Swine & Sea — Andouille Cornbread Dressing — French Creole Recipe

Andouille Cornbread Dressing

Thanksgiving dressing is the one side that I absolutely love. The diversity of dressings/stuffings out there is what really intrigues me. No two are the same. Some households take pride in theirs and others it’s an absolute afterthought. I’ve been making variations of cornbread dressing for years. Though this simple one has always hit all of the notes for me including the smokiness from the andouille. Don’t be intimidated on making cornbread, it’s the easier part of things.

Cooked with
If you want this to taste like the version I’m writing about, start here. This is the backbone.
View Andouille Sausage
Andouille Sausage

Recipe

Cornbread

  • 4 oz.

    thick-cut bacon

  • 2 cups

    coarse yellow cornmeal

  • ¾

    baking soda

  • 1 ½ tsp.

    Kosher salt

  • 2

    large eggs

  • 1 ½ cups

    buttermilk
Dressing

  • 6 Tbsp.

    unsalted butter , divided

  • 2

    medium yellow onions , diced

  • 3

    celery stalks , diced

  • 2

    apples , cored and diced

  • 1 lb.

    andouille sausage , sliced in 1/2" thick rounds

  • ½ cup

    apple cider

  • 1 cup

    fresh cranberries

  • 1 Tbsp.

    fresh sage , rough chopped

  • 1 Tbsp.

    fresh rosemary , rough chopped

  • 1

    large egg , beaten

  • 1 cup

    chicken stock
Cornbread
    Step 1

  • Finely dice the bacon in basically bacon bit size pieces. This can handled easily by running the bacon through a meat grinder.

    • Step 2

  • Cook the bacon until crispy in a 10 inch cast iron skillet or medium to high heat. Remove the cooked bacon bits onto paper towels and reserve the bacon grease for later in this recipe.

    • Step 3

  • Preheat an oven to 425°

    • Step 4

  • Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet into the oven and heat until it's very hot, around 10 minutes.

    • Step 5

  • In the meantime, combine the cornmeal, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

    • Step 6

  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and 4 Tbsp. of the reserved bacon grease. Keep 1 Tbsp of the bacon grease for later in this recipe.

    • Step 7

  • Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, making sure it was been combined but not overworked.

    • Step 8

  • Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven. Pour the remaining 1 Tbsp. of bacon grease into the skillet and swirl to coast. Pour the mixture into the skillet, it should sizzle.

    • Step 9

  • Place the skillet back into the oven and back until golden brown, approximately 20 - 25 minutes.

    • Step 10

  • Allow to cool, until removing the cornbread from the cast-iron skillet.

Dressing
    Step 1

  • Cut the cornbread into cut in 1½ inch cubes.

    • Step 2

  • Leave the cubes out overnight to dry or place on a baking sheet and cook in a 300° oven for 10 minutes.

    • Step 3

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.

    • Step 4

  • Butter a 9X13-inch baking dish.

    • Step 5

  • Melt 4 Tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

    • Step 6

  • Add the onions, celery and apples and sauté until softened, approximately 7- 9 minutes.

    • Step 7

  • Add the sausage and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until cooked and browned.

    • Step 8

  • Add the cider, cranberries, rosemary, and sage and cook until the cranberries soften, approximately 5 minutes, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

    • Step 9

  • Place mixture in a large bowl and add the cubed cornbread, egg, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper, and enough chicken stock just to moisten the mixture.

    • Step 10

  • Stir well. Pour dress into prepared dish. Dot the top of the dressing with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter

    • Step 11

  • Bake until dressing top is golden brown and is heated through, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.