I don’t know about you but alcohol plays a big role in our holiday celebrations. The Husby’s family is Irish, and the Irish? Well, they like to drink.
I was intrigued by the bourbon that was called for in the recipe so I decided to give it a try at the “Friendsgiving” dinner we hosted earlier this week. It was by far everyone’s favorite side of the evening. Sauteeing the pears in the touch of booze provided a sweet-smokiness to the otherwise savory dish, and the toasted pecans lent a welcome crunch. I think it would be excellent to use homemade toasted bread cubes as the original recipe called for in lieu of the stuffing mix, but I was lazy and it still came out wonderfully. It would certainly be an elegant dish to add to your Thanksgiving table.
Bourbon Pear Pecan Stuffing – slightly adapted from Food Network
- 6 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 Onion, diced
- 3 Carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 Celery Stalks, diced
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Sage, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, roughly chopped
- 2 Bosc Pears, diced
- 1/2 Cup Bourbon (I used Maker’s Mark)
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
- 1 Package Unseasoned Stuffing
- 1 Cup Toasted Pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, sage, and thyme and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the pears and cook an additional 3 minutes.
Pour in the bourbon and simmer 2 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Return to a simmer another 5-10 minutes.
In the meantime, mix the eggs and parsley in a large bowl. Add the stuffing and pecans, then the hot mixture. Toss gently until combined.
Spoon the stuffing into a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.
