Best Thanksgiving Dressing

Best Thanksgiving Dressing
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While some parts of the country call it stuffing even when it's not stuffed inside a Thanksgiving turkey, other Americans refer to bread and herbs baked in a bowl as dressing. No matter what you call it, here's the best way to make it.This recipe by Leah Eskin was originally published in the Chicago Tribune.
Prep Time
40
minutes
Cook Time
40
minutes
Servings
12
servings
Total time: 1.32 hours
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pound mild italian pork sausage (bulk or slipped out of casings)
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 pound white button mushrooms, halved or quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 pan (8-inches square) cornbread, broken up
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cup candied pecans
Directions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop sausage into a large bowl.
  2. Reduce heat under skillet to medium. Melt in 1 tablespoon butter. Tumble in celery and onions; cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Scrape into bowl with sausage.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil (use the same skillet or a separate one). Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms turn a lovely deep brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage, thyme, salt and pepper; cook, 30 seconds. Deglaze with sherry. Scrape into bowl.
  4. Sprinkle parsley into the bowl. Tumble in cornbread. Toss well. Drizzle in broth, stopping when cornbread is moist, but not mushy.
  5. Turn dressing into a buttered baking dish. Cover with foil. Slide into a 375-degree oven and bake until hot, 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until a little crisp on top, about 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in candied pecans.
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