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
Bacon and Bourbon Stuffing
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.
Credits // Author: Emma Chapman, Photos by: Janae Hardy
80 Comments
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?
I have the same question. Looking at the picture I’m thinking maybe 6-8 cups?
What kind of bourbon did you use?
How many cups of cubed bread do you have when you’ve cut the loaves up? Not all loaves are the same size and this could really effect the recipe!
OMG! Stuffing. Bacon. AND Bourbon????
WANT.
Your recent bourbon recipes have inspired me to use bourbon in my christmas cake this year instead of brandy. Cake is currently in the oven. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
oh yum, my bff’s two favourite things are bacon and bourbon… now i just need to get her to travel 300miles to come or sunday dinner so i can make this for her! x
You had me at Bourbon, lol!
Do you think this would be okay with the apples? My sister has a severe allergy to apples and other similar fruits, but I’d be interested in making a stuffing like this.
hey emma, can I also stuff the bird whit that stuffing?
sorry if the question seems stupid but I never made a turkey before and I´m so nerves about it.
greetings from italy
When you cooked the stuffing did the bourbon boil down at all? Wondering if it’s kid friendly.
I know exactly what im bringing for the first christmas potluck i get invited to 🙂
I’m with Pat – come on over and cater for us! That looks sooooo good!
Looks like a nice Brussels sprouts recipe (: Just a little disappointed it’s a meat dish …
this looks so good! and that spoon is just too darn cute
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
This pretty much sounds like the best stuffing recipe ever. Will def. have to try it!
This looks like a great dish! Thanks so much for the recipe. Will definitely be making this for thanksgiving this year!
http://www.lovefromberlin.net/
xx rae
Wow that looks yummy. I love stuffing! Yum!
This looks so yummy, would be a lovely on Xmas dinner 🙂
Aysha x
outletjunkie.blogspot.co.uk
That looks delicious! I agree anything with bacon is good 🙂
Do you know how to proofread or use spell check?
Is it sweet? with the bourbon? My husband is skeptical and I really want to try this.
Great recipe. Do you think I could make it ahead of time and travel with it (about 4 hours away)? Maybe I could reheat it, in the oven, when I get to my destination?
Thanks!
Could you try to make a vegetarian stuffing? I tried last year and it was a total fail!
First turkey and now bacon?! I wish you guys had more recipes with meat on here — you guys have some AMAZING ideas, just geared more toward pescatarians! Never stop cooking up all of these original recipes, Emma (and Elsie)!
Sounds wonderful!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
Mmm, looks like a perfectly flawless recipe! Nom nom nom nom nommm!
Bailey
Definitely saving this recipe! You outdid yourself this year, Emma! Those are some lucky guests. Happy early thanksgiving! xo
Woah there! This looks too good to be true.
We’re been thinking about that! Maybe in the near future!
XOXO! elsie
Hi Allison-
still totally good!
xoxo! elsie
You totally should! They’re SO good!!!
elsie
Hi Ali!
It was a Taget special collection last year.
xx- elsie
Hi Tania! It was a Target special collection last year. xoxo!!!
elsie
Yum! This sounds amazing! Will be making a gluten-free version of this for our Thanksgiving!
um…I love that spoon **swoooonnn** I usually make a sausage cornbread stuffing but this may make me change my mind!!
I really appreciate and enjoy the recipes you post, I just have one suggestion.. is it possible to add a printing option or provide the recipe entirely at the end of the post? I always have to copy and paste section by section and it takes some time since I seem to like all of your recipes 🙂
Love the arrow spoon 🙂
http://personalfashionhub.com/
Looks delish! Recipe question: When you refer to celery “stocks”, do you mean pieces of celery (stalks) or something more like a veggie broth (stock)? Thanks!
Any suggestions for take-and-bake (or bake-and-take)?? My family lives about 2 hours away and I’d love to prepare what I can ahead of time so that I’m not competing for stovetop or oven space at my mom’s house when we arrive for the day.
It was from a Target special collection a few years ago.
I love stuffing made from scratch!
How would it be if you left out the bacon? Not a meat eater.
Oo, looks really good. Have a nice day.
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Oh my! What a combination for success! LOVE this!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
I love the idea of putting cubes of bread throughout this dish!
Lulu xx
http://luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
Wow..this looks yummy…I will have to have a go myself on my next day off!
http://vodkaandarose.blogapot.co.uk
That spoon is fantastic…Oh yeah, the recipe looks wonderful as well 🙂
Please share where you found it!
What a wonderful Thanksgiving !
Sounds delish!
Carina
http://www.carstina.com/
Oh myyyyyy! You KNOW I am making this! My boyfriend is a stuffing fanatic. Doesn’t matter what time of year. And he loooooves bacon. And I looooove bourbon. Perfect!
http://cuddlyasacactus.wordpress.com/
Yummy yummy
If you want visit my fashion blog
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stuffing is my fav thanksgiving dish, a bacon and bourbon version sounds like heaven!!
Emma, everything that you made looks so delicious! Hmmm, wouldn’t you like to cater our Thanksgiving dinner???? (Just kidding, wouldn’t do that to you!)
This spoon is haunting me! I can’t find it any where!!
I feel a little disappointed you didn’t cook a vegetarian meal. It seems like meat is neccesary voor a good party … ):
It is much thanks to Emma’s ongoing love for brussel’s sprout that convinced me to try them out – and now I LOVE them! Partly because they are healthy, he he 🙂 Thanks for sharing all the yummy recipes!
this looks like a great recipe to try on my family this year. also, where did you get that spoon?
Where is the beautiful arrow spoon from?
Yum! We generally like to use corn bread mixed with other breads in our stuffing, but I love the idea of adding apples and bacon for a great sweet and savory kick!
This looks absolutely delicious! I think the Bourbon would be a huge hit in my family too!
This looks amazing! Where did you get that arrow spoon? I love it!!