Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We wanted a turkey stuffing rich enough to stand on its own without gravy. We found
our answer in cornbread and sausage. Cornbread gives the stuffing more flavor than
plain white bread. We wanted plenty of stuffing, so we chose to cook it in a Dutch
oven, which is large enough to accommodate 10 to 12 portions. To compensate for the
loss in richness and poultry flavor we didn’t just rely on any sausage—we chose spicy
andouille sausage. Adding chicken broth to the stuffing further boosted the meaty
flavor of our stuffing and helped keep it from drying out. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
SERVES 10 TO 12
We prefer spicy andouille sausage in this recipe, but chorizo or kielbasa work well, too. For the cornbread, use your favorite recipe, store-bought cornbread, or Betty Crocker Golden Corn Muffin and Bread Mix or Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, both of which will work fine in stuffing.
|
12 |
cups prepared cornbread cut into ¾-inch cubes |
|
1½ |
pounds andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch-thick half-moons |
|
2 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
|
2 |
small onions, chopped fine |
|
3 |
celery ribs, chopped fine |
|
2 |
tablespoons minced fresh sage |
|
3 |
garlic cloves, minced |
|
1 |
teaspoon salt |
|
1 |
teaspoon pepper |
|
4 |
cups chicken broth |
1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread cornbread evenly over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until slightly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; let cool. Carefully remove upper-middle rack from oven.
2. Cook sausage in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and pour off fat left behind in pot. Melt butter over medium-high heat, add onions and celery, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in sage, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and sausage, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Add cornbread and gently stir until liquid is absorbed. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. (Stuffing can be refrigerated for 1 day; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
3. Remove lid and bake until top of stuffing is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve.