A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
A Countdown to Christmas Recipe:
Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
It is officially the week before Christmas week now, and I am on a countdown to the big day, so I have decided to share a few seasonal recipes with you over the next nine days, most of them “essentials” such as stuffing (today’s post), mince pies, salads, accompaniments and the odd sandwich thrown in for good measure when time is tight! Recipe number one in my “Countdown to Christmas mini recipe series” is a HUGE hit with my family and friends, and I have just made my FIRST two loaves last weekend, for a Christmas Dinner and Party at friends, it is a recipe for a Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf…….succulent locally reared pork sausages are studded with cranberries, mixed with breadcrumbs, fried onions and sage before being wrapped in bacon to make the most amazing stuffing you have ever tasted, trust me, it is GOOD!
Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
The whole lot is then baked in a loaf tin, which means you can turn the stuffing out like a loaf of bread and everyone gets a rasher of bacon with their stuffing. Think festive meatloaf with fruit and herbs and you get the picture, it really is a “ding dong merrily on high” kind of Christmas recipe and we all love it in the Lavender and Lovage kitchen. I have also been known to make this JUST so we can all have stuffing sandwiches, never mind the turkey or meat! I always add cranberries to my stuffing loaf, but I bet brandy soaked prunes or chestnuts would also be good.
Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
I hope that you will enjoy my first countdown recipe if you try it, there is really only one proviso, try to use high meat content and high quality sausages – any flavour you like, but Pork are best, and we love the herby taste of Lincolnshire sausages in this recipe. I always use smoked streaky bacon for an extra dimension to the flavours, and again, for the best results try to use British dry cure bacon – it’s simply the best and you will be supporting home-grown pork too. I am lucky enough to have a huge sage bush at my disposal for the sage element in this recipe, but dried sage will work if you are stuck.
That’s it for today, I am posting my first Christmas Card in this post too……it’s time to get in the festive spirit I feel! See you later with my next “Countdown to Christmas” recipe, bye for now, Karen
Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
Print recipe
| Serves | 8 to 12 slices, depending on thickness |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 50 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hours, 5 minutes |
| Meal type | Condiment, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 12 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
- 50g butter
- 2 onions, peeled and finely diced
- 100g dried cranberries (such as Craisins)
- 1 x 340g packet of high-meat content pork sausages (of your choice, skinned)
- 100g fresh breadcrumbs
- 8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- grated zest of 1 small orange
- salt and pepper to taste
Note
A delectable and spectacular way to make and serve stuffing this Christmas, or for any other special occasion - this Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf looks amazing and tastes delectable and it tastes all the better the next day when added to turkey or chicken sandwiches too! Can be made ahead and frozen, just take out of the freezer the night before and allow to defrost overnight.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. Line a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with the streaky bacon slices, overlapping them slightly. Don'r worry if they hang over, as you can tuck them over the top of the stuffing loaf. |
| Step 2 | Melt the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the onions until they are soft and translucent. |
| Step 3 | Add the cranberries, sausages (skin them and crumble the sausagemeat), breadcrumbs, sage and grated orange zest and mix well, with your hands is best. Season to taste with salt and pepper. |
| Step 4 | When all of the ingredients are combined, spoon the stuffing into the bacon lined loaf tin and pack the mixture down firmly. Cover with a piece of buttered greaseproof paper and bake for 30 minutes, before taking the loaf out, carefully inverting it onto a greased baking tray and baking it for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown. |
| Step 5 | Allow to come to room temperature and cool slightly before serving in slices. |
A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
I am entering this into Cooking with Herbs, as this recipe has a goodly amount of fresh sage in it!
A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
Coming next for in the Countdown to Christmas recipe mini series is The ULTIMATE Christmas salad:
Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts
Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate,Persimmon and Walnuts
Julie's Family Kitchen says
Oh sounds lovely, definitely something to try this year.
Karen says
Thanks so much Julie, we all love this and hope you all do too!
Dominic says
oooh Karen, I could eat this instead of Turkey for my Christmas lunch… what a wonderful and very beautiful idea! x
Karen says
Thanks Dom! Snap! I have often thought of serving this as a main course too!
Glamorous Glutton says
I’ve been waiting for you to post this. It’s a definite for our table. Just out of interest, does it freeze? GG x
Karen says
Thanks GG – yes it does freeze beautifully, either before cooking or after cooking. K xxx
ursula hunt says
What a great recipe, thank you
Karen says
Thanks Ursula!
Antonia says
Stuffing is always my favourite part of the Christmas feast and I always make two kinds. I am always on the lookout for new ideas to try. This looks delicious and I simply must have sage in one of my festive stuffings – I just love the flavour!
Karen says
My favourite part of the meal too Antonia and that’s why I always make stacks of this – for later snacking and sandwich making! Karen
Tracy Nixon says
Another wonderful recipe thanks!
Karen says
Thanks Tracy!
Tracy Nixon says
Tweeting! Merry Christmas Karen!
Karen says
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you too Tracy!
Alan lewis says
Bacon wrapped stuffing. This is the best stuffing recipie ever can’t stop making it delicious
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for letting me know Alan
Jeff says
“before taking the loaf out, carefully inverting it onto a greased baking tray”
Does this mean just turning over the stuffing in the tin, or turning over the stuffing and then taking out of the tin?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Yes, It means turning it over into a greased baking tray Jeff – hope that makes sense now? Karen
Jadranka Jovanovic says
I made today with the rest of sausage meat from X-mas as we stuffed turkey this year.
We love meat loaf and your recipe is delicious. I put on plate 2 peaces. Unfortunately we ended with 3rd one.
So yummy!
Lisa says
Just making this now it’s in the oven I hope it comes out ok as I’ve had to use packet bread crumbs it looks so delicious
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Lisa – I’m sure it worked with packet bread crumbs – do let me know!
Merry Christmas!
Karen
Simon says
Is this cooked at 190 fan please ?
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s 190C, not fan.
Wendy Partridge says
Have made this loaf for the second time and it is delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe and all your other lovely recipes which I make time and time again.
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s my pleasure Wendy 🙂