My grandparents moved to the US in the late 80s and lived here for 25 years until they decided to move back to Korea. Although they were already in their sixties by the time they arrived in the States, my grandparents seamlessly adopted many local traditions into their lives–including cooking a very American Thanksgiving feast. In fact, I can say without hesitation that my grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner was on par with a Norman Rockwell painting, if not better? Her spread included a combination of the following: a stuffed turkey, pot roast, steamed king crab, sashimi, mashed potatoes, gravy, baked yams, corn, green salad, white rice, and kimchi. Yes, you read that right, there would often be a stuffed turkey, pot roast, and steamed king crab on the table all at the same time. It was the best.
Of all the Thanksgiving dishes my grandma made, her stuffing was everyone’s favorite. It was buttery, super savory, with underlining notes of nuttiness and sweetness. It included all the classic ingredients like bread, celery, and onions, but the addition of bacon, chestnuts, and raisins was what really made it stand out. It was so loved by all that it became known as Grandma’s or Halmuhnie’s, 할머니’s, Stuffing in my family.
In truth, my grandma learned the recipe from a friend named Helen, who was also a native Korean, but who had immigrated to the US decades earlier. I’m not sure if Helen inherited the recipe from somebody else, but I like to imagine that it was she or another immigrant who came up with the exact secret sauce that makes this recipe so great. There’s something special about traditions being created and shared between people of color who live in America.
The following recipe is almost exactly how my grandma used to make it, but I substituted 10 slices of white bread and the margarine with a crusty loaf and unsalted butter. She also usually cooked the stuffing inside the bird, so I added in some chicken stock and eggs to the recipe so that it could be made in a baking dish instead.
More Thanksgiving recipes:
The Trader Joe’s Cheese Board
Greek Yogurt Buttermilk Dressing
My Grandma’s Chestnut Bacon Stuffing
- Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
My grandma’s stuffing is buttery, super savory, with underlining notes of nuttiness and sweetness.
Ingredients
1 large, crusty bread (about 1.1 lbs or 500 g)
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
5–6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
3–4 celery stalks, cut 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups chestnuts, roasted, peeled, and cut into quarters*
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
A small handful of pine nuts (optional)
Salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups (750 g) low sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
Instructions
1. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Place onto a baking sheet and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, or toast in a 300 degrees F oven until crisp, about 20-30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the bacon until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. When done, remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
4. Wipe the skillet to remove some of the bacon drippings and return to the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the celery and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the celery and onion are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Place the bread, bacon, celery, onion, chestnuts, and raisins into a large bowl. Season with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is incorporated evenly.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and eggs. Pour the liquid over everything and toss together. Let the mixture sit for a minute, then toss again. Repeat a few times until all the liquid has been absorbed.
7. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish, around 9 x 12 inch in size. Dot the top with the remaining butter.
8. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 35 minutes, or until the stuffing is crispy and golden brown on top. If not serving immediately, remove stuffing from the oven after the first bake. Proceed with the second bake when it’s nearly time to serve.
Notes
If you can’t find fresh chestnuts, you can also use ones that are canned in syrup. Just make sure to rinse them thoroughly before using.
Keywords: Stuffing, Thanksgiving, Chestnuts, Bacon, Raisins, Grandma
Michelle says
Halmoni’s Thanksgivings were the best! My favorites were when we did two Thanksgiving meals: one at home and one at RSF club house, which also had crab. hahaha. No one feasts like the Yoon family. 🙂
★★★★★
Jessica says
Michelle- I know!!! I miss it.