Memere Bernard’s French Meat Stuffing

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Put them in a pot, cover them with water and cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Do not drain the liquid.

Chop the onion in a small dice.

Heat the butter in a very large skillet (the bigger the better) over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until golden.

Add the ground meats (don’t crowd the pan—you may have to do this in batches) and cook until evenly browned, breaking up the large pieces as it cooks. If you are doing this in batches remove the cooked meat from the skillet and continue to cook the rest.

Remove the potatoes from the water and set the potatoes and the water aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

When all the meat is browned return it all to the skillet and begin “mashing” the cooked potatoes into the meat mixture a few at a time, mixing well after each addition until all the potatoes are mixed and mashed in. This is where you may need some of the potato water so the mixture is easier to stir. Maybe add 1/2 cup to a whole cup a little at a time. Add seasonings to your liking.

Spread the mixture into a large (9×11 or similar) casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 350 F for 35 minutes or stuff into the turkey. I do both.