Challah Stuffing
This is the perfect Thanksgiving stuffing—sweet challah bread, fall herbs, root vegetables, nutty wild rice, and homemade turkey stock combine to create the ideal side dish for your fall gatherings.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf challah
- 6 tablespoons (80g) unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 cups (200g) mushrooms such as cremini, cleaned and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- ½ cup (30g) parsley chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 cup (200g) cooked wild rice
- 2 large eggs beaten
- Up to 2 cups (475mL) turkey stock (substitute mushroom or vegetable stock)
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- The first step of toasting the bread can be done several days ahead of time, if desired. Heat your oven to 275ºF (135ºC), or 250ºF (120ºC) convection . Cut the challah into large cubes, and spread evenly over one large or two medium sheet pans. Bake until completely dry (when squeezed, the cubes will have no give). This will take about 30 minutes on convection, or 45 minutes to an hour on regular bake. If using immediately, add to a large mixing bowl. Otherwise, cool completely, and place in a Ziploc bag until ready to use.
Step 2
- Once ready to prepare the stuffing, preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) or 350ºF (175ºC) convection. Butter a large, deep braiser with fitted lid, or a casserole dish, with 2 tablespoons butter.
Step 3
- In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the vegetables and sauté until browned. Add the herbs and cook for another 2-3 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
- Set the vegetable mix aside to cool, then mix with the bread cubes. Gently stir in the eggs, and add the wild rice. Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish. Now, carefully begin to pour prepared stock evenly over the stuffing, beginning with one cup and checking after every subsequent half cup has been added. When gently squeezed, the stuffing should be almost like a piece of cake—with enough stock absorbed to have completely softened each piece of bread without being wet. Dot stuffing with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Step 5
- Cover the casserole (with its lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and increase the temperature to 425º (220ºC) or 400ºF (200ºC) convection and bake for another 20 minutes. (If you want to cook the stuffing in stages, you can remove it after the first cook, and finish it at the higher temperature to crisp it when the rest of the meal is ready). If you fear you have added too much stock, you can bake it a little longer uncovered at this point to dry it out to the proper texture.
To stuff inside a turkey:
- This stuffing can also be prepared inside your bird. Stuff loosely inside the turkey (do not do so until just prior to cooking) and roast your bird. Prior to serving, a thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing must read ar least 165ºF (74ºC).