Classic Bread Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 loaf sturdy white bread, 1 1/2 lb, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Before you cook

• Spread the bread cubes on two sheet pans and leave them out overnight to go stale, or dry them in a 250 degree oven for 45 minutes.
• Dice the onions and celery into even quarter-inch pieces.
• Chop the sage, thyme, and parsley.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the onions and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 12 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
4. Stir in the sage and thyme and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
5. Tip the vegetables and all the butter over the dried bread cubes in a very large bowl.
6. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper and toss until the bread is evenly coated.
7. Whisk the beaten eggs into the stock.
8. Pour the stock mixture over the bread in three additions, folding gently after each so the cubes soak without breaking apart.
9. Transfer everything to the buttered baking dish and press it into an even layer.
10. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Uncover and bake another 25 to 30 minutes until the top is crisp and deep golden.
12. Let the stuffing settle for 10 minutes before serving.