Porcini Bread Stuffing

Name: Porcini Bread Stuffing
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons butter; 1 cup dried porcini or morel mushrooms; 1 cup Calvados or Cognac; 3 onions, thinly sliced; Salt and black pepper; 10 to 12 cups torn sourdough bread (1 large loaf); 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary; 2 tablespoons finely chopped sage; 1 cup applesauce; 3/4 cup raisins or dried cherries; 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans; 1 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Recipe from Julian M. Cohen

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated Oct. 16, 2023

Porcini Bread Stuffing — Melina Hammer for The New York Times

Total Time: 1½ hours
Rating: 4(133)
Comments: Read comments

When it comes to Thanksgiving stuffing, a passionate attachment to one's own family recipe, combined with a healthy suspicion of other stuffings, has become part of the holiday ritual. This one, which includes porcini mushrooms, Cognac, raisins and fresh rosemary, comes from Julia Moskin's family, and is prepared with great ceremony by her uncle Julian M. Cohen. To make it vegetarian, simply use vegetable stock rather than chicken. —Julia Moskin

Featured in: There's Only One Stuffing: Ask Any Cook

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

5tablespoons butter
1cup dried porcini or morel mushrooms
1cup Calvados or Cognac
3onions, thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper
10 to 12cups torn sourdough bread (1 large loaf)
¼cup finely chopped parsley
2tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2tablespoons finely chopped sage
1cup applesauce
¾cup raisins or dried cherries
½cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 to 2cups chicken or vegetable stock

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees, and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (The oven can be anywhere from 350 to 400 degrees, if you need to cook both the stuffing and the turkey in it.)
Step 2
Soak mushrooms in 2 cups warm water about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Thickly slice mushrooms. Meanwhile simmer Calvados in a saucepan until reduced to about 5 ounces.
Step 3
Melt remaining butter in large pan, add onions, and saute until transparent. Sprinkle with salt if onions are browning too fast. Add sliced mushrooms, and saute 2 minutes. Add bread, mushroom liquid, chopped parsley, rosemary and sage. Stir in reduced Calvados, applesauce, raisins, nuts and enough stock so mixture is moist but not wet. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Turn into buttered baking dish. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until firm and crusty.

Ratings

4 out of 5

133 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Candace Dobro7 years ago

WEDNESDAY Toss bread with onion mixture and herbs, plus stock and mushroom liquid as needed. Dot with butter. Bake in same large pot @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Refrigerate. THURSDAY Move stuffing to shallow dishes and dot with butter. Bake and serve.

Ed7 years ago

Made this with the rye loaf I happened to have on hand and it was amazing. Made it again with the white sourdough called for by the recipe and it was underwhelming. Definitely use a more flavorful bread base if you can.

Ian7 years ago

I make this every Thanksgiving adding roasted wild mushrooms as well. The quality of the bread makes all the difference.

KS2 years ago

Bland. Would not make it again.

Stacey3 years ago

It was good, not great and I follow several suggestions like using a higher flavored bread. Honestly, I think the larger issue in my circle is that bread dressing has just fallen out of favor. I think that next Thanksgiving I will just skip it and make a different side disk.

Frank R.3 years ago

Why mix cups and ounces in step 2?

Private comments are only visible to you.