Oyster-Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 pound diestel breakfast sausage 
• 1.5 cups celery finely chopped
• 12 cups cornbread sweet dry stale toasted cut into 3/4" cubes, or in a 300° oven until (not )
• 4 large eggs 
• 0.3 cup flat parsley finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons thyme sprigs fresh finely chopped
• 10 servings pepper freshly ground
• 2 cups chicken broth 
• 2 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 sprig rosemary 
• 1 sprig sage thinly sliced
• 48  dozens oysters ( 1 cup liquor)
• 0.3 cup butter unsalted ()

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine broth,sage sprig, and rosemary sprig in a smallsaucepan; bring to a boil.
3. Remove pan fromheat and let stock steep until ready to use.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet overmedium heat and cook sausage, breaking itup with a spoon, until cooked through, 7-8minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfersausage to a large bowl, leaving anyrendered fat in pan.
5. Melt butter in skillet; add onions andcelery and cook until softened, about10 minutes.
6. Add onion mixture, sliced sage,parsley, and thyme to bowl with sausage.
7. Mix well; season with salt and pepper.
8. Addoysters with liquor, reserved broth (sprigsremoved), and eggs; toss to combine.
9. Addcornbread; toss until well blended andcornbread absorbs most of liquid.
10. Spoon stuffing into a 3-quart baking dish.If any liquid remains in bowl, drizzle 1/4 to1/2 cup over to moisten cornbread (amountvaries depending on dryness of cornbread).
11. Bake until browned and liquid is absorbed,1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes, tenting with foil iftop gets too dark.