Cornbread, Sausage, and Pecan Dressing

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 9 cups day-old cornbread 
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.5 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons sage fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium divided
• 1.3 cups pecans toasted chopped
• 1 pound breakfast sausage links 
• 0.8 cup butter unsalted plus more for baking dish ()
• 2.5 cups onions yellow chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• mixing bowl
• baking pan
• wooden spoon
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirdsof oven; preheat to 250°F. Butter a 13x9x2"baking dish; set aside. Scatter cornbreadin a single layer on 2 rimmed bakingsheets.
2. Bake, stirring often and rotatingsheets halfway through, until dried out,about 1 hour.
3. Let cool.
4. Transfer to a verylarge mixing bowl.
5. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a largeskillet over medium-high heat, breaking upinto 1/2"-1" pieces with a wooden spoon,until browned, 8-10 minutes.
6. Transfer tobowl with cornbread but do not stir.
7. Heat 3/4 cup butter in same skillet; addonions and celery and cook, stirring often,until softened and just beginning to brown,about 10 minutes.
8. Add to cornbread in bowl.
9. Return skillet to heat.
10. Add vinegar; cook,scraping up browned bits from bottomof pan, for 1 minute.
11. Pour into bowl withcornbread. Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups broth,pecans, if using, parsley, sage, rosemary,and thyme.
12. Add salt and pepper.
13. Let cool.
14. Preheat oven to 350°F.
15. Whisk 1 1/2 cupsbroth and eggs in a small bowl. Fold gentlyinto cornbread until thoroughly combined,taking care not to mash cornbread (mixturewill look wet).
16. Transfer to prepared dish,cover with foil, and bake until an instantreadthermometer inserted into the centerof dressing registers 160°F, about 40 minutes.DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made 1 dayahead. Uncover; let cool. Cover and chill.
17. Bake dressing, uncovered, until set andtop is browned and crisp, 40-45 minuteslonger (if chilled, add 10-15 minutes).