Oyster stuffing has British origins, but its evolution over the past 300 years, and its association with Thanksgiving, have made it a distinctly American dish. This version uses both wheat bread and cornbread, a blending of Yankee and Southern cuisine, although the liberal use of butter and the hint of Tabasco in this recipetips the scales towards the Southin my opinion.

Oyster stuffing, or dressing (if you’re from further south than me), is bread stuffing with oysters. The oysters add some protein and a subtle briny brightness that stands out in a sea of sides that are usually not subtle with their heartiness. The stuffing doesn’t taste “seafoody” at all, but rather, tastes like you're eating stuffing near the beach.

I like using both cornbread and wheat bread in this recipe because you get sweetness from the cornbread and texture from the wheat bread. It’s a nice balance of soft, savory, chewy, and crunchy with just a hint of sweetness.

I also recommend getting live oysters and shucking your own for this. Namely, because then you’ll know they are fresh. Refrigerated, jarred fresh oysters are a fine substitute, but canned oysters are not. Also, if you're buying live oysters in November, you’re getting some of the best oysters of the year. Enjoy any extra you have on the half-shell while you prep this dish.

A tip for getting the most flavor and the best texture—moist but not soggy on the inside and crispy on the outside—is to let the cornbread and wheat bread dry out for a day uncovered. Using semi-stale bread is better than fresh bread because there is less moisture in the bread, which will get crispier and will also soak up more of the seasonings. To achieve this, I slice and toast the bread and lay it on a sheet pan uncovered overnight.

The rest of the recipe is super simple. Cook the veggies in butter and stock, chop up the oysters, combine everything, and bake.

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl. Add toasted and torn wheat bread. Lightly mix.
3. Put half of the butter in a large saute pan, and heat over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and jalapeno. Cook until fragrant and almost translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add in broth and cook for another few minutes, scraping pan and stirring often. Pour content over the bread mixture and mix.
4. Strain and chop the oysters into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, hot sauce, parsley, sage, and mix. Pour this over the bread mixture. Add salt and pepper to the stuffing mixture. Mix to evenly distribute the oysters and liquids. Add oyster liquor if the mixture is dry, it should be fairly moist.
5. Pour stuffing mixture into a large, lightly greased casserole or cast iron pan. Dice the remaining butter and sprinkle on top of the stuffing. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden brown.