This recipe takes many forms. It is a classic in Brad’s family but this is my twist on the classic. Making the cornbread with stone ground corn meal makes it that much heartier and tastier. But if you can’t locate stone ground easily, just use a medium ground or whatever you have. Stuffing is not the place to fret details, it is the place to experiment! Even though the oyster flavor is hard to find in this recipe, feel free to sub in your favorite sausage if oysters aren’t your thing.

This recipe takes a few steps. First thing is to make the cornbread at least a full day ahead of when you want to eat your stuffing. This will give you plenty of time to dry it out and get the crumbs nice and toasted. After the cornbread bakes and cools, you will crumble it all and leave it to sit out over night. You can also toast the crumbs at 275 for about 15 minutes if you want that toasted flavor and to speed up the drying-out process. When the crumbs are dry, put the stuffing together and bake. Top with gravy or dressing if desired!

Cornbread – Using 1 batch of this recipe will make a wetter more dense stuffing, make 2 batches of cornbread if you prefer stuffing more crumbly and drier. I baked these loaves in my huge 12″cast iron pan. If you don’t have a pan quite that big, make them in several batches in whatever favorite baking dishes you have (round or square).

Cornbread Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 4 T. butter
• 3 c. stone ground cornmeal
• 1 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 2 t. salt
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Heat the cast iron pan over medium heat until very warm, about 2 minutes. Add butter to melt then turn off the heat. If you are not using cast iron, warm the pan in the oven for a few minutes to let the butter melt. Don’t let the butter burn regardless of which method you use.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients separately then stir into the dry ingredients. Mix well, if the mixture is dry add another tablespoon or two of milk.
4. Pour batter into warm pan, smooth out then place into oven. Bake for 30 minutes until top is lightly browned and sides have pulled away from the pan. A toothpick or knife should also come out clean when testing the center.

Stuffing Ingredients:

• 1-2 batches of cornbread recipe (above)
• 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 c finely chopped celery
• 1 c peeled, finely chopped celery root (or sub carrots if you prefer)
• 3/4 c minced red onion
• 2 T fresh thyme leaves
• 1 t fresh oregano leaves
• 1 T celery seeds
• 1 1/2 c vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 jar fresh oysters finely chopped with liquid reserved (or use a can or get crazy and shuck 12 fresh oysters)
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 c finely chopped parsley

1. Crumble the loaves of cornbread then set out on a baking sheet overnight to dry out. A nice touch is to toast the crumbs at 275 for 15 minutes before leaving them out overnight.
2. When you are ready to put the stuffing together, heat oven to 350 and lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
3. Melt 2 sticks of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add celery, celery root, and onion, season with salt & pepper then cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and celery seed, and cook, stirring gently, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper, transfer to a large bowl, and mix in toasted cornbread crumbs.
5. Return pan to high heat, pour in broth, and bring to a boil. Drizzle hot broth over cornbread mixture and stir until liquid is completely incorporated. Fold in oysters and their liquid, beaten eggs, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon stuffing into the baking dish, dot with small pieces of remaining 1/2 stick butter, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden brown on top, about another 10 minutes.

Note: I did not serve the stuffing in the dish it baked in, but rather broke it up a bit and put some in a serving dish. Therefore your dish may not look as crumbly.