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1
Place beef, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves in a medium saucepan.
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2
Add water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches, cover and place over medium heat.
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3
Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer gently for approximately 1 hour, or until the beef is tender.
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4
Remove beef cubes from broth and set aside.
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5
Do not discard the broth.
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6
While beef is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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7
Cut 2 slices of bread into 1/4-inch cubes.
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8
Place in a pan in the oven, and toast until they are golden brown.
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9
Add giblets to beef broth, return to heat, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
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10
Remove from broth and set aside.
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11
Remove the peppercorns and bay leaves from the broth.
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12
Taste the broth.
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13
If it has a good, strong, meaty flavor, use as is.
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14
Otherwise, intensify the flavor by reducing until you have 1/2 cup.
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15
If using a food processor (see note), place the beef cubes, a few at a time, in the bowl and process briefly until meat is coarsely chopped.
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16
Do not overprocess.
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17
The meat should not be finely minced or pasty in texture but should have the consistency of cooked hamburger.
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18
Place chopped beef in a large bowl.
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19
Remove the meat from necks and add it, together with the other giblets, to the processor bowl.
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20
Process in a similar manner as the beef.
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21
Add to the beef.
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22
Add potato, celery and onion to food processor bowl, and process to chop and mix well.
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23
Add to the meats.
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24
Soak the remaining 2 slices of bread in a little water, squeeze dry, tear into pieces, and add to the meats.
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25
Add 1/2 cup of broth, the salt and sage to the meats, and mix very well, using your hands.
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26
Just before stuffing the turkey, add toasted bread cubes to the mixture.
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27
Mix well.
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28
Do not stuff the turkey until you are ready to put it in the oven.
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29
If you wish, the stuffing may be made a day ahead of time, but it must be kept refrigerated until ready to use.
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30
If you have more than enough stuffing, place the remainder in a well-greased loaf or brownie pan, cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.
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31
Remove foil for last 15 minutes of cooking to crisp the top.
