Cornbread and Oyster Dressing (Stuffing)

Cornbread and Oyster Dressing (Stuffing)

from deepsouthdish.com
Side Dish, Dressing, Stuffing
65 min

While oyster dressing may not be a traditional holiday dressing across the south, here along the Deep South of the Gulf Coast, where the oysters are salty-sweet, it absolutely is a star.

Ingredients

  • 1 cupbutter
  • 1 mediumonion, chopped
  • 3ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 tablespoonchopped green bell pepper
  • 6 cupscooked, crumbled cornbread
  • 6 cupsdry, toasted bread, crumbled (toasted white bread, leftover biscuits, or rolls)
  • 1 teaspoonsalt
  • ½ teaspooncreole or cajun seasoning, or to taste, optional
  • ¼ teaspoonfreshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoonsage or bell's seasoning, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoonpoultry seasoning
  • 4 cupsturkey or chicken stock
  • 5eggs, beaten (or 3 raw, 2 boiled and chopped)
  • 1quart oysters, liquid reserved

Directions

  1. 1

    Toast the bread in a toaster or in the oven. Remove and set aside to cool.

  2. 2

    Make a pan of cornbread, remove and set aside uncovered to cool completely. You want the breads to be very dry. This can be done in advance.

  3. 3

    When ready to bake dressing, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan or spray with non-stick spray.

  4. 4

    Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, celery and bell pepper.

  5. 5

    Add the salt, Creole or Cajun seasoning, pepper, sage or Bell's seasoning and poultry seasoning. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

  6. 6

    Crumble the cornbread into a large bowl. Add the bread and toss.

  7. 7

    Add the sauteed veggies, scraping out all of the butter; stir.

  8. 8

    Pour in 2 cups of the broth and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

  9. 9

    Add the beaten eggs; stir.

  10. 10

    Using a pair of kitchen shears, roughly chop the oysters. Add the oysters, with their juices, to the cornbread mixture. This is where you fix the consistency.

  11. 11

    If you want a fluffy stuffing, you'll use less stock. If you prefer a wetter stuffing, add additional broth as needed to reach desired consistency, taking care not to get too soupy!

  12. 12

    Lightly spoon into the prepared casserole dish, but do not pack in.

  13. 13

    Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. For a moister stuffing, baked covered. For a drier stuffing with a crunchy top, bake uncovered.