A simple way to make classic Thanksgiving stuffing without eggs that's perfectly moist and frees up room in the oven.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time3hrs
Total Time3hrs15mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6-8cupsdried bread cubes, any variety, including grain-free varieties (from 1 pound of bread)
4tablespoonsbutter
3stalkscelery, finely chopped
1onion, finely chopped
1teaspoondried sage, or 3-4 fresh leaves finely minced
1teaspoondried thyme, or the leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs
1teaspoonfinely chopped fresh or dried rosemary leaves
1teaspoonsea salt
¼teaspoonblack pepper
1 ½ - 2 ¾cupschicken stock, turkey stock, or water
Instructions
Dry the bread cubes, if necessary. If your bread is not yet dry, chop it into cubes and dry it in a 300°F oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring once OR leave the cubes out on the counter for a day or two to dry, turning occasionally.
Prepare your slow cooker insert. When ready to cook, generously butter the inside of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker insert and keep at the ready. (Alternatively, line the slow cooker with 2-3 overlapping pieces of parchment paper. It makes clean-up SO so so much easier!)
Melt butter. Melt butter over medium heat and reserve.
Combine all dry ingredients and spices. Place dry bread cubes, celery, onion, herbs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. If you're customizing the recipe, add all other ingredients at this time. (Safety note: if you're customizing the recipe and using ingredients such as sausage or bacon, be sure they are precooked before adding to the mixture.)
Pour over the wet ingredients and toss. Pour over the melted butter and toss briefly, then drizzle over 1 1/2 cups of stock and toss again. At this point, the cubes should feel mostly firm, but slightly soft around the edges; the mixture should not appear soggy. If the cubes still seem dry, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time, tossing well after each addition.
Cook. Scrape into the prepared slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Stir, if desired, and place on "warm." At the end of the cook time, switch the heat to the "Keep Warm" setting, if your slow cooker has that option. Otherwise, keep it on the lowest setting your slow cooker will allow.If you haven't used parchment paper, stir the stuffing every 30 minutes or so to keep the edges from burning or becoming overly crunchy. If it sits for several hours, you may also want to add 3-4 tablespoons of water every couple of hours.
Serve. When ready to serve, scoop stuffing into a serving bowl and top with additional herbs or fresh parsley, if desired.