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Cornbread and Turkey Sausage Stuffing/Dressing

I’ve spent most of my life hating Thanksgiving stuffing. Otherwise know as that hot and soggy bread mush unceremoniously shoved inside an unsuspecting turkey each year. I couldn’t get over the lack of texture. It’s just mushy bread and that’s not right. It wasn’t until I started making my own stuffing, that I grew to look forward to it every Thanksgiving.


In order to stop hating stuffing, the first thing I did was to stop stuffing it inside the turkey and instead cooked it in its own separate casserole dish. This change turned “stuffing” into “dressing”. “Dressing” is the same as stuffing, except it is cooked separate from the turkey. The magic of “dressing” is that it allows the stuffing mix to develop a crispy and flavorful top crust, lending much needed texture and depth to this typically mushy side dish.


I didn’t stop there. The mush had to be mitigated and the next step in that process was making my own dried bread cubes. The packages of dried stuffing mix that stock the shelves for Thanksgiving are processed way to small. The result is they almost completely disintegrate as soon as they hit liquid. By drying my own bread cubes, I was able to cut the bread into larger pieces that maintained much of their integrity even after soaking with broth. My choice of bread or breads was also a big improvement. White bread quickly disintegrates in liquid. Adding large cubes of dried cornbread contributed a pleasant sweetness as well as added texture from the cornmeal. The white bread and cornbread worked together to create the perfect textural balance that neither could achieve alone. The resulting “dressing” has a fluffier more appealing texture.


Finally, I added lots of browned crumbly homemade “Turkey Breakfast Sausage”, onions, celery and mushrooms to the mix for flavor, but also to get in between all of that bread and prevent it from forming one cohesive lump. I finished off with just the right amount of stock, milk and eggs for binding and a healthy dose of my “Thanksgiving Herb Butter”. This new and improved “stuffing” wins a well deserved award for best “dressed”!


Watch the video version of this recipe here!

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F.

  2. To Dry White Bread: Cut country white bread into ½ inch cubes and spread onto an extra large baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bread cubes should be in a single layer. (See video) Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for 60-75 minutes until completely dry and lightly browned but not dark brown or burnt. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in a zip top bag in a cool dark place for up to 3 days.

  3. To Dry Cornbread: Split loaf of cornbread into two layers and dice into 1 inch cubes. (See video) Spread into a single layer on an extra large baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in your 250°F oven for 2 hours. Cornbread is very moist and takes longer to dry. Check and rotate the baking tray every 30 minutes to ensure the cornbread does not burn. If the cornbread begins to darken, reduce the oven temperature to 225°F. After two hours, leave cornbread cubes in oven, turn off heat and open oven door until it is slightly ajar. Let cornbread finish drying out for 30 more minutes. Remove cornbread cubes from the oven and cool completely before storing in a zip top bag in a cool dark place for up to 3 days.

  4. Heat a 12 inch skillet on medium heat and add 3 Tbsp of olive oil. Add 1 batch of raw “Easy Turkey Breakfast Sausage” and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spatula until nicely browned.

  5. Push browned sausage to the perimeter of the pan making a large empty space in the middle. Add diced mushrooms to the middle of the pan and stir briefly to coat with pan drippings. Press mushrooms down to create good contact between the mushrooms and the pan. Let cook undisturbed for 5 minutes while the mushrooms wilt and release their juices. After 5 minutes stir mushroom in with the browned sausage.

  6. Add celery and onions to the pan and stir to combine. Add ⅓ cup of “Thanksgiving Herb Butter” stir to combine and sauté for 2 minutes until onions are just starting to become translucent. Add ½ cup of the chicken or turkey stock to deglaze the pan and stir to scrap up any browned bits. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

To Assemble:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

  2. In a medium bowl or 8 cup measuring cup, whisk together two eggs, 3 cups remaining chicken or turkey broth and 1 cup of milk. Set aside.

  3. Place 4 Tbsp of butter in a small bowl with 1 sage leaf. Cover and microwave for 30 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir and set aside.

  4. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

  5. In the largest bowl you can find (larger than 4 quarts if possible) toss together dried white and cornbread cubes. Add cooled sausage and veggie mixture and toss together. Pour over broth, milk and egg mixture and stir gently, making sure all of the cubes have been moistened. Do not be overly aggressive with your stirring or you will break up the bread cubes.

  6. Transfer the dressing to your prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer, but DO NOT PACK DOWN!

  7. Drizzle the top of the dressing with the sage infused butter. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and place the sprayed side down on top of the baking dish. Crimp around edges to seal tightly.

  8. Transfer the baking dish to the center of an oven preheated to 375°F. Bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 more minutes or until the top is nicely browned and crisp and the center reaches 180°F on an instant read thermometer.

  9. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with your Thanksgiving dinner!

Tip: To test to see if the bread cubes are sufficiently dry, eat one. They should crumble easily in your mouth and there shouldn’t be any “chew” left to them.

(Makes one 9"x13" Casserole)

Ingredients:

  • 1 (Day Old) Batch of “Sweet Whole Grain Cornbread” (see here for recipe)

  • 8 Slices (342 grams/12 oz) Hearty Country White Bread

  • 1 lb “Easy Turkey Breakfast Sausage” (see recipe here for recipe)

  • 8 oz White Button Mushrooms, cleaned and diced.

  • 4 Stalks of Celery, diced. (about 200 grams)

  • 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced. (about 225 grams)

  • 3 ½ Cups Low Sodium Chicken or Turkey Broth/Stock

  • 1 Cup Milk

  • 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten.

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

  • ⅓ Cup “Thanksgiving Herb Butter” (see recipe here for recipe)

  • 4 Tbsp Butter.

  • 1 Sage Leaf

I’ve spent most of my life hating Thanksgiving stuffing. Otherwise know as that hot and soggy bread mush unceremoniously shoved inside an unsuspecting turkey each year. I couldn’t get over the lack of texture. It’s just mushy bread and that’s not right. It wasn’t until I started making my own stuffing, that I grew to look forward to it every Thanksgiving.


In order to stop hating stuffing, the first thing I did was to stop stuffing it inside the turkey and instead cooked it in its own separate casserole dish. This change turned “stuffing” into “dressing”. “Dressing” is the same as stuffing, except it is cooked separate from the turkey. The magic of “dressing” is that it allows the stuffing mix to develop a crispy and flavorful top crust, lending much needed texture and depth to this typically mushy side dish.


I didn’t stop there. The mush had to be mitigated and the next step in that process was making my own dried bread cubes. The packages of dried stuffing mix that stock the shelves for Thanksgiving are processed way to small. The result is they almost completely disintegrate as soon as they hit liquid. By drying my own bread cubes, I was able to cut the bread into larger pieces that maintained much of their integrity even after soaking with broth. My choice of bread or breads was also a big improvement. White bread quickly disintegrates in liquid. Adding large cubes of dried cornbread contributed a pleasant sweetness as well as added texture from the cornmeal. The white bread and cornbread worked together to create the perfect textural balance that neither could achieve alone. The resulting “dressing” has a fluffier more appealing texture.


Finally, I added lots of browned crumbly homemade “Turkey Breakfast Sausage”, onions, celery and mushrooms to the mix for flavor, but also to get in between all of that bread and prevent it from forming one cohesive lump. I finished off with just the right amount of stock, milk and eggs for binding and a healthy dose of my “Thanksgiving Herb Butter”. This new and improved “stuffing” wins a well deserved award for best “dressed”!


Watch the video version of this recipe here!

Recommended Recipes or Posts

Sweet Whole Grain Cornbread

Easy Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties

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