Cornbread cut into cubes, dried overnight

Every year, at the start of November, my dad and I go through our list of dishes and plan out our Thanksgiving menu. And each year the same question comes up: are we going to add anything new? We review our list and then conclude that for the 6 people we don't need an 11th dish. Yet some dishes sneak their way in, and when they do, they tend to stick around for years to come. When I decided to make cornbread years ago, a side that surprisingly hadn't made it on our table yet, it quickly became a staple on our menu.

Served with a little bit of honey orange butter and a dollop of cranberry sauce...

Sausage and Sage Cornbread Stuffing before going in the oven

There's something so essential about bread on the table, even if it is the form of cornbread. Something hearty and warm to sop up sauce and gravy or accompany a bowl of soup. Just like any starchy element - pasta, rice, potatoes - bread pulls together a meal.

I've always gravitated towards the idea of stuffing, but never really liked the texture of the traditional kind made with bread. Still, the thought of essential Thanksgiving flavors wrapped into one dish seemed like a no-brainer. And with a heartier cornbread base, I was bound to like it!

Add in some toasted pecans, roasted butternut squash, bacon, rosemary, or apple if you like. There are so many ways to flavor your stuffing, so be creative and go with ingredients you love!

I kept it simple with lots of herbs, some sausage, onions, celery, and a lil bit of dried fruit. Topped with some gravy and a side of cranberry sauce!

I’ve included the cornbread recipe I’ve used every year, but please feel free to use your favorite cornbread recipe. I recommend using cornbread that has just a touch of sweetness and is not too crumbly.

Sausage and Herb Cornbread Stuffing

Rest Time: Overnight | Cooktime: 1 hour | Yield: 8-10 servings

ingredients

For the Cornbread

2 cups cornmeal, coarse or finely ground
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing the pan)
3 cups buttermilk
4 eggs, lightly whisked
4 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Stuffing

9x13 tray of cornbread* (see below), sliced or torn into small cubes, dried for a few hours/ overnight

2 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock (more if needed)
2 eggs
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 lb breakfast sausage or Sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4-5 stalks of celery, halved lengthwise and finely chopped
1/3 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries, finely chopped
6-8 sage leaves, finely chopped
4-5 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped
about 1/2 tsp salt
about 1/2 tsp pepper

method

For the Cornbread

This recipe is modified from Moist and Easy Cornbread from the Food Network.

Preheat the oven 425ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, as well as the honey. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated and transfer to the greased baking dish.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cornbread is golden and the center comes out clean. Set aside and let cool completely.
Once the cornbread is cool, remove from pan and tear/ cut into smallish cubes. Leave out to dry for a few hours or overnight.

For the Stuffing

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spread the cornbread cubes over two baking sheets and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the cornbread cubes and bake for another 10 minutes, until toasted and dry.
Transfer the cornbread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Lower the oven to 350ºF.
In a large pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Brown the sausage, then move to mixing bowl, leaving any drippings and butter in the pan.
Add 3 more tbsp of butter to the pan, and sauté the onions and celery until translucent. Then, add the onions and celery, as well as the herbs, dried fruit, salt, and pepper to the cornbread mixing bowl.
Mix together the turkey/chicken stock and eggs, then pour over the cornbread stuffing mixture. Gently mix in the stock and eggs, being careful not to crush the cornbread too much. Add more stock if needed.
Move the stuffing to a 9x13 (or similar sized) baking dish. Dot with the remaining tbsp of butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Optional: For a crispy top, uncover and raise the temperature to 400ºF, baking for another 15-20 minutes until golden.