Preheat your oven to 275°F / 135°C.

Cut all your bread into roughly ½” cubes and arrange on 1-2 baking sheets. Bake for 40-50 minutes, tossing about halfway through, until bread is dry and crispy and slightly browned. Set aside and turn oven up to 350°F/180°C.

In a Dutch-oven or braising dish set over medium heat, add 1 ½ pounds of breakfast sausage and break up with a meat masher or potato masher. Cook, continuing to break up the sausage into small pieces, until no visible pink remains. Remove the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add ½ cup butter to the same dish over medium heat and melt completely. Now add the diced onion and celery and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper evenly over the top of them. With a wooden spoon, mix the vegetables and scrape up any fond leftover from the cooked sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-12 minutes.

Once softened, add 3-4 cloves minced garlic and the finely chopped ¼ cup fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary (if using). Stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes longer.

Return the sausage to the mixture and add about 1 cup of the chicken stock with the rest of the salt and pepper. Stir everything together and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Add the 2 large eggs and finely chopped ¼ cup fresh parsley to the rest of the chicken stock and whisk until the eggs are fully mixed.

Off the heat, add the egg mixture to the meat and veggie mixture and pour over the bread cubes. Gently fold everything together, making sure to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. If you don’t have a mixing bowl large enough to fit everything into, add the bread cubes directly to the Dutch-oven or braising pan instead.

Grease a 13x9 baking dish with butter or use cooking spray. Pour the stuffing into the dish and level it out as best you can. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes to reduce the liquid and brown the top.

The total cooking time is usually around 45-55 minutes, depending on your preference. If you like wetter stuffing, cook covered for longer. If you like a slightly drier and well browned stuffing, increase the time spent uncovered. Whichever way you prefer it, it should be cooked to about 160°F before removing from the oven and resting.

Once cooked to your preference, remove from the oven, and let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.