Sausage Meat Stuffing with Paxo

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without all the cosy, comforting flavours we love and this Sausage Meat Stuffing with Paxo has them in abundance! I've included information below on how to make ahead of Christmas Day, freeze and either bake or reheat for minimal fuss.

I’ve paired up hearty sausage meat with classic Paxo stuffing to create a festive twist that’s perfect for your Christmas table. Juicy, flavourful, and full of that Christmas spirit, it’s one you’ll want to make again and again.

I have another recipe for sausage meat stuffing that is more traditional - where I soften onions, fry with fresh sage and add breadcrumbs etc. But sourcing fresh sage can be quite difficult (at least in UK supermarkets). The one place I did manage to source it consistently was Sainsbury's.

But for those of you who want something homemade, but a little simpler and still extremely tasty - this sausage meat stuffing with paxo recipe ticks the box! Plus adding some chopped chestnuts into the mix adds a touch of authenticity to your Christmas dinner stuffing.

Things You Need To Know When Making This

There are a couple of essentials that you need to know for making this sausage meat stuffing using paxo mix:

• you need to add the egg - it is required to bind the mixture, otherwise it's far too crumbly (even with the sausage meat)
• chestnuts are a nod to tradition and also add a lovely texture throughout the stuffing, but they can be omitted from the recipe if preferred
• adding the butter on the top to cook the stuffing adds a textured layer of golden crust that is highly recommended (once melted, you can brush the butter all over the top so it's even distributed and turns the full top golden)
• it can be prepared ahead of Christmas Day and stored either raw or cooked and cooked or reheated when needed

Check out my other Christmas recipes here.

Ingredients for Sausage Meat Stuffing with Paxo

The ingredients couldn't be simpler:

• Sausage Meat - you can generally buy a pre-made sausage mix in most supermarkets, especially around Christmas time. But you could also de-case sausages of your choice or use pork mince and season with some salt, pepper and herbs if preferred.
• Chestnuts - I use Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts
• Paxo - using this removes the need to pre-cook onion and source fresh sage, which can be difficult (I tend to purchase it from Sainsbury's though)
• Egg - the egg is required when using Paxo mix as otherwise the Sausage Meat Stuffing will be too crumbly
• Fresh Sage Leaves + Salted Butter: optional topping

How to make Sausage Meat Stuffing with Paxo

Pre heat oven to 180C (fan) / 200C conventional / 380F. Add paxo to a bowl with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes.

Finely chop whole chestnuts and after the water has been absorbed into the paxo mix - add sausage meat, finely chopped chestnuts, egg and salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly until all combined.

Evenly spread the stuffing mixture into a oven-proof dish and top with fresh sage leaves (optional) and butter (cut into small cubes) - you can choose to freeze the stuffing at this stage if preparing ahead of time.

Bake in preheated oven, from:

• room temperature - 40 minutes
• refrigerated - 45 minutes
• frozen - 50-60 minutes

Storage: How To Prep Ahead For Christmas

The sausage meat stuffing with paxo can be prepared ahead of time and either:

• Frozen - raw or cooked (up to 6 weeks)
• Refrigerated - up to 3 days raw or 5 days cooked

Reheating: either cook directly from frozen/refrigerated if raw or re-heat (if stored pre-cooked) in microwave.

I love using Pyrex's Cook and Freeze as I can store food in their dishes and place directly in the oven from the freezer - game changer!