Stuffing with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Bacon

1. Toast the Bread

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the white bread into cubes or crumble the cornbread, then spread it out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until dry and firm, about 30 minutes for white bread or up to an hour for cornbread.

2. Cook the Bacon

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool. Save the bacon fat in the skillet.

3. Sauté the Leeks

In the same skillet with the bacon fat, sauté the sliced leeks until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Cook the Mushrooms

Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper to the skillet. Stir in the chopped sage and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Deglaze with Wine

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the skillet, cooking until the wine has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

6. Combine and Moisten

In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread with the mushroom mixture. Pour in the chicken stock, and apple cider if using white bread, to moisten the bread to a pudding-like consistency. Add the remaining salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped parsley.

7. Add the Bacon

Crumble the cooked bacon into small pieces and fold it into the stuffing mixture.

8. Bake the Stuffing

Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter, transfer the stuffing mixture into it, and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the top is crispy and golden-brown.