Gluten Free Cornbread Chorizo Stuffing

Ingredients for Cornbread Stuffing

Making the gluten free cornbread is the first step. My recipe can be made with cornmeal and corn flour, or cornmeal and a gluten free flour blend. Either way, make it and enjoy some warm from the oven. Store the rest in an airtight container.

• Gluten free cornbread - I make two pans of this cornbread recipe and have enough left to enjoy while it's still warm. I drizzle it with corn syrup the way my mom did when I was a kid.

• Gluten free chorizo sausage - Meat producers seem to have figured out the importance of helping consumers find the safe, gluten free options. Find a local or trusted supplier and support them as often as you can.

• Red bell pepper & fresh Anaheim chile pepper - I write the word 'fresh' on my grocery list so I know what I'm looking for when I go shopping.

• Cilantro - Mandatory for any southwestern menu.

• Dried oregano - For the adventurers in the crowd, there is such a thing as Mexican oregano

• Gluten free chicken stock - A cooking staple and gluten free cooks need to find a brand that is safe and be willing to change brands when that changes.

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Instructions: Tips for Planning

There's no doubt that cooking a turkey is a big job so organization is key. Here are my strategies to make the stuffing recipe, and the whole dinner, less stressful.

• Make the cornbread with a tried-and-true recipe you've made before. This is my cornbread recipe.
• Make the cornbread well in advance and freeze it if you want. Or a day or two in advance and keep it in an airtight container.
• Cubing the cornbread and toasting it is another step. Do it at the same time as you make it or plan it as a step when you're ready.
• The final step is to make the sausage mixture. For a full recipe this takes time too so do it a day or two in advance.
• The last two steps are cooking the sausage mixture and then combining all the stuffing ingredients together. I do these at the same time, most often the night before the big dinner. I'm never sure how much will fit into the turkey so I don't fill a casserole dish until I'm actually stuffing the bird.

Instructions: Tips to Avoid Cross Contact

It's not safe to eat turkey that was stuffed with wheat bread dressing. The simple solution is to cook the stuffing on the side but some people cannot get their head around that. Advocate for your dietary needs, provide simple solutions and consider my OPPOSITE DAY idea to create the real holiday meal you want to enjoy.

Cooking a bird without stuffing means cooking in less time. If that's a selling feature for someone, advocate for that. Cook both stuffing recipes on the side, a gluten filled version and your gluten free version. Make sure your version is the most amazing one everyone wants to eat.

Stuffing vs Dressing

Who cares you ask? The answer is someone so I'll save that person the search. For foodies this is what we want to talk about at the table.

When you stuff the cavity of a bird with the mixture you made it is most often referred to as stuffing. Since there is always more than can fit in the bird, the rest gets cooked in a casserole dish. This is when it may be referred to as dressing.

Yet there is no hard and fast rule. Geography plays an important part in cooking terms. In the south people are more likely to call this dressing, as you go north more people refer to it as stuffing. 

In my family no one cares what you call it. As long as there's plenty of it on the table and gravy to go on top everyone is happy.

Substitutions & Variations

Chorizo - I love the spiciness of chorizo but substitute with any sausage you love.

Cornbread - Yes, you can make a variation of this recipe by substituting regular gluten free bread cubes for the cornbread. Keep in mind that the taste will vary based on the gluten free bread you chose. That's a good enough reason to make some stuffing now (I make a half-recipe) as a trial run to make sure you're happy with the results.

Stuffing - Fancy up your presentation by making stuffing balls. (As if anyone needed a recipe for people to eat more stuffing.) Make stuffing balls the gluten free version for families who insist on gluten filled and gluten free.

Small Holiday Dinner - Not everyone wants or needs to cook a whole turkey but what we all want is something delicious. Make this Spatchcock chicken recipe that has the exact same achiote butter rub, roast a whole chicken or cook turkey legs only. Just think outside the box and do it your way.

Get The Tools

Here are some tools worth owning for more than just a once or twice a year turkey dinner.

• Corning White has a large selection of shapes and sizes with or without lids. I like white because it goes with everything.
• Any kind of lasagna pan will work too. From the most basic glass pan, to the popular ceramic coated ones, all the way up to the high end Le Creuset cast iron pans.
• The inexpensive pyrex 2-quart casserole dishes are extremely versatile and will last a lifetime. I have a few sizes with no lids, but if I was buying now I'd get the lid.
• Portion scoops are not just for ice cream. Get a set of three and you'll suddenly see all the things you can do with them. You'll never regret it!