I’m not sure if you should pick favorites, but this was my favorite dish at Friendsgiving this year. I mean, come on— it’s got bacon, bourbon and bread. What’s not to love?! My only regret was not making more because it sure went fast. Which is the best compliment any cook can receive.
Bacon & Bourbon Stuffing, serves 8-10 as a side dish.
2 loaves of french bread, around 10-11 heaping cups (I used one white and one wheat)
12 ounces cooked bacon (reserve the cooking fat)
2 apples (granny smith preferred)
1 onion
5-6 celery stocks
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons bourbon
salt + pepper
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
4 eggs
Cut up the loaves into small cubes and lay out on a large baking sheet for at least 3 hours (or overnight) so the bread can dry out.
Cook the bacon and cut into small bite size pieces. Cut the apples, onion, and celery into small bite size pieces (everything is bite size!). Mince the garlic. Cook all of that in the bacon fat and bourbon until it just begins to soften. Sprinkle on a little salt + pepper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked veggies, bacon and bread cubes. Stir in the stock and eggs. Stir in the chopped herbs. Dump everything into a buttered baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.
If you’re not feeling the bourbon feel free to swap it out for apple cider vinegar. Different flavor, but totally awesome too. Do you have a favorite stuffing recipe? xo. Emma
P.S. Looking for more ideas? Check out 20 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes!
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Ingredients
- 2 loaves of french bread (around 10-11 heaping cups (I used one white and one wheat))
- 12 ounces cooked bacon (reserve the cooking fat)
- 2 apples (granny smith preferred)
- 1 onion
- 5-6 celery stocks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- salt + pepper
- 2 cups vegetable (or chicken broth)
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Cut up the loaves into small cubes and lay out on a large baking sheet for at least 3 hours (or overnight) so the bread can dry out.
- Cook the bacon and cut into small bite size pieces. Cut the apples, onion, and celery into small bite size pieces (everything is bite size!). Mince the garlic. Cook all of that in the bacon fat and bourbon until it just begins to soften. Sprinkle on a little salt + pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked veggies, bacon and bread cubes. Stir in the stock and eggs. Stir in the chopped herbs. Dump everything into a buttered baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.
I make this every year since this recipe came out! My sister also makes it now. It’s super easy to make gluten free and dairy free and it’s still amazing.
I 100% recommend it.
This has become our go-to stuffing recipe for the holidays; we’ve made it every Thanksgiving for the past several years. My husband LOVES stuffing and he goes back to this recipe again and again. It’s simple, but totally delicious and classic. Quite honestly the perfect stuffing.
Found this recipe featured on the huffington post. Followed the receipt to a T. It was terrible and tasteless. Cannot taste the bourbon, and no one found a single piece of bacon. We managed to stomach it only because, well, Gravy. I suggest using a single French loaf, and keeping everything The same except doubling the broth and bumping the bourbon up to at least 1/4 cup.
Yet again, I am double checking this to make sure I don’t forget anything to make this kick ass recipe! This will be the 5th year I’ve made this for Thanksgiving and realized I was WAY overdo a thank you. This is my favorite dish on Turkey day and consistently the thing I get the most rave reviews of.
Thank you!!
I have literally been making this recipe for 3 years now and it’s taken me this long to leave a comment. It is seriously the best stuffing I’ve ever had. I always used to pass on the stuffing until I finally made my own. Seriously, WOW! amazing job. Every time I make this I am raving about it LOL THANK YOU
Thank you for this recipe! Absolutely scrumptious!
I brought this stuffing to my work potluck, I’m an admin for one of the companies trying to develop commercial space travel. It was devoured by the engineers and mechanics! Thanks Emma, love this blog and loved this recipe!
I made this to bring to my first official Friendsgiving! Thank you so much for the recipe! I’m no cook, but I think it turned out great!!
love lexi
If I make this the night before, how should I reheat it the day of?
I was wondering if you could actually stuff this in the turkey and then bake it like a traditional stuffing?
Gosh, I just saw the “10-11 heaping cups” on the recipe. Tell me that wasn’t there before 😉 but thank you so much for your response.
-Sarah
It sort of depends how many other side dishes you are serving. This could easily be divided into 12 servings but if this is your only side dish then they would be rather small servings. Does that make sense? If you aren’t serving very many sides I would recommend doubling this recipe for a crowd of 12.
Also, 10-11 heaping cups of bread.
Best of luck and happy holidays!
-Emma
Yes, it would still be good without apples. The apples add a little sweet, crunch to the dish. But it would be fine without. Just add in about 1/4 cup more chopped celery so you don’t loose too much crunch. 🙂
-Emma
Yes, it does boil down. But if you want to play it safe I recommend swapping out the bourbon.
Yes, for sure. I made mine the day before and then transported it over to Elsie’s house. I reheated it at 375°F for about 12-15 minutes. You might undercook it a little if you are going the reheating route. Good luck!
-Emma
I’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving dinner, but could you tell me how many servings the recipe yields? I’m having 15 people over and don’t want to be short.
Sorry, I’m afflicted with an overly literal mind – and having 12 folks for dinner is not the time you want to screw things up – but approximately how many cups of cubed bread did you use? I don’t want it to be too dry OR not dry enough 🙂 And do you have a ballpark of number of servings? Thank you!
How many servings does this make?
Looks MMMMMMM good 🙂 How many servings does this make, and what size baking dish did you use?
Thanks!
I reeeeeeally wanted this to work but found it to be entirely too much bread?