Mom's Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing

Freshly toasted Italian bread crumbs, two incredibly rich sausages, and so unbelievably moist, it will surely impress your guests for the big feast this year!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf soft Italian bread
• 0.5 cup salted butter
• 0.75 pound mild Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 0.75 pound andouille sausage links, casings removed
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 cups diced celery
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.25 cup minced fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 medium orange, zested and juiced, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 0.25 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
• 1 (10 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
• 0.25 cup dried cranberries, or more to taste

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Dice bread into 3/4-inch cubes; spread into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring several times, until toasted, about 45 minutes. Keep oven on.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming, about 2 minutes; do not allow butter to burn. Add Italian and andouille sausages. Cook, breaking sausages up into fine pieces, until just a few bits of pink remain, about 8 minutes.
5. Add onion, celery, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir frequently until vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups chicken broth, orange juice, and 1 tablespoon orange zest.
6. Whisk remaining 2 cups chicken broth, eggs, and parsley together in a medium bowl until combined. Slowly stir in the sausage mixture. Gently fold in the toasted bread cubes, stuffing mix, and dried cranberries until evenly mixed. Transfer to a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
7. Bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F (66 degrees C), about 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until crispy and golden brown on top, about 10 more minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional parsley if desired.