oven and allow to cool. Increase the oven temperature to
350°F.
Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high
heat until the foaming subsides (don’t allow the butter to
brown), about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and mash with
a stiff whisk or potato masher to break it up into fine
pieces (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼
inch), then cook, stirring frequently, until only a few bits
of pink remain, about 8 minutes. Add the onion, celery,
garlic, and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until the
vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from
the heat and add half of the stock.
- Whisk the remaining stock, the eggs, and 3 tablespoons
of the parsley in a medium bowl until homogeneous.
Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, slowly pour the
egg mixture into the sausage mixture. Add the bread
cubes and fold gently until evenly mixed. - Use part of the stuffing to stuff the bird if desired.
Transfer the remaining stuffing to buttered 9- by 13-inch
baking dish (or 10- by 14-inch oval dish). Cover tightly
with aluminum foil and bake until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing reads
150°F, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue
baking until golden brown and crisp on top. Sprinkle
with the remaining tablespoon of parsley and serve.