A few days prior to making the stuffing, slice the bread, removing the crust and cut into ½” cubes. Spread the cubes on a tray to dry out, cover with cloth.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt half of the butter.
Add the onion and celery, cooking until the onion is soft.
Season the vegetables with sage, thyme, salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat.
Transfer the bread cubes into a large bowl and add the vegetables.
Melt the remaining butter and pour it over the stuffing, gently tossing the mixture until evenly mixed.
Pre-heat oven to 325˚f.
If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole dish, pour a ½ cup of chicken broth or milk over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would absorb from the bird.
Over mixing will cause dressing to be soggy and compact.
Bake covered until heated through approximately 30 minutes. Do not over bake or ot will dry out.
For a crunchy top, uncover the stuffing for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Remove from oven and let it rest for 15 minutes prior to serving.