Seafood Cornbread Stuffing (Dressing)

10 to 15 servings
YouTube instructional video and Link to the Cast Iron skillet cornbread recipe is at the bottom of this page.
What you’ll need
Recipe for Homemade Cornbread. (Link at bottom of page.)
2 Pounds small Louisiana Shrimp
8 Ounces real crab meat
Unsalted butter

Seasonings
1 Yellow Onion
Celery
Bell Pepper
Garlic
Salt
Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s Seafood magic
Cayenne pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Dried Sage
Dried Thyme

Tools you’ll need
13 x 9 inch baking pan

Preparation of ingredients
Note- Make your cornbread first before preparing any ingredients.

Step 1- Chop Yellow onion, 4 ribs celery, 1 Green Bell Pepper and 5 cloves of garlic.

Peeling, cleaning and deveining your Shrimp
Step 2- Separate head from shell of shrimp. Place shrimp head into bowl. Peel shell off of shrimp tail. Place shrimp tail into separate bowl.

Step 3- Cut out the back of the shrimp tail using a sharp knife. Pull black string out.

Step 4- Cut each individual shrimp tail in half. Place shrimp tails into strainer and rinse with cold water.

Making Shrimp Stock (Makes 3 1/2 cups)
Preheat fire to medium high heat
Step 5- Add 1 1/2 Quarts water into a medium sized pot. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning and 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s seafood magic. Stir and let come to a simmer.

Step 6- Add Shrimp heads and shells. Stir and let simmer for 1 hour.

Step 7- Turn fire off and add shrimp into a mesh strainer with a bowl underneath it. Discard shrimp heads and shells.

Making the Seafood Cornbread Dressing.
Step 8- Crumble Cornbread into large bowl.

Preheat fire to medium high heat.
Step 9- Add 5 tablespoons unsalted butter into a large pot. Let butter melt.

Step 10- Add 2 Cups chopped yellow onion, 1 1/2 cups chopped celery, 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper and 2 tablespoons chopped garlic. Stir all ingredients together. Let sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 11- Add Shrimp, crab meat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s seafood magic, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried sage and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Stir all ingredients together. Let sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 3 minutes turn your fire off.
Step 12- Add crumbled cornbread into two separate intervals and 2 cups shrimp stock. Stir all ingredients together.

Baking your Seafood cornbread dressing
Note- Baking times will not overcook the shrimp, crab meat or dry out the dressing.

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of your baking pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 13- Add prepared cornbread stuffing into baking pan. Spread around as even as possible.

Step 14- Optional- Lightly sprinkle plain bread crumbs on top of cornbread dressing.

Step 15- Place into a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Cornbread Recipe- Can’t make the stuffing without it.

Southern Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

YouTube instructional video