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Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 552 reviews

This Bacon Cornbread Stuffing is a savory and flavorful side dish perfect for holiday meals. Featuring crispy bacon, sautéed onions and celery, fresh herbs, and tender cornbread pieces moistened with turkey stock and butter, this recipe balances crispy edges with a moist interior. The stuffing is baked in two stages to achieve a golden, crispy top while maintaining a soft, comforting inside. Ideal for Thanksgiving or any special occasion dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Cornbread

  • One 9x13 inch pan of cornbread

Bacon and Vegetables

  • 12 slices thick-cut bacon (about 12 ounces)
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 4 stalks celery (including some leaves, about 2 1/2 cups), chopped

Seasonings and Herbs

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for sautéing vegetables)
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (for seasoning stock mixture)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper (for seasoning stock mixture)

Liquids and Fats

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped (for topping)
  • 2 1/2 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock), plus more if needed

Other

  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  1. Prepare and dry cornbread: Tear the cornbread into bite-sized chunks and spread them out on two large baking sheets. Allow the cornbread to sit uncovered overnight or for several hours to dry out, ideally in a turned-off oven.
  2. Bake cornbread chunks: Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake the cornbread pieces for about 10 minutes. Flip them if necessary and bake a little longer until dried out. Return to the turned-off oven to keep drying while preparing the rest.
  3. Chop bacon: Cut the bacon slices into 1-inch pieces for cooking.
  4. Cook bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy but still flexible to avoid over-crunchiness. Remove bacon, drain on paper towels, and keep bacon grease in the pan.
  5. Chop vegetables: Chop the onions and celery stalks including celery leaves for extra flavor, measuring about 2 1/2 cups total.
  6. Sauté vegetables: Heat the reserved bacon grease over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and celery, sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent and celery is soft. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Add herbs: Stir in fresh sage and thyme, sauté for another minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  8. Combine ingredients: Place the dried cornbread into a very large bowl.
  9. Preheat oven: Set oven temperature to 350°F.
  10. Add vegetable mixture and bacon: Scrape sautéed onions and celery into the bowl with cornbread, then add the cooked bacon.
  11. Deglaze pan: Return the empty skillet to medium heat and pour in apple cider vinegar. Scrape up browned bits, cook until nearly evaporated for flavor.
  12. Add butter to pan: Melt 1/2 cup butter in pan and pour it over the cornbread mixture, scraping to get all the flavorful bits.
  13. Prepare stock mixture: In a glass measuring cup, whisk together turkey stock and eggs. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  14. Moisten stuffing: Slowly pour the stock mixture over the stuffing in the bowl, gently stirring to combine without breaking the cornbread apart. Add more stock if needed to properly hydrate.
  15. Transfer to baking dish: Grease a 9×13 inch pan and spread the stuffing evenly into it.
  16. Add butter topping: Scatter the chopped cold butter evenly on top of the stuffing.
  17. Cover and bake: Spray foil with nonstick spray and tightly cover the pan. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until heated through.
  18. Crisp the top: Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 450°F, and bake an additional 20 minutes until the top and edges are crispy and golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
  19. Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm alongside turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.

Notes

  • Drying the cornbread overnight or several hours helps achieve the ideal texture for stuffing.
  • Leave the bacon crispy but still flexible to avoid overly crunchy texture once baked with the stuffing.
  • Use celery leaves for an enhanced herby flavor in the stuffing mix.
  • The apple cider vinegar deglazing adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor.
  • Gently stir the stuffing mixture to keep cornbread pieces intact for the best texture.
  • Adjust the amount of stock to ensure the stuffing is moist but not soggy.
  • Baking covered and then uncovered creates a moist interior with a crisp top layer.
  • This recipe can be made with chicken stock if turkey stock is unavailable.

Keywords: Bacon Cornbread Stuffing, Thanksgiving Stuffing, Holiday Side Dish, Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon, Savory Stuffing Recipe

Find it online: https://reemcook.com/bacon-cornbread-stuffing-recipe/