When I was a little girl, we would spend Thanksgiving at my Memere and Pepere’s house. I remember my Memere drinking scotch and waters, my Great Memere eating the (repulsive) turkey neck, and, even at young age, steaming at the injustice of cleaning up with the women in the family while the men sat around and watched football.
The food was copious. Turkey, of course, was on the table, along with all the traditional fixings. I would dive in, eating everything on the table, even the scary, gelatinous greyish hued “meat stuffing” my grandparents insisted on serving. I know it is staggeringly wrong and another reason I should be judged harshly as a “foodie”, but to me, cranberry sauce should come from a can…that is just my personal truth and one I accepted at a young age. After the age of 9, I insisted on making my own contribution to the table; a blueberry pie made from premade crust and a can of Comstock canned fruit. It was always a soggy mess, but my family were charitable and humored me by eating it with enthusiasm every year.
Luckily, my one steadfast contribution to the Thanksgiving table has improved greatly. I have been making this cornbread stuffing for five years? Six years? I don’t know; it had been a tradition for a long time. As a loud and proud daughter of New England, I know it is a touch bizarre that cornbread stuffing is my go-to Thanksgiving dish, but God DAMN is this freaking delicious. It is insanely simple, so every single flavor shines; the lemony sage, the sweet caramelized onions and the homey cornbread. I have made this using premade corn muffins (perfect if you are short on time), cornbread from scratch, and loaves of cornbread at the bakery. This is a really easy recipe to double or triple without any trouble. I eyeball everything every year and it always turns out perfectly. Plus, the simplicity of this recipe saves you a ton of hassle and money; you are not buying a zillion ingredients for one dish.
Raise your glass to a damn fine tradition.
Photo taken last year...Sometimes, I am smart.
Cornbread Stuffing with Caramelized Onions
From Tyler Florence
3 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, chopped
6 large cornbread muffins (or a batch of cornbread), cubed
Handful sage leaves, chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock/broth
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Scrape into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and the sage, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good toss until it’s well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together, spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes.
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You would’ve liked my holidays. My mother insisted that anyone, regardless of gender, who did not help prepare the meal had to help clean up. I learned to get in there and peel some potatoes or something so that I could sit on my ass post gorging.
This is much fairer rule. Seriously, what is this? 1950? God , it would piss me off.
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It’s definitely not 1950’s, because we have the DirecTV package for football. As a result, it becomes more critical the womenfolk cleanup–can’t miss a minute of HD football goodness. And if it’s not too much trouble, bring some beers into the living room too.
Thanks, toots!
In other news, the recipe looks quite good. How sweet does it come out? Store-bought cornbread muffins (and Trader Joes cornbread mix, aka the best goddamn mix ever) always taste sweet to me, and I’m usually more of a savory stuffing person.
It actually depends on the cornbread you use. I tend to use cornbread I know is a touch sweet; I like to contrast with the salt and the onions. If you make the cornbread from scratch, I recommend just cutting down on the sugar if you prefer it savory.
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mmm. maybe ill bust this out in new england this year. sounds really good!
And simple, so simple!
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Oh i’m so doing this this year. Last year my sister took boxed stuffing and added fresh veggies, onions, etc. to make it “home made”, it actually turned out pretty well… but this is so much better!
Thanks. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
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I too love cranberry sauce out of a can. Much like Heilman’s Mayo and Heinz Ketchup, it’s just the way it is frozen in my memory and no amount of gourmeting it up will change that.
Embrace who you are, I say.
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I have always been partial to bread stuffing, but I can imagine that with my daughter home we are going to do something different this year. Maybe corn bread…
I do love making homemade cranberry relish. I couldn’t stomach cranberries out of a can.
The cranberries out of a can are just ingrained I think.
Try the cornbread! I promise she will like it.
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This is good old fashioned midwestern stuffing, although if possible my dad would always make a turkey stock instead of chicken broth. I still love this more than any stuffing I’ve had on the east coast. Keep your chestnuts and italian sausage, give me the buttery bready goodness.
I know…and I know people love oyster dressing, but SO not my thing.
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I second Thoughts- the rule in my house has always been “Those who don’t cook, clean.” Although usually my Gramma just ends up doing everything before anyone else can lift a finger. Cause she’s Gramma.
Grandmas are like that for sure…I don’t mind the cleaning per se, just the precedent.
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Yum.
Shhhh! I’m going to pass this off as my own. I’ll buy you a beer for keeping mum, okay?
Yes, that is a perfect deal.
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Turkey neck? Dude (or do you prefer dudette?) that would give me nightmares.
Dude is cool. It DID give me nightmares. it was cooked in foil and when she would open the packet this smell would emerge.
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That’s like the trifecta of good things: cornbread, carmelized onions and Thanksgiving dinner. Mmmmm…
You can’t really go wrong here. I am so excited for Thanksgiving…
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Awww, you inspired Mr. Peep to weigh in. I never had homemade cornbread stuffing until last T-day when the inlaws were in town and Jon’s dad made the stuffing. Surely you remember the butter shortage on the East Coast shortly after Thanksgiving last year?
It was our great national nightmare. Mayham and panic on the streets!
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I just thew up in my mouth. Okay, not really. But still…
I said it was gross!
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I love the neck… it’s the best part of the turkey!!!
Oh, and women should always clean up for the men during Thanksgiving. You guys cleaning while we watch football is evened out by all the times we stand/sit around holding your purse while you shop.
Really?
For the record, I have never, in my life, asked a man to hold my purse. EVER.
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You are the exception to the rule…. so I won’t make you clean up after me for Thanksgiving then
Hell, if you cook some thanksgiving food for me, I’ll even help you clean up! haha
Good man–I like a mean who can be reasoned with.
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In a traditional Latin household, the men don’t clean up after any meal much less thanksgiving dinner.
That’s nice. I’m not Latin.
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I’m not Latin.
Ahhh, not so fast Lemm. Latin people are technically romance language speakers not just Spanish speakers. What, you think I wouldn’t notice your use of grandma and grandpa in this post?
I didn’t know this–the more you know.
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cranberry sauce just tastes better from the can. not to mention perfect for post thanksgiving, “thanksgiving” sandwiches aka turkey with all the fixings piled high on a crushy roll.
The real question is…do you put stuffing on your leftover sandwich?
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of course. as my mom would say, “that’s two starches,” but for thanksgiving we can make our own rules
Phew…you don’t know how glad it makes me to hear you say that.
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