Gluten Free Paleo Turkey Stuffing

For those who need to eat gluten free or prefer to eat gluten free, AND are a fan of Paleo, like I am, I would love to share this delicious recipe from Chef Lance Roll for this holiday season. Stuffing is one of the traditional side dishes served at the Christmas meal. It is often stuffed inside the turkey, but here it is made as a delicious side dish. Sticking with our paleo/real food theme, we will be using gluten free bread. However, this recipe easily adapts to any good-quality bread. We will be using lots of vegetables, herbs, pork, turkey, chicken broth, and some of the pan gravy from the braised turkey to create the authentic flavor of traditional stuffing cooked in the bird!​

• Serves: 10 to 12
• Cook time: 20-30 minutes
• Tools you’ll need: sharp knife, cutting board, sauté pan, spatula, mixing bowl, casserole dish, ladle, and meat thermometer

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​INGREDIENTS
- 2 to 3 cups of cubed gluten free bread, properly dried. (see note on “croutons” below)
- 450 gr. of ground turkey
- 225 gr. ground breakfast sausage
- 170 gr. carrots, diced small
- 170 gr. celery, diced small
- 170 gr. onions, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
- 1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped
- several leaves of sage, chopped
- dried rosemary
- dried granulated garlic
- dried granulated onions
- 1 cup of pecan or walnut pieces
- sea salt
- apples, diced or cubed small
- chicken or pork fat
- chicken broth/ braising liquid from the turkey
- chicken or pork fat
- chicken broth/ braising liquid from the turkey
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DIRECTIONS
[1] Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius
[2] Begin by getting the sauté pan hot and adding some of your fat of choice. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic to sweat off the vegetables. This is going to deepen the flavor.
[3] Add the parsley, sage, dried rosemary, and spices to the pan. The hot fat will release the flavor and the essential oils of the herbs and spices. Cook the vegetables about 5 minutes or until soft. Let cool for a few minutes on the side.
[4] Place the turkey and sausage into a mixing bowl along with the croutons, diced apples, and pecans. Combine both mixtures well in the mixing bowl. Pack into a shallow baking dish, preferably a casseroletype clay pot.
[5] Add some chicken broth or the braising liquid from the turkey in the oven (preferable.) Use the juices directly from the braising turkey to baste the stuffing. This will give our stuffing an amazing turkey flavor.
[6] Bake the stuffing until it reaches an internal temperature of 80degrees. It will feel firm like a meatloaf, but will have a light texture from the bread. Enjoy!

To Make Croutons: Cut your gluten free bread of choice into small cubes and toss with melted butter, chicken fat, or olive oil in a mixing bowl. Season with sea salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion, and place on a cookie sheet. Dry in a 150 degree oven until the moisture is gone in the bread. Use for stuffing or reserve as croutons.