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Casserole dish of cubes of homemade cornbread sausage dressing, with pork sausage, onion, celery, and spices.
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5 / 3 votes

Homemade Cornbread Sausage Dressing

This homemade cornbread sausage dressing is southern style Thanksgiving in a dish. Homemade cornbread is tossed with pork sausage, onions, celery, chicken stock, and herbs and baked until crisp on the surface, soul-satisfyingly tender underneath. Thanksgiving comfort food.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time1 day
Course: Sides
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Calories: 524

Ingredients

For the cornbread

  • Butter, for the baking dish
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the baking dish
  • 2 2/3 cups milk, preferably whole
  • 1/2 cup mild olive or vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups fine cornmeal
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

For the cornbread sausage dressing

  • 1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
  • 2 small onions, chopped fine
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped fine
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade chicken stock
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the cornbread

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position. Butter and flour a 13-by-9-inch (33-by-23-cm) baking dish and tap out any excess flour.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and eggs.
  • In large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and bake on the lower-middle rack until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Cool the cornbread in the pan on a wire rack for 2 to 3 hours. (The cornbread can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
  • Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).

Make the cornbread sausage dressing

  • Cut the cornbread into 1-inch (2.5-cm) squares. Divide the cornbread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.
    If drying the cornbread overnight, leave the cornbread on the baking sheets, uncovered, at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
    If drying the cornbread in the oven, slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until dry, 50 to 60 minutes. Let the cornbread cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • In a 12-inch (30-cm) skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks, until no trace of pink remains, 7 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery, and 2 tablespoons butter to the fat in the skillet and cook until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, remove from the heat, and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, salt, and cayenne, if using. Slowly whisk in the warm broth mixture until incorporated. Gently fold in the cornbread and sausage. Let the mixture sit, stirring occasionally, until the cornbread is completely saturated, about 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position. Butter a 13-by-9‑inch (33-by-23-cm) baking dish.
  • Spoon the cornbread mixture into the prepared dish. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and drizzle it evenly over the cornbread.
  • Bake the dressing on the upper rack until the surface is golden brown and slightly crisp, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Make in advance--The cornbread can be made and dried up to 2 days in advance. The unbaked dressing can be made up to 1 day before serving. Store, covered, in the fridge until ready to bake.
  2. Halve the recipe--To make a half batch of this stuffing, halve the ingredients and bake the cornbread in an 8-inch square baking dish.
  3. Storage--Leftover cornbread can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 757mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g