Bacon Sage Cornbread Stuffing
By Marge Perry and David Bonom. Make the stuffing one to two days ahead of time. Bring it to room temperature, and once the turkey comes out of the oven, put the stuffing in the oven: it will cook in the amount of time it takes for the turkey to rest and get carved.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 8.5 ounce boxes corn muffin mix
- 7 slices hickory-smoked bacon, thick
- 2 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cup carrots, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 medium carrots)
- 2 cup celery, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 stalks)
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup Madeira
- 1 15 ounce can chicken broth, lower sodium
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat a 9in x 13in baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine the eggs and milk; stir in the cornbread mixture until it is well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool. Crumble the cornbread into 1-inch and smaller pieces and place on a baking sheet pan; toast in a 400F oven for 10 minutes until lightly crisped. May be made 3-5 days before making the rest of the stuffing.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet. Transfer the meat to a plate lined with paper towel and let cool before crumbling.
- Add the onions to the skillet; cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the carrots, celery, sage, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are very soft, 13-15 minutes. Add the Madeira and cook, stirring until the liquid is evaporated, about 2-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the bacon and cornbread.
Transfer to a 9in x 13in baking dish coated with cooking spray. May be kept, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Just before serving, pour the broth evenly over the stuffing. Bake in a 325-350F oven for 15-20 minutes, until the broth is absorbed and the stuffing heated through.