always get requests for the recipe. There's no good way to mix this without using your hands, so just dive in and do it! Egg-type breads such as challah, may be substituted for dark breads.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 220 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 5 celery stalks, diced
• 1 (1 pound) loaf day-old pumpernickel bread, cubed
• 1 (1 pound) loaf day-old dark rye bread, cubed
• 3 tablespoons dried sage leaves
• 2 quarts chicken stock (more as needed)
• 1 cup good quality bourbon whiskey

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x13 inch baking dishes.

Step 2

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels. Pour bacon fat remaining in the skillet into a bowl.

Step 3

Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions, celery, garlic, and rosemary, and cook until onions are soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved bacon fat.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place the pumpernickel and rye bread cubes into a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, thyme, sage, and onion mixture, and toss to mix evenly.

Step 5

Stir the chicken stock and bourbon together in a bowl. Pour the chicken stock mixture over the bread mixture, adding more stock to reach desired consistency. Use your hands to evenly mix the ingredients together. Spoon stuffing mixture evenly between the prepared baking dishes and pat down lightly.

Step 6

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If you wish to have a darker crust on top, bake for an additional 10 minutes.