Southern Cornbread Dressing

Instructions

Heat the Oven - Adjust the oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 400ºF (204ºC). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with vegetable oil and set aside.
Mix the Cornbread Ingredients - In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vegetable oil, and honey until the sweetener is completely dissolved.
Make the Cornbread Batter - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold everything together until no more lumps remain.
Bake the Cornbread - Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking pan. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 22 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC).
Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool until it can be easily handled, about 10 to 15 minutes. It’s okay if the bread is still warm.
Cut the Cornbread - Slice into ¾-inch cubes and then spread in a single layer on a large sheet pan. There should be about 9 cups of cubes.
Toast the Cornbread - Toast the cubes in the oven until the edges are dry and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes, gently stirring every 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the sheet pan while the other ingredients are prepared.
Cook the Sausage - Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add vegetable oil, once hot add the sausage. Brown the sausage, breaking into smaller pieces and cook until no longer pink, about 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer meat to a large bowl.
Cook the Vegetables and Apples - Melt the butter in the pan, then add in the onions, celery, and apples. Saute until the vegetables and apples are tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, stir and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the sausage.
Combine the Stuffing Ingredients - Stir the cranberries and pecans into the sausage mixture. Gently stir in the toasted cornbread cubes.
Soak the Cornbread - In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Pour the liquid evenly over the bread, gently stir to combine. Allow to soak for 5 minutes.
Bake the Stuffing - Grease a 9x13-inch pan with vegetable oil. Evenly spread the cornbread mixture into the pan. Sprinkle more cranberries and chopped pecans on top if desired. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Loosely cover and bake until the internal temperature reaches 144ºF (62ºC), about 10 to 20 minutes. If desired, remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes to crisp the surface.

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

Cornbread

Cornbread Dressing

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition