Proper homemade stuffing is the unsung hero of the Christmas table: savoury pork, sweet onions, earthy chestnuts and plenty of fresh sage, baked until crisp on top and tender underneath. It goes with everything from roast goose and turkey to pheasant, and it can be made a day ahead or frozen. This serves eight.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil and 25g butter
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 100g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g good pork sausage meat (or 8 sausages, skins removed)
- 150g cooked, peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / gas 5 and grease a 1.5 litre baking dish.
- Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan. Cook the onions and bacon for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then tip into a large bowl and leave to cool.
- Add the sausage meat, chestnuts, breadcrumbs, sage, thyme, parsley, lemon zest and egg. Season well and mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Press the mixture into the dish, or roll into walnut-sized balls and place on a lined baking tray.
- Bake the dish for 40 to 45 minutes, or the balls for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and cooked all the way through with no pink meat remaining.
- Serve hot, cut into squares or spooned from the dish.
What to serve with sage, onion and chestnut stuffing
Roast goose, roast turkey, roast pheasant or a Sunday chicken, with gravy, cranberry sauce and bread sauce. It is also excellent cold in a Boxing Day sandwich.
Tips
- Bake stuffing separately rather than inside the bird. It cooks more evenly and gets crispier edges.
- Make it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Freeze unbaked for up to a month and bake from defrosted.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the sausage meat and bacon for 300g finely chopped mushrooms fried until dry, and add an extra 50g of breadcrumbs.
- Wrap bacon rashers around cocktail sausages and roast them alongside for pigs in blankets.
FAQs
Can I put this stuffing inside the turkey or goose?
It is safer and gives a better result to bake it separately. A dense stuffing inside the bird slows down cooking and can leave the middle undercooked.
Can I make stuffing ahead of time?
Yes. Mix and shape it up to 24 hours ahead, keep it covered in the fridge and bake on the day.
Is this stuffing gluten free?
Not as written. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and check the label on the sausage meat.
Can I use dried sage?
Yes, use 2 teaspoons of dried sage in place of the fresh, but fresh gives the best flavour.
Related reading
- Roast Goose Recipe: Crisp Skin & Goose Fat Roast Potatoes
- Roast Pheasant Recipe: Moist and Simple
- Bread Sauce Recipe: Traditional with Cloves & Bay
- Cranberry Sauce Recipe: Easy Homemade with Orange & Port
- More game and country recipes
- The Field Guide: country clothing and countryside know-how
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