KG’s Cornbread Stuffing
November’s Only
Cook’s note: This is the most decadent stuffing there ever was. It is in fact the very definition of stuffing. My kids will eat no other stuffing and are painfully aware that it’s a once-a-year indulgence, that once it’s gone, it’s gone, and that there will be some extra cardio in the days that follow. The recipe is long but easy. The results are delicious, addictive, and unforgiving. Eat at your own risk.
INGREDIENTS
4 boxes of Jiffy Cornbread mix (no shame in my game!)
4 large eggs
1-2/3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup of cake flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
16 oz Jones or Jimmy Dean pork sausage
2 medium green bell peppers (1-1/2 cups chopped)
2 medium red bell peppers (1-1/2 cups chopped)
2 medium sweet onions (1-1/2 cups chopped)
2 tsp red pepper flakes or Aleppo
1 tbsp of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups organic chicken broth
1 heaping cup of ❤️
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Butter a large baking dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 4 boxes of Jiffy, 4 eggs, 1-1/2 cups of whole milk, and 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Do not over-mix. The batter should be thick. Mix in the cake flour. The batter may be slightly lumpy. It should be spoonable, not pourable. If it’s too thick, add a little more whole milk.
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean — about 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a baking rack.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Spray a 10 x 13 baking dish with avocado oil. Set aside.
Crumble the sausage and cook in a medium frying pan until cooked through. Drain the oil into a liquid measuring cup and reserve. Spoon the sausage into a medium bowl and set aside.
Sauté the onions and peppers in the reserved sausage oil and the tbsp of EVOO until soft.
Add the sautéed onions and peppers to the bowl with the sausage. Add 2 tsp of red pepper flakes or Aleppo, and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Cut the cooled cornbread into manageable squares. In a large bowl, crumble the cornbread until it resembles sand. Add the sausage, onions, peppers, and 1 cup of chicken broth. Mix until combined and moist, not wet. You can add more chicken broth to achieve this consistency. Spoon the mixture into the avocado oil prepared 10 x 13 baking dish and even it out on top. Pour the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth over the top. Cover with aluminum foil or the lid of your baking dish if it has one, and set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the broth to absorb. You could do this and refrigerate overnight. Just bring the dish to room temperature before baking.
Bake covered in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400, uncover, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until sides are crisp.
Serve warm (with or without turkey gravy).