Ingredients

Base

• 8 heaping cups day-old white bread cubes (plain white bread recommended)

• 1 lb pork country-style bulk sausage (good quality)

• 6 tbsp butter, divided

• ½ cup diced yellow onion

• 2 diced celery stalks

• 1 peeled and diced Granny Smith apple

• ⅓ cup roughly chopped pecans

Liquid & Seasoning

• 1 cup chicken broth

• ⅓ cup heavy cream

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, plus 1 sprig

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus 2 sprigs

• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Prep the bread
   Leave bread out to dry for at least 2 hours or overnight, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
   Spread cubes on a baking sheet and toast 10–15 minutes until dry. Cool and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Cook the sausage
   In a large skillet, form the sausage into one large patty. Cook until a crust forms, then flip and break up into fine crumbles. Pour sausage and drippings over the toasted bread; toss to combine.

3. Sauté aromatics
   In the same skillet, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add onion and celery; cook until softened. Stir in apples, pecans, chopped sage, and thyme. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Build the mixture
   Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, then add cream and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Pour this mixture over the sausage and bread. Toss to coat well, adding a splash more broth if a moister texture is desired.

5. Bake
   Transfer stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

6. Finish with herb butter
   While baking, melt the remaining 3 tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Add sage and thyme sprigs, remove from heat, and let steep. When baking is done, uncover stuffing and brush with the herb butter.
   Broil 2–4 minutes until golden and crisp on top.