CORNBREAD STUFFING
from Cook's Illustrated Online

Dry the cornbread, add a bit of half-and-half, and let the bread
soak for at least an hour to create the best flavor and texture in
this traditional cornbread stuffing. We've included a recipe for our
own cornbread.

Makes about 12 cups, serving 10 to 12

In this recipe, the stuffing is baked outside of the turkey in a
baking dish. If you want to stuff your turkey with it, prepare the
stuffing through step 2, then follow the directions from the Roast
Skin Stuffed Turkey Recipe for microwaving the stuffing. To make the
stuffing a day in advance, increase both the chicken stock and
half-and-half by 1/4 cup each and refrigerate the unbaked stuffing
12 to 24 hours; before transferring it to the baking dish, let the
stuffing stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so that it
loses its chill.

12 cups cornbread broken into 1-inch pieces
(include crumbs), spread in even layer on 2 baking sheets, and dried
in 250-degree oven 50 to 60 minutes

3 cups chicken stock or canned
low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups half-and-half

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for baking dish

11/2 pounds bulk pork sausage, broken into 1-inch pieces

3 medium onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)

3 ribs celery, chopped fine (about 11/2 cups)

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1. Place cornbread in large bowl. Whisk together stock,
half-and-half, and eggs in medium bowl; pour over cornbread and toss
very gently to coat so that cornbread does not break into smaller
pieces. Set aside.

2. Heat heavy-bottomed, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until
hot, about 11/2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter to pan and swirl
to coat pan bottom. When foam subsides, add sausage and cook,
stirring occasionally, until sausage loses its raw color, 5 to 7
minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to medium bowl. Add
about half the onions and celery to fat in skillet; sauté, stirring
occasionally, over medium-high until softened, about 5 minutes.
Transfer onion mixture to bowl with sausage. Return skillet to heat
and add remaining 6 tablespoons butter; when foam subsides, add
remaining celery and onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until
softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage, and garlic; cook
until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add salt and pepper. Add this
mixture along with sausage and onion mixture to cornbread and stir
gently to combine so that cornbread does not break into smaller
pieces. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend
flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400
degrees. Butter 10 by 15-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch square or
11 by 7-inch baking dishes). Transfer stuffing to baking dish; pour
any liquid accumulated in bottom of bowl over stuffing and, if
necessary, gently press stuffing with rubber spatula to fit into
baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Golden Cornbread
Makes About 16 cups crumbled cornbread

If you are using this cornbread for your stuffing, you will use
about three-quarters of the recipe—the rest is for nibbling.

4 large eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

11/3 cups milk

2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
baking dish

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease 9 by 13-inch baking dish with butter.

2. Beat eggs in medium bowl; whisk in buttermilk and milk.

3. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and
salt together in large bowl. Push dry ingredients up sides of bowl
to make a well, then pour egg and milk mixture into well and stir
with whisk until just combined; stir in butter.

4. Pour batter into greased baking dish. Bake until top is golden
brown and edges have pulled away from sides of pan, 30 to 40
minutes.

5. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and cool to room temperature
before using, about 1 hour.