I started making this stuffing when I first became “hostess” for Thanksgiving about 8 years ago. When my husband and I got engaged a few years back, I’m convinced that it is this recipe that made him realize he wanted to marry me. I’ve made some updates to the original (I make my own cornbread), and it tastes even better the second day mixed up with cranberry sauce. Feel free to omit the sausage if you are keeping it vegetarian. Fresh herbs are key. I always make it a day in advance. Original recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit and Victoria Granof.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking dish
- 1 pound day-old cornbread, broken into 1 1/2-inch–2-inch pieces (9 cups) – I use Jiffy boxed cornbread
- 1 pound maple breakfast sausage links, casings removed (Shady Maple has the best breakfast sausage)
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup Braggs(R) apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 1/4 cups chopped toasted pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 eggs
RECIPE PREPARATION
- Bake cornbread according to box directions two days ahead. Let sit overnight. The following morning, but cornbread into 1 in sq. cubes.
- Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 250°. Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; set aside. Scatter cornbread in a single layer on 2 rimmed cookie sheets. Bake, stirring often and rotating sheets halfway through, until dried out, about 1 hour. Let cool. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.
- Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up into 1/2-inch–1-inch pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with cornbread but do not stir.
- Heat 3/4 cup butter in same skillet; add onions and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to cornbread in bowl.
- Return skillet to heat. Add vinegar; cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, for 1 minute. Pour into bowl with cornbread. Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups broth, pecans, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Add salt and pepper. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk 1 1/2 cups broth and eggs in a small bowl. Fold gently into cornbread until thoroughly combined, taking care not to mash cornbread (mixture will look wet). Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of dressing registers 160°, about 40 minutes.
- DO AHEAD: Stuffing can be made 1 day ahead. Uncover; let cool. Cover and chill.
- Bake dressing, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 40-45 minutes longer (if chilled, add 10-15 minutes).
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