Soft Pretzel Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds soft pretzels ~ 6 large or ~ 10 cups (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more to butter baking dish
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 2 cups shredded white medium cheddar
- 1/2 cup beer lager or IPA
- 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup chicken stock you may need a bit more
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Scrape most of the salt off of the pretzels (if you don’t it will be too salty). Cut the pretzels into bite-sized cubes. Spread out the pretzel cubes on a large baking sheet and bake, flipping cubes halfway through, until the bread dries out, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can cut the cubes the day prior and leave to dry out at room temperature overnight.
- Adjust the oven to 350°F. Butter a 8-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 2-1/2-inch (or similarly sized such as a 9 x 13-inch) baking dish.
- In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and celery and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season lightly with Kosher salt and pepper.
- Add garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme and cook stirring frequently, about 1 to 2 minutes. (Onion mixture can be made a day in advance. Cool and refrigerate.)
- In a large bowl, mix pretzel cubes, onion mixture and cheddar cheese.
- Whisk beer, mustard, honey, eggs and 1 cup chicken stock in a small bowl.
- Using a rubber spatula, stir beer mixture into pretzel cube mixture.
- Season lightly with Kosher salt and pepper.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake immediately or refrigerate for up to a day. (Remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking.)
- Bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until pretzels are crusty and the stuffing is set. Serve immediately.
Notes
* This recipe uses large soft pretzels – not pretzel rolls (like what you’d use for sandwiches). If you can, please procure your pretzels from Wawa or Philly Pretzel Factory.
* Be sure to scrape off most of the salt on the pretzels as it will be too salty otherwise. You will still want to add a bit of Kosher salt during the cooking process.
* If the stuffing looks dry while cooking, add 1/2 cup chicken stock at a time to moisten.
* I prepared the stuffing a day in advance and baked it an hour prior to serving. It was just the right consistency – pretzels were crusty and the remainder of the stuffing was moist. It wasn’t mushy at all.
* Be sure to scrape off most of the salt on the pretzels as it will be too salty otherwise. You will still want to add a bit of Kosher salt during the cooking process.
* If the stuffing looks dry while cooking, add 1/2 cup chicken stock at a time to moisten.
* I prepared the stuffing a day in advance and baked it an hour prior to serving. It was just the right consistency – pretzels were crusty and the remainder of the stuffing was moist. It wasn’t mushy at all.
