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Golden cornbread cubes mingled with a profusion of summer herbs, sweet Vidalia onion, and tender celery, baked until the top crackles and the center stays custard-soft. This is stuffing that belongs at a July potluck as much as a November table.
The South never agreed that stuffing belongs only to Thanksgiving. Any church supper, funeral reception, or summer reunion worth attending has a casserole dish of cornbread dressing somewhere on that buffet table. This version celebrates what your garden offers in high summer: basil still warm from the sun, thyme that hasn't yet turned woody, sage leaves as soft as velvet, and chives snipped minutes before they hit the bowl.
The technique remains unchanged from what generations of Southern cooks have known. You bake your cornbread a day or two ahead, crumble it by hand, and let it dry until the edges turn almost stale. This isn't laziness. It's engineering. Dried cornbread absorbs the herb-flecked broth without turning to mush, giving you that perfect contrast between crackling top and tender interior.
I've made this for potlucks from Virginia to Texas, and it disappears before the fried chicken every time. The secret is restraint with the liquid and generosity with the herbs. Too many recipes drown their cornbread in broth until it becomes porridge. Yours should hold its shape when scooped, with just enough moisture to stay honest and satisfying. This is food that travels well, reheats beautifully, and reminds everyone at the table why Southern cooking conquered the American heart.
Quantity
1 batch (9x13 pan)
crumbled, approximately 10 cups
Quantity
6 tablespoons
divided
Quantity
1 large (2 cups)
diced
Quantity
4 ribs (1 1/2 cups)
diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
1/2 cup
torn
Quantity
1/4 cup
chopped
Quantity
2 tablespoons
minced
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
2 tablespoons
snipped
Quantity
2 1/2 cups
warm
Quantity
2
beaten
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| day-old cornbreadcrumbled, approximately 10 cups | 1 batch (9x13 pan) |
| unsalted butterdivided | 6 tablespoons |
| sweet onion (Vidalia preferred)diced | 1 large (2 cups) |
| celerydiced | 4 ribs (1 1/2 cups) |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| fresh basil leavestorn | 1/2 cup |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped | 1/4 cup |
| fresh sage leavesminced | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh thyme leaves | 1 tablespoon |
| fresh chivessnipped | 2 tablespoons |
| low-sodium chicken brothwarm | 2 1/2 cups |
| large eggsbeaten | 2 |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon |
Spread your crumbled cornbread across two sheet pans in an even layer. Let it sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The pieces should feel dry at the edges and slightly firm throughout. If you're pressed for time, dry the crumbles in a 250°F oven for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Properly dried cornbread is the foundation of stuffing that holds its texture rather than collapsing into mush.
Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 375°F. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 3-quart casserole. Transfer your dried cornbread to your largest mixing bowl.
Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the celery softens, about 8 minutes. The mixture should smell sweet and gentle, not browned. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Remove from heat immediately.
Pour the warm vegetable mixture over the cornbread, scraping every drop of butter from the skillet. Add the basil, parsley, sage, thyme, and chives. Toss gently with your hands or two large spoons, distributing the herbs throughout. The cornbread should be flecked with green from edge to edge. Season with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Toss again.
Whisk the beaten eggs into the warm broth. Pour this mixture over the cornbread in three additions, folding gently after each pour. The cornbread should be evenly moistened but not swimming. You want it to hold together when pressed lightly in your palm, then crumble when released. If it feels too dry, add broth one tablespoon at a time. If too wet, let it sit five minutes to absorb.
Spread the mixture into your prepared baking dish, pressing gently to create an even surface without compacting it. The stuffing should mound slightly above the rim. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top turns deeply golden and the edges pull away from the sides of the dish. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean, with no raw egg visible.
Let the stuffing rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the interior to set fully and makes scooping much easier. The top should crackle when you break through it with a spoon, revealing a tender, herb-studded interior beneath. Serve warm or at room temperature. For a potluck, transport in the baking dish covered with foil. It holds beautifully for two hours.
1 serving (about 170g)
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