Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon
This warm, crispy and fluffy Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon has the perfect combo of buttery sweet cornbread, crispy bacon, and savory herbs. The edges get golden and crisp, while the inside stays soft.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Makes: 10 - 12 servings
Ingredients
- 10 cups day-old cornbread*, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 strips bacon, diced
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½) sticks unsalted butter, diced plus more for greasing
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 2 3/4 cups turkey or chicken stock
- 2 large eggs
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Prep the cornbread. Preheat an oven to 325 F. Lay the cubed cornbread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven for 20 minutes, until the cornbread is dry. Cool completely. This step can be done up to 2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container.
- Set an oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
- Render the bacon. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered out. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a small bowl.
- Saute the veggies and herbs. Add the butter to the skillet with the bacon fat and increase the heat to medium. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the onion, celery, and herbs to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and celery are softened, then season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and turkey stock until very smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper.
- Assemble the stuffing. Add the cornbread to a large mixing bowl with the cranberries and bacon and gently toss with the onion/celery mixture and any butter/fat from the pan. Gradually pour the stock/egg mixture over the cornbread while tossing gently until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the cornbread mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Let the stuffing sit for 15 minutes.
- Bake. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more fresh herbs, as desired.
Notes
*I used just jiffy cornbread mix for this. You can also use store bought or homemade cornbread. You will need 2 8x8 pans of cornbread.
Nutrition
Calories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 383mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 428IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
