1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), more for baking dish
2 lbs. good quality white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (20 cups)
4 ribs celery, plus some leafy tops, finely diced (1 1/2 cups)
2 carrots, finely diced (1 cup)
1 sweet onion, finely diced (2 1/2 cups)
1 lb. bulk pork breakfast sausage
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
3 cups homemade turkey stock, or chicken broth or stock
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread bread cubes on two large baking sheets and toast for 30 minutes, stirring and rotating pans until lightly browned and crisp. Transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt 1 stick of butter. Pour half the melted butter in a bowl and reserve for later, to brush the top of the stuffing. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and a sprinkle of salt, and cook and stir over medium-high heat until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl. Add sausage to skillet in chunks, and cook, breaking it up with wooden spoon, until cooked through and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
Return vegetable mixture to the skillet and add the sage and thyme, a little salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of stock, cook and stir up any browned bits, until stock is reduced and cooked down by half, about 5 minutes.
Transfer sausage mixture to bowl with the toasted bread cubes. Add remaining 2 to 2 1/2 cups of stock and toss well until bread cubes are evenly moistened. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spread stuffing into large, buttered baking dish (about 3 1/2 quart size) and brush with the reserved melted butter.
Bake in center of oven until heated through and nicely browned, about 1 hour, rotating casserole halfway through. Let stuffing rest 10 minutes before serving.
