Sage Cornbread Dressing for Thanksgiving

Steps

1. 1

   Mix the cornbread

   Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan with 1 tablespoon ghee. Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Separately whisk milk, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons melted ghee, then fold into the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not taste raw batter.

2. 2

   Bake and cool

   Spread batter in the pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the center reaches 160°F (71°C). Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

   ⏱ 20–25 min⏱ 15 min

3. 3

   Dry the cubes

   Lower the oven to 350°F. Spread cubes on a large sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes until the surfaces feel dry. While they bake, cook onion and celery in the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft.

   ⏱ 15 min⏱ 8–10 min

4. 4

   Combine the dressing

   Whisk broth, remaining egg, sage, onion powder, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Fold in cornbread cubes and cooked vegetables. Let stand 15 minutes to absorb the liquid, then transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

   ⏱ 15 min

5. 5

   Bake the casserole

   Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165°F. If the top darkens before the center heats, cover loosely with foil and continue cooking. Allow about 2 hours overall with vegetable cooking overlapping the bread drying.

   ⏱ 25 min⏱ 2 hr