Cornbread Stuffing With Sausage And Pecans |
|
 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes |
Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 12 |
|
. Makes 12 cups Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil |
1 pound sweet italian sausage (or other sweet sausage of your choice), crumbled |
butter , as needed |
4 medium onions , chopped coarse |
4 stalks celery , chopped coarse |
1/2 cup bourbon |
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves |
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves |
1 1/4 pounds cornbread , cubed |
1 3/4 cups turkey stock or chicken stock or low sodium canned chicken broth |
2 eggs , beaten |
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves |
1 cup chopped pecans |
Directions:
1. Note: Trim the bread or not, as you prefer, before cutting it into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes in a single layer over several baking sheets and dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in a 225-degree oven for 25 to 40 minutes. The dry and wet elements of the recipe can be made separately up to 24 hours ahead of time, but do not combine them until the last minute.
2. 1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 12-inch skillet, fry sausage until meat loses its raw color, 5 to 7 minutes; remove with slotted spoon to small bowl. If necessary, add enough butter to rendered sausage fat to equal 3 tablespoons. Add onions and celery; sauté until softened, 14 to 15 minutes. Add bourbon, thyme, and sage; simmer until bourbon is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix with reserved sausage and remaining ingredients, including the salt and ground black pepper to taste, in large, microwave-safe bowl.
3. 2. Place half of mixed stuffing in buttered medium casserole dish, dot surface with butter, cover with buttered foil, and refrigerate until ready to use. Microwave remaining stuffing on full power, stirring two or three times, until very hot (120 to 130 degrees), 6 to 8 minutes (if you can handle stuffing with hands, it is not hot enough). Spoon 4 to 5 cups stuffing into turkey cavity until very loosely packed (see illustration 1 from related Stuffed Roast Turkey recipe). Secure skin flap over cavity opening with turkey lacers or skewers (see illustrations 3 and 4 from related Stuffed Roast Turkey recipe). Loosely tie the legs together with kitchen twine (see illustration 5 from related Stuffed Roast Turkey recipe). Tuck wings behind back, brush entire breast side with half the melted butter, then place turkey breast side down on V-rack. Fill neck cavity with remaining 1 to 2 cups heated stuffing and secure skin flap over opening as above. Roast following Stuffed Roast Turkey recipe.
4. 3. For remaining stuffing: When turkey comes out of oven, add the 1/4 cup stock to dish of reserved stuffing, replace foil, and bake until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove foil; continue to bake until stuffing forms golden brown crust, about 15 minutes longer. Remove stuffing from turkey and carve. Serve, passing stuffing separately.
|
|