Potato, Bacon, And Rye Bread Stuffing

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb sliced bacon
• 3 lbs medium red potatoes or 3 lbs yellow potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup bacon fat or 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 1 lb rye bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and dried overnight
• 1 -1 1/2 cup turkey broth or 1 -1 1/2 cup chicken broth, as needed
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°.
• 2 place the bacon strips in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet; bake in the upper third of the oven until crisp and browned, 10-15 minutes.
• 3 some strips of bacon will cook more quickly than others, so remove them as they crisp and drain on paper towels.
• 4 crumble when cool.
• 5 as the bacon fat renders and accumulates in the baking sheet, pour it off into a small heatproof bowl; reserve ¼ cup.
• 6 place potatoes in a big pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches; bring to a boil, then add salt to taste; cook until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes.
• 7 drain, rinse under cold water, and cool until easy to handle; cut into 1-inch cubes.
• 8 in a big skillet, heat the reserved bacon fat or the oil over medium heat.
• 9 add in the celery; cook/stir often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 10 add the scallions and caraway seed; cook/stir occasionally, until the celery is beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes.
• 11 scrape the celery mixture into a big bowl; add in the bread cubes, cubed potatoes, and crumbled bacon; toss to mix.
• 12 gradually stir in about 1 cup broth until the stuffing is evenly moistened but not soggy.
• 13 season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 14 transfer mixture to a lightly buttered casserole dish, drizzle with ½ cup broth, cover, and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes.