Mushroom Bacon Stuffing

This stuffing starts where all the best stuffings do: with bacon fat. Rendering the bacon first creates a smoky, savory dripping that the mushrooms, celery, and onion cook in alongside a knob of butter. That double-fat base coats every bread cube and gives the finished stuffing a richness that butter alone can’t match.

A full pound of quartered mushrooms is generous, and that’s what makes this version stand out from standard sage-and-celery stuffing. The mushrooms add an earthy, meaty depth that fills out the flavor and gives the stuffing substance beyond just seasoned bread. Quartering rather than slicing keeps them in identifiable pieces that hold their texture after baking inside a turkey.

The beaten egg poured over everything at the end binds the stuffing and helps it hold together when scooped from the bird. Without it, the stuffing crumbles apart. With it, you get sliceable, cohesive portions that look as good on the plate as they taste.

Kitchen Tips

• Use firm, day-old bread. Fresh, soft bread turns to mush in the turkey. If your bread is fresh, cube it and leave it out uncovered overnight to dry.
• Don’t pack the stuffing tightly into the turkey. It expands as it cooks, and a tightly packed bird cooks unevenly. Fill loosely and bake any extra in a buttered casserole dish.
• Cook the vegetables until fully tender before mixing with the bread. Crunchy celery in stuffing means it wasn’t sauteed long enough.

Variations

• Add dried cranberries for a sweet-tart pop that pairs well with the smoky bacon.
• Use sourdough bread for a tangier stuffing with more complex flavor.