Southern Oyster Stuffing

• 1 loaf The Fresh Market Crusty Italiano bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 5 oz The Fresh Market sweet cornbread (about 2 c crumbled)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
• 10 oz (2 links) andouille sausage, removed from casing
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp The Fresh Market Farmer’s Poultry Rub
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ c chicken stock, divided
• 2 pt fresh oysters, drained and roughly chopped
• ¼ c + 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, optional
• Southern style hot sauce for serving, optional

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place the cubed Italiano bread onto a lined baking sheet. Roughly crumble the cornbread onto the same baking sheet, spread evenly and bake the bread until almost dried, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl.

Turn the oven up to 400°F and let preheat. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sausage and press with a potato masher or stiff whisk, breaking up into small pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic and poultry rub and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add ½ c chicken stock to the pot and cook 1-2 more minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat and add to the bread mixture, stirring well to combine. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Crack the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk until well scrambled. Whisk in 1 c chicken stock, then slowly pour egg and stock mixture into the bread mixture, stirring well to combine. Add oysters and optional ¼ c parsley and stir well until fully incorporated. Let sit for about 10 minutes to hydrate the bread, stirring every few minutes. Pour the stuffing into the greased baking dish. The stuffing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days at this point.

Bake 40-45 minutes until top is browned and interior temperature is at least 165°F. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve with optional hot sauce on the side.