George Duran’s Corn Muffin Stuffing
A couple of years ago, I traveled to Plimoth Plantation--home of the historic “first Thanksgiving”--to shoot a special for my show Ham on the Street. The episode revolved around my attempt to prepare a full Thanksgiving dinner using only methods available to the settlers and natives. And while I took great satisfaction in being able to put a tasty meal on the table that day--when it was over I was so wiped out I had to immediately jet off for a restorative spa week in the Caribbean.
Okay, slight exaggeration. I actually went home, took a three hour nap and then went out for some jerk chicken… but you get my meaning. Cooking Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is hard work--even with all of today’s newfangled fancy technology! That’s why, when I’m in charge of a holiday feast, I look for little ways to make this massive undertaking a little less stressful. And right at the top of my list is addressing any and all stuffing issues ahead of time. Because if there’s one thing you know about stuffing… it's that there’s never enough. So forget actually stuffing the turkey with it. I save that space for some fresh herbs, garlic and lemon, and make casserole-loads of my Corn Muffin Stuffing--the day before.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against the traditional bread stuffing. But there’s just something irresistible about the sweetness of those muffins mingling with some “sagey,” savory sausage that makes me feel all warm inside. And by picking up the muffins at your local supermarket or bakery, you’ll add an extra dash of stress relief to this recipe for holiday sanity.
Corn Muffin Stuffing
There are lots of ways to stuff a turkey, and I love just about all of them. But there’s something about the sweetness of the corn muffins that make this recipe one that I can turn to at any time of year.
2 hot Italian sausages
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch fresh sage, chopped
4 large corn muffins
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chicken stock, plus more if needed
Non-stick cooking spray
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the casings from the sausages. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage meat. Cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside to cool while you cook the vegetables. Wipe out any excess fat from the pan with paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Season with salt and pepper and add the sage. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit.
Crumble the corn muffins into a large bowl. Put in the cooled sausage and vegetables. Add the eggs and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Using your hands, mix well adding more stock if the stuffing is too dry. Spray a 2-quart oven-proof baking dish with cooking spray. Put the stuffing into the dish and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the top is browned and crispy.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 0
Ease of Preparation: Easy
© Meredith Corporation
