Make-Ahead Sausage Stuffing

Directions

1. 1
   Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. 2
   Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. 3
   Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
4. 4
   Melt 5 tablespoons of the remaining butter in the skillet.
5. 5
   Add the onions, celery, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
6. 6
   Add the mixture to the bowl with the sausage; add the bread cubes, and toss to coat.
7. 7
   Let the bread-sausage mixture cool to room temperature.
8. 8
   Transfer it to a resealable plastic bag, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
9. 9
   To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
10. 10
    Heat the stock and 4 tablespoons of the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
11. 11
    Whisk the eggs and parsley together in a large bowl.
12. 12
    Break the frozen stuffing with your hands into smaller chunks, add to the bowl and toss.
13. 13
    Add the stock-butter mixture, and toss to combine.
14. 14
    Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and dot with the 2 remaining tablespoons butter.
15. 15
    Cover tightly with foil, and bake until the stuffing is hot, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
16. 16
    Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes more.
17. 17
    Serve warm.