The Best Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Bacon

Instructions

1. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Cut the cornbread into cubes (tearing some apart with your fingers to create different textures) and divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toast, flipping halfway through, until dried and golden, about 45 minutes.
2. Increase temperature to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13 x 9” baking dish and set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans, stirring occasionally until fragrant and browned, about 5 minutes, and then transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Fry the bacon in the same skillet until crisp, then transfer to a separate bowl for later. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Fry the sausage in the same pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon until crisp, crumbled, and cooked through. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon, leaving the grease in the skillet.
4. Saute the onions in the grease for 2 minutes, then add in the celery and continue until onion is fully softened.
5. Mix the bacon, sausage, onion, celery, pecans, and herbs with the dried cornbread in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and mix. Taste and adjust herbs as desired.
6. Add chicken stock, a half cup at a time until perfectly moist without any liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with a few leaves of fresh sage. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until the surface is deeply browned, about 25-35 more minutes. Top with additional chopped parsley and sage to garnish, and serve warm.