'Tis the season for some homemade stuffing, whether it's part of your Thanksgiving dinner plan, or it's making an appearance for Christmas, or you're just hungry for something delicious that you can make with venison sausage. There's a lot to love about the combo of ground wild game meat and the classic stuffing ingredients like baguette bread, celery, garlic, and the trinity of sage, thyme, and rosemary. Smelling the fragrances of those seasonings cooking in the oven reminds me of the holidays, and that's what I really like about this recipe. And it's also a great way to show off your cooking skills and literally bring a meaningful part of a big family meal to the table. You hunted it, you processed it, and you might as well share it with those you love during this most wonderful time of the year.
Be sure to check out my new cookbook, The Weekend Wild Game Cookbook: Easy, Everyday Meals for Hunters and Their Families available on Amazon.
Sausage Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage (or dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch ground cloves
Stuffing Ingredients:
- 2 baguettes
- 1 stick butter
- 4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
Recipe Directions:
1. Slice bread into cubes and leave out over night. (Alternatively, you can place bread on baking sheets and bake at 200°F for 20 minutes). Place in a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients for the venison sausage and mix well.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the venison sausage, crumbling it up as it cooks, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place into the casserole dish with the bread.
5. In the same skillet, add in butter and allow it to melt. Add in celery and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to become tender. Add in garlic and cook for one additional minute. Mix in herbs and pour into casserole dish.
6. Gradually pour chicken broth into casserole dish mixing the stuffing as you pour.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the stuffing has a nice crunch.
