Sausage, Apple and Cornbread Stuffing
A favorite, this recipe for sausage and apple stuffing is one that I've been using for decades and referred to as "the people pleaser" with savory breakfast sausage, sweet apples, pecans and a mix of cornbread and packaged seasoned stuffing mix for convenience!
Equipment
- large skillet
- large bowl
- 9" x 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound country pork breakfast sausage
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 cup diced celery plus 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
- 1 large Honeycrisp or Fuji apple peeled and diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 cups herb flavored cubed stuffing
- 3 cups stale cornbread*
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup turkey drippings turkey stock or chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat over 350°F. Prepare a 9” x 13” baking dish by coating it with butter or cooking spray
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage breaking up with a meat chopper or back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined bowl to drain. Pour off remaining fat in skillet.
- To the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 4 minutes. Add the diced apple and continue cooking, about 5 more minutes until softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the reserved sausage, bread cubes, cornbread, pecans, herbs and celery leaves stirring to combine.
- In small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together turkey drippings/stock, applesauce and egg. Pour it over the bread and sausage mixture, stirring to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish
- Cover and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
Notes
* I used a 9" x 9" pan of cornbread prepared from a mix. Or use prepared cornbread. You can also use packaged cornbread stuffing mix.