This stuffing has made a name for itself over the years, In fact, true story, Paula Deen even asked my dad for the recipe. We used to dream about this stuffing growing up. One time on a random summer night we were with my cousins and one of them said out of the blue "remember how good your dad's stuffing is?" Have I built it up enough yet? I will say this, one of the things that drew Paula Deen to the recipe was the amount, but like Paula we've tried to live a healthier life and actually cut the amount of butter (i'll not the change, don't worry). The secret to this recipe is making sure your bread is drryyyyyyyyyyy, if it is not super dry and stale the bread will act like a sponge and absorb too much butter. With all that in mind, pleas enjoy....
TO get the full effect of my dad's stuffing, I'm going to share the recipe as he shared it with me :)
Instructions
Get 2 loaves of plain white bread. Set it out asap you want to get air to each slice.. I kind of stand it up in the roaster pan.. turn it over..move it around so that it gets crunchy..
Then the day you make the stuffing, cut it up into cubes.. the recipe calls for 27 cups...if you have more.. add just fudge a little..
2 1/2 cups onion
4 1/2 cups celery
3 1/2 cups butter (WE HAVE CUT DOWN TO 2 CUPS)
2 tablespoons salt
3 teaspoons thyme
4 1/2 tsp. Sage
1 1/2 pepper
If you have a little more onion thats okay.. it adds flavor..
so chop the onion and celery (I cut the celery longways.. then chop it)
start melting sticks of butter when you get it melted.. or a fair amt melted start simmering the onions and celery in the butter. Simmer till the onions are kind of clear.
Here's where it gets tricky.
Put roughly 1/3 of the breadcrumbs in the roasting pan or if you have a really big bowl use that! Pour the butter, celery and onions over 1/3 of the breadcrumbs and stir.. when it's kind of all mixed together add the salt, thyme, sage & pepper to the rest of the breadcrumbs and mix a bit more.
NOW, in the roasting pan mix it all together (the butter mixed bread crumbs and the rest of the bread with the herbs). Just use a wooden spoon or two and mix... mix... keep mixing.......nope... more... you're not done yet.. just keep mixing ALOT. Keep mixing til you think you can't mix anymore. Use a spatula and turn over... use 2 spoons and toss like a salad until ALL the breadcrumbs are somewhat buttery and herby.
NOW you are done.. stuff the bird (I don't do this, I just put it in the casserole dish).. put the rest in a casserole dish, cover, and cook at 350 for a little over an hour (check it at 50 minutes..)
May want to take the lid off for the last 10 or 15 minutes...and the enjoy!
