***
To get the 4 tablespoons bacon fat called for in this Southern-style dressing, cut five slices of bacon into ½-inch pieces and cook until crisp. Reserve the bacon for another use.
Cornbread-Pecan Dressing
For the cornbread:
2 cups white cornmeal
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
For the dressing:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons bacon fat
3 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 to 5 stalks celery with fine leaves, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
3 cups pecan halves, toasted
1 cup chicken stock, or more, as needed
4 eggs, slightly beaten
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
To make the cornbread, heat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Whisk in the buttermilk and eggs. Set aside.
Place the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Place the skillet or pan in the oven until the butter melts and bubbles. Remove the pan from oven, swirl the butter to coat, then pour it into the batter.
Mix the melted butter into the batter, then transfer the batter to the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden-brown and crusty. Remove from the oven, turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Tear the cooled cornbread into large (1½-inch) pieces, and allow to sit, uncovered, overnight to dry out. Alternately, you can put the cornbread pieces on a baking sheet in a warm oven for 30 minutes to dry out.
To make the dressing, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil or butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch casserole dish.
In a heavy skillet over medium, heat 4 tablespoons butter and the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and shallots, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sage, then cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the cornbread pieces with the toasted pecans, halves and the cooked vegetables.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, then whisk it together with the broth and eggs. Pour this mixture over the dressing, and toss well to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until golden-brown, about another 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes 14 servings.
Start to finish: 2½ hours (45 minutes active)
Recipe from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock's "The Gift of Southern Cooking"
***
In California, you might find a stuffing like this one, featuring local sourdough bread and sunny Mediterranean flavors. Double the recipe for birds above 16 pounds.
Sourdough Bread Stuffing with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 pound crusty sourdough or other country-style bread, cut into ½-inch cubes and dried overnight (about 5 cups)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup dry vermouth or white wine
2 large eggs, beaten
½ to 1 cup turkey or chicken broth, as needed
Salt, to taste
In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, then cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables and any liquid in the skillet to a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, basil, Parmesan cheese and pepper flakes. Gradually stir in the wine, eggs and ½ cup broth. Season with salt.
The stuffing can be added to a turkey and roasted, or placed in a buttered baking dish, drizzled with an additional ½ cup broth, then covered and baked until heated through.
Makes 8 cups.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Recipe from Rick Rodgers' "50 Best Stuffings and Dressings"
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This classic stuffing recipe calls for a standard bag of seasoned stuffing cubes. But if you'd rather start from scratch, cut 1 pound white sandwich bread into ½-inch cubes. Leave the cubes out, uncovered, overnight to dry, then use as directed.
Basic Bread Stuffing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped
15-ounce bag cubed seasoned stuffing
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2½ to 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
In a large skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery, then saute until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables and butter to a large bowl. Add the stuffing and parsley. Stir in enough of the broth to moisten the stuffing, about 2½ cups. Season with the poultry seasoning and mix well.
The stuffing can be added to a turkey and roasted, or placed in a buttered baking dish, drizzled with an additional ½ cup broth, then covered and baked until heated through.
Makes 10 cups.
Start to finish: 20 minutes (not counting roasting time)
Recipe from Rick Rodgers' "Thanksgiving 101"



