Sauerkraut and Rye Stuffing

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the bacon grease and set the pan over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, thyme, caraway seeds, celery seeds, and salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen and dissolve the browned bits. Add the apples, cover, and cook until the apples are tender. Remove from the heat and combine in a large bowl with the bread cubes and sauerkraut. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper; toss to combine. Bake in the bird or in a casserole as directed below.

Stuff the bird -- or, if baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.