Cornbread Dressing

The great stuffing versus dressing debate is a familiar one each year, but I believe the consensus is, if it goes in the bird it's stuffing and if it's on the side, it's dressing. Or, if you're from the north it's stuffing and if you're from the south it's dressing. I make it on the side and I'm from the south, so I call it dressing, but I'd probably call it dressing no matter what, because it sounds weird to me to eat bird stuffing.


I watched the Pioneer Woman v. Bobby Flay on throwdown last week, and Rhee made a dressing with a combination of cornbread and french bread. We have always done cornbread dressing and I'm not going to stray from that this year. I didn't use any celery because I just wasn't feeling it, but I did add some apple this year, which is a new addition.

I also like my cornbread dressing moist, not too dry and crumbly, so I go heavy on the broth, but it's definitely a personal preference, usually going back to what you grew up with.

My mom has always added sausage to the dressing as well, so I did a half meat half no-meat version. I like the sausage, my sister doesn't, so I know everyone will find one side they like to pile on top of their turkey and cranberry sauce.

Start by making 2 batches of a basic cornbread.


Basic Buttermilk Cornbread
4 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature (3/4 bm + ½ milk)

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add this mixture to cornmeal mixture, and stir until well combined.
Pour batter into greased 8x8 pan and bake at 425 until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before removing from pan for crumbling.

Cornbread Dressing
2 batches cornbread
1 pound pork sausage
2 onions, chopped
1 apples cored and chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
2-3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (can omit)
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Once cornbread has cooled, cut the cornbread into cubes and crumble into large pieces in a large mixing bowl.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a large skillet with spray oil and cook sausage until brown and crumbly, remove from the skillet but keep the oil in the pan.


Add onions, apples and celery; cook stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes.



If using fresh herbs, take a minute to really smell them. How wonderul are they?! I put the extra rosemary in a glass of cold water to keep them hydrated and fresh and to add a nice aroma to my living room.


Roughly chop the herbs into small pieces for mixing into the cornbread crumbles.


Toss the onion mixture into the bowl with the crumbled cornbread, and add the sausage to half when putting in your big 9x13 baking dish. Mix in the herbs and salt and pepper. It was easiest to mix everything together by getting down and dirty with my hands. Don't be afraid.


Now pour your broth all over the cornbread mixture until moist all the way through. It took me about 3 cups.


You should end up with a half sausage half vegetarian cornbread dressing mush, not too soggy, not to dry, and definitely not soupy.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and crunchy.



This can easily be made ahead of time. Just pour the broth over it when you're ready to bake and stick it in the oven. Easy as pie! I mean easy as dressing?