Cornbread Dressing

Steps

1. Make the cornbread. Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the 4 tablespoons butter or drippings in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9 x 13-inch metal pan and set it in the oven to get hot while you mix the batter.
2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and the 2 eggs, then stir them into the dry ingredients just until combined. Pour the hot fat from the pan into the batter, leaving a thin film behind, and stir just until mixed.
3. Pour the batter into the hot pan. It should sizzle. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour.
4. Turn the oven down to 300°F. Crumble the cornbread onto one or two rimmed baking sheets and toast it for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until dry but not browned. You should have about 10 cups. Or leave the crumbs out, uncovered, overnight.
5. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, poultry seasoning, kosher salt and pepper.
6. Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a very large bowl, toss the cornbread, toasted bread and cooked vegetables. Pour in the broth and stir gently. The mixture should be very moist and spoonable, like thick oatmeal, with a little broth pooling when you press it. Add up to 1/2 cup more broth if it looks dry.
7. Taste it now and add salt if it needs it. Then stir in the 3 beaten eggs.
8. Spoon the dressing into the dish and level the top without packing it down. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle it over the top.
9. Bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed, set in the center and golden brown on top and around the edges, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 165°F. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Good to know

• Make ahead: bake the cornbread up to 2 days before and keep it wrapped. Cook the vegetables and combine them with the dry bread a day ahead, then cover and refrigerate. Stir in the broth and eggs just before baking and allow 5 to 10 extra minutes. Reheat leftovers, covered, at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F.
• Use plain, unsweetened cornbread. Sweet cornbread mixes make the dressing taste sugary.
• For a creamier dressing, the way many Southern cooks make it, stir in a 10.5-ounce can of cream of chicken soup and use 1/2 cup less broth. For sausage dressing, brown 1 pound of breakfast sausage, drain it and stir it in with the vegetables.