Grandma’s Mexican Stuffing
Here is our last recipe in our Sidesgiving Series! And I am ending this with a recipe holds a special place in my heart. Introducing my Grandma’s Mexican Stuffing - a recipe passed down to my mom and now me!
Back in the day, I really looked forward to this stuffing over all the other mains and sides we typically had on Thanksgiving. First off, it is savory, super meaty, just a touch sweet from the olives and the pecans (my favorite) are a nice nutty touch. I actually believed everyone had stuffing this way! But little did I know, this was something special in a world of cornbread, herb and sweet stuffings so, I am sharing it with you. :)
But first, a bit about my late Grandma - Heriberta Moreno Rodriguez. Officially - she was from Mina, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, a tiny town just outside of Monterrey surrounded by a cluster of semi-arid mountains. I vaguely remember learning she had a challenging life in Mexico but she later applied for US Citizenship and made her way to Detroit, Michigan where my Grandpa was an Electrician. She eventually settled in Laredo, Texas where she lived the rest of her life. Throughout this time, she was a housewife and cook who raised 7 kids, all who were 1st generation college students.
But she wasn’t done there! She lived with us and helped raise my brother and I in our early years while both my parents worked. While I do not have many clear memories from that time, I am always so surprised with how vividly my memories are of her. Especially how I would look forward to waking up every morning so I could walk straight to her room, where she was already sitting waiting for me, asking in her accent “jou want to watch cartoons?” I remember not caring what we watched because I truly enjoyed the simple act of sitting together.
Unfortunately, her health deteriorated rapidly after she was diagnosed with diabetes. And not too long after, both her legs were amputated requiring her live in a wheelchair. Despite all of her trauma and facing this challenge on top of an already tough life, she still beamed for me every morning and invited me to watch cartoons with her. She died in 1996 at the age of 66 when I was just shy of 8 years old. It was the most devastating thing to have happen when she was such a daily part of my life. Phrases like “stolen” or “not fair” or “too soon” pass through my memories from time to time. But if there is one thing I know, cooking is the common thread that keeps her with me and I am grateful to share this passion with her and her recipe with you :)
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
1 lb ground meat (I used grass-fed bison and pork but you can use beef, turkey or a mix of two you prefer)
1 tbsp salt
1 medium white onion (chopped)
5-6 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2-3 carrots (chopped)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
2-3 celery stalks (chopped)
1 cup Castelvetrano olives (pitted, smashed and chopped)
2 cups pecans (chopped)
2 cups chicken broth
.75 lbs dried stuffing/bread crumbs/cubes
olive oil
Additional items
roasting pan
foil or parchment paper
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a walled baking pan with foil. Spread 1-2 tbsp of oil on the foil and set aside.
Heat a large pan or dutch oven on medium and add in 2 tbsp of olive oil once it is hot.
Brown the two different meats, making sure to break them into small pieces with a wooden spoon and mix them well in the pan. Sprinkle in the salt and stir. Depending on the meat you use, browning can take 7-10 minutes for beef or 4-5 minutes for pork. Once browned set aside in a bowl.
Using the same pan, add in 1 tbsp of oil and saute the onions for 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the garlic for another 1-2 minutes. Next stir in the carrots, then add bell pepper for 3-5 minutes or until beginning to soften.
Now stir in the celery and olives until well distributed and allow them to release some of their liquid for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 of the pecans.
Lower the heat to low to low-medium and stir in the broth. Next, start lightly stirring the breadcrumbs in a little at a time. Be patient and careful not to over stir since it can make the stuffing too mushy.
Once the stuffing is coated in the broth, start spooning the stuffing on the oiled baking pan on a single layer. This will help the stuffing crisp better and require less stirring (less chances of making mushy stuffing!).
Sprinkle the remaining pecans on top and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Bake the stuffing for 20 minutes, checking to see if it is drying out to fast, then bake for another 15-20 minutes or until begin to turn golden and is less soft/moist. If at any point it appears way too dry, drizzle a bit of broth to keep it from totally drying out.
From here you can (watch carefully!) broil for 1-2 minutes to get the nice crispy, golden top and serve!
