Source
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018382-southern-cornbread-dressing
Notes
- The cornbread must be diced and dried before using. Be sure to prepare cornbread at least one day in advance.
Equipment
- 8-by-11-inch baking dish
Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Ingredients
- One recipe cornbread
- 3 cups soft white bread, crust removed and torn or cut into 1-inch pieces (do not pack)
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), plus more for the pan
- 2 cups chopped sweet onions
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery (4 or 5 stalks)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 to 5 cups rich chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
Preparation
Dry Cornbread
- After baking and cooling cornbread, dice into ½" cubes.
- Spread cornbread cubes in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Leave to dry several days, or leave overnight in an oven at about 150°F.
Combine Breads
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Combine cornbread and white bread in a large bowl, tossing to mix, and breaking cornbread into smaller pieces.
Vegetables
- Melt butter in a large skillet.
- Add onions, celery and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Sauté until vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add vegetables to bread mixture and combine.
Final Steps
- Lightly beat eggs and add to bowl.
- Sprinkle in herbs
- Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper and toss together.
- Add 4 cups broth and stir well.
- Using your hands, work the mixture to get a very lumpy, thick, batter-like consistency.
- Add another cup of stock if needed.
- The mixture should be very wet and pourable but without standing liquid.
Bake
- Butter an 8-by-11-inch baking dish.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake until dressing puffs slightly and has browned well around the edges, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- If you have drippings from a roasted turkey, spoon some over the top about 30 minutes into the baking time.