Thanksgiving Camp Meal Classic Sage Sausage Dressing
How to avoid World War III: Don’t mess with the family favorite camping Thanksgiving dinner recipes! This Dutch oven classic sage sausage dressing recipe is a blend of holiday flavors … sage, poultry seasoning, onions, celery … but as our family tends to do, we add a little extra to the classics!
For this Thanksgiving favorite, we added a little garlic and rosemary and have not changed our recipe since.
Psst we’re compensated…see our disclosures.
How To Make Dutch Oven Classic Sage Sausage Dressing
When we make this Thanksgiving stuffing recipe at home, it bakes in a casserole dish in the regular oven. But, when we make it at the campsite, it’s one of our favorite Dutch oven camping recipes that we cook using charcoal briquettes or campfire coals.
Preheat Dutch oven to 325 degrees (for a 12 inch Dutch oven you need 23 coals total = 16 Top/7 Bottom). See my Dutch Oven Temperature Chart for more information and tips.
This recipe can be made in a Dutch oven, camp oven, solar oven or RV oven. (Obviously, I prefer a camp Dutch oven … he he.)
If you want to cook this in a regular oven, you’ll need to:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet (a cast iron skillet or non-stick will work over a regular stove) then sauté the onions and celery.
- Then, you’ll add the sausage to the pan and break it up as it browns.
- Lastly, you’ll add the garlic and rosemary to the skillet.
- Now, you’ll transfer the ingredients to the large bowl that contains the dried bread cubes, poultry seasoning, chicken broth and eggs.
- You’ll mix everything so it is combined well, then, just spoon the combined mixture into a greased 2-quart or 13-inch baking dish and you won’t have to stir during the baking process.
NOTE: Baking times vary depending on outside air temperature, elevation and humidity so be ready to make adjustments as necessary.
Prep To Make This Recipe
You’ll be chopping a bit of onion, celery, garlic and fresh rosemary for this recipe. You only need a pinch of the chopped fresh rosemary and it really does provide a ton of unique flavor to this dish. If you want to substitute dried rosemary, use it sparingly (a “half pinch” or less) so it doesn’t overwhelm the flavors.
For Easier Cleanup
Thanksgiving dinner clean-up at the campsite can be challenging. If the people I am camping with are willing to pitch in to help with cleaning after dinner … GREAT!
If they are more of the “I’ll keep the campfire going while you do the dishes” type, then I try to use disposable gear like disposable foil Dutch oven liners (make sure you get the right size liner because it is not easy to fit a 14″ liner in a 12-inch camp-style Dutch oven!) Oh, one more camping tip … I try to avoid camping with “campfire tenders” unless I am doing my only-once-a-year hot dog and canned beans menu. LOL
Dutch Oven Stuffing Cooking Tips
Always prep your ingredients and cooking equipment before you start the cooking process.
If you are using charcoal briquettes with your Dutch oven, a Rapidfire Chimney Starter is great because it is a fast, efficient and clean way to light your charcoal. Alternatively you can just steal a pile of hot charcoal from your campfire. Just make sure you are using hardwood to provide nice even, long-lasting heat when cooking with campfire coals.
If you’ve never used a charcoal starter, we have an entire blog post to show you how to use a charcoal chimney that includes a VIDEO.
What To Serve With Stuffing In Dutch Ovens
I bet you have some classic recipes that your family and friends expect to be on the table at specific holidays. We certainly do! Some of them are not my favorites but I partake because it is part of our tradition. Others, I am happy to help myself to second (and sometimes third) portions!
If you are making this for your Thanksgiving meal, make sure you include the classic pairing. This is my favorite Camping Turkey Recipe but I share 3 different cooking methods so you can choose the best option for your trip.
You can get my entire menu with recipes for a Traditional Camping Thanksgiving Dinner: Easy Recipes For Turkey Dinner With All The Trimmings.
For smaller crowds, you can pair this stuffing with this yummy Grilled Dijon Chicken With Garlic And Jalapeno recipe.
Beef is an great alternative to poultry. Try this Grilled Flat Iron Camping Steak Recipe to go along with this dressing.
A few great side dishes to serve with a homemade bread stuffing include these yummy Campfire Glazed Grilled Carrots which are really nice if you want to serve cooked vegetables. If you’d rather have an assortment, try these Campfire Veggie Packets that include broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and garlic.
Leftover Ideas
If you have too much food on your holiday table after the meal, you probably need some ideas.
For breakfast, melt butter in a pan and drop in a big spoonful of stuffing, cover pan so the dressing heats through. In another pan, fry an egg and serve it on top of the stuffing for a satisfying meal.
For lunch or dinner the next day, combine some of your favorite dishes from your Thanksgiving table. Pile slices of turkey on bread or a bun, then add a layer of stuffing and slather with leftover cranberry sauce. This is one of the best turkey sandwiches you’ll ever eat!
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Thanksgiving Dutch Oven Classic Sage Sausage Dressing Camp Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound loaf day old bread cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/3 cup butter use unsalted butter
- 1 cup onions diced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 (16 oz) package bulk sage sausage
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat 12-inch camp Dutch oven to 325 F degrees (for a 12 inch Dutch oven you need 23 coals total = 16 Top/7 Bottom).
- Combine in a large mixing bowl: bread, poultry seasoning, chicken broth and eggs.
- Melt the butter in the Dutch oven.
- Sauté the onions and celery until the vegetables are soft.
- Add and lightly brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add the garlic and rosemary to the pot and stir to incorporate.
- Add the bread mixture to the Dutch oven and stir to completely combine all the stuffing mixture ingredients.
- Cover with the lid and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture throughout the cooking process. Because this dressing is being cooked directly in the Dutch oven (and not in a separate baking dish) it will get crispier (which our family loves) but it will also have a tendency to burn so keep stirring to avoid that.
Notes
Nutrition
Complete Thanksgiving Camping Menu
This is one of the recipes we make when we are camping on Thanksgiving. See our entire menu on our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner At The Campsite post.
Proper Timing For Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner
Get tips for cooking the big holiday meal on our Thanksgiving Dinner At The Campsite With Camping For Foodies post.
Thanksgiving Camping Trip Tips
Get trip planning help on our Easy Tips for a Thanksgiving Camping Trip post!
Dutch Oven Cooking Tips
Check out our Dutch Oven Camp Cooking Tips post for more helpful info to cook like a pro with your camp Dutch oven!
More Meal Ideas
If you’re looking for awesome ideas for yummy camping food, you’re in the right place! Here’s our entire camping recipes list.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment, question or suggestion below. I’d love to hear from you so let’s chat.