Cornbread Stuffing with Country Sausage

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This sausage dressing contains buttery corn bread, hearty country sausage, and poblano chiles. It makes a great accompaniment to turkey and holiday roasts.

Corn Bread Stuffing with Country Sausage
Photo: © Lucy Schaeffer
Yield:
8 to 12

Ingredients

Country Cornbread

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Stuffing

  • 4 medium poblano chiles

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 small onions (finely chopped)

  • 2 medium celery ribs (finely chopped)

  • 2 medium carrots (finely chopped)

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic

  • 1 pound coarsely ground country sausage meat or breakfast sausage without casings

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano (crumbled)

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 cup turkey or chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth

Directions

Make the cornbread

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In another bowl, combine the eggs and buttermilk and add to the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and stir just until moistened.

  2. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the corn bread is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the stuffing

  1. Butter a large gratin dish or a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Break the Country Corn Bread into 1-inch pieces, spread the pieces on a baking sheet and let dry slightly, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

  2. Meanwhile, roast the poblanos over a gas flame or under the broiler, turning until charred all over. Transfer the poblanos to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel, core, and seed the poblanos and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.

  3. In a large deep skillet, melt the butter until foaming. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it up, and cook until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Stir in the oregano, salt, pepper, and poblanos and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the corn bread, then stir in the turkey stock. Spread the stuffing in the prepared gratin dish.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the stuffing with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until heated through. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden. Serve hot.

Make Ahead

The cornbread can be wrapped in plastic and frozen for 1 week or refrigerated for up to 2 days.

The stuffing can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let return to room temperature before baking.

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