Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

1. Preheat oven; cook sausage:

   Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage (and giblets, if using) over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add onion, celery, and water:

   To pan, add onion, celery, and 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to medium; cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add to sausage.

3. Mix cornbread, sage, and eggs:

   Add cornbread, sage, and eggs to sausage and vegetables.

4. Bring broth to a simmer, pour 1/2 cup over stuffing and mix:

   Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan; pour 1/2 cup over stuffing, and toss gently (cornbread will break down into smaller pieces). If needed, add up to 1/2 cup more broth, until stuffing feels moist, but not wet.

5. Transfer stuffing to baking dish:

   Spoon stuffing into a 9- x 13-inch baking pan; it should reach the top. Bake until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

How to Make Cronbread Stuffing In Advance

If you'd like to make this stuffing in advance, simply cook the sausage and vegetables, toss it with the cornbread, and chill the mixture in the refrigerator in a covered container. Add the wet ingredients just before cooking the stuffing; the USDA recommends only mixing dry and wet ingredients when you’re ready to cook.

4 Tasty Variations

Make It Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Omit the sausage or use your favorite plant-based sausage.

Use a Flavored Cornbread: Add even more flavor by making this stuffing with cheddar cornbread or whole-grain skillet cornbread.

Add Herbs: Other sturdy herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano, will work beautifully in this recipe. Add them along with the cornbread, eggs, and sage.

Incorporate Giblets: Some cooks use diced giblets (heart, gizzard, and liver) in addition to the pork sausage. That will give this cornbread stuffing an extra meaty taste.

How to Store and Reheat Stuffing

Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As with all cooked foods, it should be eaten within three to four days.

Reheating

Reheat leftover stuffing in the microwave for two to three minutes, mixing it at equal intervals to ensure it's heated evenly. You can also heat the stuffing in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes. To ensure the stuffing doesn't dry out, add some broth and butter before heating.

More Stuffing Recipes to Try:

• Chestnut Stuffing
• Sourdough Stuffing With Apples, Acorn Squash, and Hazelnuts
• Basic Bread Stuffing
• Cranberry and Sage Stuffing
• Spicy Wild Rice Stuffing