Kristen Kish’s bread combination is the secret to a better stuffing

While we can probably all agree that stuffing is a must on the Thanksgiving table, let’s decide what species the stuffing is where things get tricky. Supreme boss master Kristen Kish a family not unlike ours – split between white bread devotees and lovers of the classic cornbread stuffing. The solution was simple, but one I had never seen before: Instead of settling for one, the Kish family compromised with two loaves. Could this be the secret to the best stuffing recipe? I went to the kitchen to find out.

Get the recipe: Kish Family’s Two-Bread Stuffing

Start by letting the hearty white sandwich bread rise overnight. The next day, fry finely chopped onion and celery until soft. Add fresh sage and grated garlic to the pan and cook just until fragrant. Transfer the softened vegetables to a mixing bowl and mix with the torn pieces of cornbread and aged white bread. Add the chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper, then stir until well combined. Slowly pour in the chicken stock until the loaves are evenly moistened. Transfer mixture to baking dish(s) and bake until heated through and lightly browned on top.

This stuffing recipe is easy to make and provides all the holiday flavor I want from stuffing. The variety of textures that come from the combination of coarse cornbread and chewy white bread, as well as baking it until the surface is crispy and the interior is soft and moist, is unparalleled.

I used pre-made sweet cornbread from the bakery section of my grocery store, but you can easily make your own salty or sweet cornbread ahead of time. Although any white bread will do, I used hearty white sandwich bread and left it on the wire rack overnight to firm up a bit. Kish tears the bread rather than cutting it to keep the bread crisp and nicely browned. While some of the cornbread remains intact in large chunks, expect other pieces to crumble, helping to evenly distribute the cornmeal texture and flavor throughout the stuffing. Yellow onions, celery, sage and parsley add flavor and texture to the dish, and because they’re all finely chopped, the stuffing holds together nicely (even without the egg) and doesn’t fall apart on your fork.

The only downside, if you can call it that, is that this recipe does many stuffing – enough to fill a pair of 9 x 13 inch baking dishes. This year, when most of us expect a smaller crowd around the festive table, this recipe is simply too much. Luckily, it’s easy to halve the recipe to fill one pan. Alternatively, make the whole recipe and divide it among your closest family or friends to serve at the feast.

Rating: 9/10

Have you ever made the Kish Family Double Bread Stuffing recipe? Tell us what you thought!