Cut the baguette into 1/2-inch (1-centimeter) cubes and place onto a baking tray. Let it dry overnight (you can prepare it up to 4 days in advance).
Next day: In a large skillet/frying pan (11-12 inch/28-30 centimeters wide) fry the pancetta pieces until cooked. Scoop them out and transfer onto a plate, save the fat.
To the same pan with fat, add onion and celery and saute for 10 minutes or until they are soft. Stir occasionally. At any stage, add cranberries.
When the celery is cooked, add diced apple, pear and butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add dried bread cubes, cooked bacon pieces and pour stock over. Stir well. Add rosemary, tarragon, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir everything well, making sure the seasoning is well distributed.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 7-10 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. At this stage you can also check what the stuffing looks like (if too dry to your liking, add more stock, if too soggy, remove the lid, increase the heat and cook to your liking).
Optional: Stir in finely chopped fresh parsley.
Serve warm or cold!
Notes
Use either French baguette or artisan bread. Cut it into ½-inch/1-centimeter cubes. I used 1 extra-large baguette.
You can use any kind of bacon you like. It can be ready-cooked or raw that you will cook yourself. You will need at least 4 ounces (120 grams) raw or ½ cup cooked. If you buy ready bacon bits, you will need 1-2 tablespoons of oil for frying the veggies.
Frozen cranberries will also work. Let them thaw and cut in halves. Or, add them whole in.
Any kind of stock/broth will work. If you use regular stock, I recommend reducing the quantity of salt to avoid over-seasoning.
Dried thyme can be substituted for tarragon.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Homemade stuffing recipe, Stove top stuffing recipe
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Stove Top Stuffing
Amount per Serving
Calories
343
% Daily Value*
Fat
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Cholesterol
28
mg
9
%
Sodium
904
mg
39
%
Potassium
275
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
43
g
14
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
9
g
10
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
385
IU
8
%
Vitamin C
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
71
mg
7
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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