America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 28, 2011

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

Ingredients

12 cups prepared cornbread cut into ¾-inch cubes (crumbs included)1 pound bacon, chopped2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 small onions, chopped fine3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels3 scallions, sliced thin3 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread cornbread evenly over two baking sheets. Bake until slightly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; cool. Using oven mitts, remove upper-middle rack from oven.
  2. Lightly brown bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes, and transfer to plate lined with paper towels. After pouring off residual fat in pot, melt butter, add onions and corn, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and bacon to pot and scrape bottom with wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add cornbread and gently stir until liquid is absorbed. Cover Dutch oven with lid and set aside 10 minutes. (Stuffing can be refrigerated overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
  3. Uncover Dutch oven and bake until top of stuffing is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve.
Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

12 cups prepared cornbread cut into ¾-inch cubes (crumbs included)
1 pound bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small onions, chopped fine
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 scallions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

12 cups prepared cornbread cut into ¾-inch cubes (crumbs included)
1 pound bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small onions, chopped fine
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 scallions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

12 cups prepared cornbread cut into ¾-inch cubes (crumbs included)
1 pound bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small onions, chopped fine
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 scallions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We designed our Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing recipe to be rich and flavorful enough to stand on its own, even without gravy. Cornbread gives the stuffing more flavor than plain white bread. Staling the bread slightly prevents a soggy stuffing. Bacon enriches the bread and replaces the missing turkey fat; while chicken broth compensates for the poultry flavor lost when cooking the Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing outside the bird.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread cornbread evenly over two baking sheets. Bake until slightly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; cool. Using oven mitts, remove upper-middle rack from oven.
  2. Lightly brown bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes, and transfer to plate lined with paper towels. After pouring off residual fat in pot, melt butter, add onions and corn, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and bacon to pot and scrape bottom with wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add cornbread and gently stir until liquid is absorbed. Cover Dutch oven with lid and set aside 10 minutes. (Stuffing can be refrigerated overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
  3. Uncover Dutch oven and bake until top of stuffing is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

Keep Exploring

This is a members' feature.