Category: Breads, Chicken - Holiday
This old-fashioned cornbread dressing is flavorful, tender and moist. Not fancy,its ingredients are simple. Grandma didn't hold with the notion thatthe more stuff you put in cornbread dressing, the better it is.
The heart of the dressing is the cornbread, and the following recipeproduces a coarse-crumbed, flavorful base for the dressing. Serve this dressing as part of a complete dinner as detailed in Turkey and Most of the Trimmings.
Ingredients:
The Cornbread
The Dressing
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1 9x13-inch pan of cornbread, crumbled
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10 white or whole wheat bread heels (left out overnight)
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poultry seasoning (see below)
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rubbed sage (see below)
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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3 large stalks celery, chopped
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1 large onion, chopped (2-1/2 to 3 cups)
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1 large green pepper, chopped
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3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)
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4 cups chicken stock
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1 cup turkey pan drippings (from cooked turkey -- you are cooking a turkey, aren't you?)
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3 large eggs, slightly beaten
Giblet Gravy
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3tablespoons butter
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3tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1cup drippings from roasting pan that have been skimmed of fat
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1cup chicken broth
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salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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1tablespoon dry Sherry (not cooking sherry)
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1 to 1-1/2 cups turkey giblets (chopped pieces of cooked liver and neck)
For the Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Put the bacon drippings in a 9x13-inch baking dish and put itin the oven while it is preheating. The drippings will melt while you're mixing up the batter.
- Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the corn meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder, and stir tocombine. Add the buttermilk and stir well. Remove the hot dish from the oven. Swirl the dish tocoat it with melted bacon drippings, pour the bacon drippings into the batter and stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the pan, and bake 20 to 25 minutes. The cornbread will begin to pull awayfrom the sides of the pan.
- Make the cornbread a day before you intend to make your dressing. Leave itout, uncovered, overnight.
For the dressing
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Crumble the cornbread and white bread into a very large bakingdish or pan (This is the pan you will cook your dressing in, and you need room to stir it while it's cooking).
- In a large skillet, sauté the celery, onion and green pepper inbutter over medium heat until onion is transparent. Combine the sautéedvegetables with the bread crumbs and mix well. Note: The dressing up to this point can be prepared an hour or so in advance.
- When you are ready to bake the dressing, add the beaten eggs, chicken stock and turkey pan drippings, and stir. (You may need a little more chicken stock -- better if it's too moist than too dry; the uncooked dressingshould be a little on the slushy side.) Add 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning,1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, black pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- After baking for 15 minutes or so, stir dressing down from the sides of the pan so thatit cooks uniformly (my mother's term was "rake through it"). Check the seasonings; that is, taste it. If you don't taste enough sage for yourliking, add 1/4 teaspoon or so with a little chicken stock, stir it in, and taste again. Careful, a little sage goes a long way.
- Total cooking time should be about 30 minutes.
For the Giblet Gravy
- The Giblets: I use just the liver and pieces off the neck(I give the gizzard to the cat, and my husband eats the heart.) I alwayscook the neck with the turkey -- tuck it down in a corner of the pan. You can cook the liver the same way: submerge it in the broth in the roastingpan about30 minutes before you expect the turkey to be done, or you can put it in a small saucepan, cover with a cup or so of lightly salted water and simmer it for 30 minutes. Since burner space is at a premium when preparinga holiday meal, I usually opt for the cook-it-with-the-turkey method.
- Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan until it is bubbly, sprinkle in the flour and stir quickly for a minute or so to cook theflour. Slowly stir in the turkey drippings and chicken stock, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thickened. (Note about lumps: Lumps are nothing to be embarrassed about. They happen. If you've got some lumps and want to get rid of them, strain the gravy now, because you won't be able to after you add the giblets.)
- Reduce heat to low, and check the seasonings. Add salt and pepper onlyif you think it is necessary. Some people (me) like to add a tablespoon or two of sherry at this point. It makes a wonderful difference. Add the giblets and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- You can make your gravy early, keep it warm, and heat it back up a bitjust before serving, if you like.
Note: With dressing of any kind, seasoning and consistency are crucial to the success of the dish. Tastes vary widely, and that is why approximations are given for the poultry seasoning and sage. Start with the amounts given (I don't like my dressing too sagey), and if that's not enough to suit you, add more during the cooking process when you taste it.
As for the consistency, you can always add more stock to moisten it (I like mine nice and moist -- just about the same consistency as mashed potatoes), but I've seen dressing that had to be sliced like a loaf of bread -- too dry for my liking. But you'll probably want to make it the way your mother or Aunt Sally or whoever made it.
Ready in: 4 Hrs
Kitchen tools you'll need for Cornbread Dressing and Giblet Gravy:
9x13 Baking Dish,Skillet, Food Processor, Small Saucepans, Mixing Bowls
Recipe editor Patricia Mitchell
FAQs
directions
- Bring stock and giblets to a boil.
- Add bouillon and reserved stuffing mixture.
- Make a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and water and add to the boiling stock; cook 2-3 minute.
- Meanwhile, saute mushrooms until browned in butter.
- Add mushrooms to gravy with egg.
- Salt and pepper, to taste.
One of the first tasks when roasting a turkey is to check the raw bird's cavities for the neck and giblets—the bundle of parts that often includes the heart, gizzard, and liver. You should remove these parts from the cavity and save all but the liver (which can impart a mineral, bitter taste to stock) for making gravy.
What is cornbread dressing made of? ›
Add sautéed onion and celery to the crumbled cornbread. Stir in chicken stock, eggs, sage, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour dressing into the prepared baking dish.
How to make turkey gravy taste better? ›
7 Ways to Make a Jar of Turkey Gravy Taste Homemade
- Add in some white wine. Add a dash of white wine (nothing too fruity; we recommend a dry Chardonnay) to boost the richness of the turkey gravy. ...
- Thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. ...
- Stir in pan drippings. ...
- Simmer with fresh herbs. ...
- Sauté some vegetables.
Directions. Add the butter and flour to a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until melted together and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stream in the stock while whisking and continue to cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a little shredded turkey.
What giblets not to use in gravy? ›
My go-to method for dealing with giblets is to first cook the gizzard, heart and neck by making my own giblet broth or stock. Another option is to simmer them with store-bought broth to infuse it with more poultry flavor. (You don't want to include the liver as it becomes bitter when boiled.)
How long should turkey giblets be cooked? ›
So while the turkey is roasting the next day, place the neck and giblets into a medium saucepan, cover it with water by about 2 inches, and bring it to a boil. After it boils, reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook them for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is totally cooked through.
Why do you soak beef liver in milk? ›
Soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for 30-60 minutes. This is an important step in removing the bitter flavor from the liver. Salt and pepper the liver generously, and leave it out at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Why do Jews eat chopped liver? ›
It's hard to figure out exactly how chopped liver came to be so deeply connected with Eastern European Jewish cuisine. Many have speculated that because Jews were often poor, they ate every part of a chicken in order to be thrifty, including parts like the liver that would otherwise seem unappetizing.
What is cornbread called in the South? ›
It is commonly called "cornbread" in the Southern United States and is not known by a different name in this region. Cornbread is a simple bread that is made by mixing cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk to form a batter, which is then baked in the oven.
The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.
What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›
The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.
Is stock or broth better for turkey gravy? ›
You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results.
Is it better to thicken turkey gravy with flour or cornstarch? ›
What's the difference between using cornstarch or flour to make your gravy? Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.
How do you thicken giblet gravy? ›
Broth: Use two cans of chicken or turkey broth. Eggs: Four chopped, hard-boiled eggs add flavor and texture. Milk and cornstarch: A mixture of milk and cornstarch thickens the gravy to the perfect consistency.
How to make canned turkey gravy taste like homemade? ›
7 Simple Ways You Can Make Jarred Gravy Taste Homemade
- Stir in turkey drippings. Classic turkey gravy is made with the pan drippings from the roasted bird. ...
- Brown up some butter. ...
- Pour in the wine. ...
- Roast a head of garlic. ...
- Cheat with aromatics. ...
- Boost with umami. ...
- Add fresh herbs.
Another way to thicken gravy with flour is by making a roux. A roux is a mixture of fat and flour, and it's an easy way to thicken a sauce. If you make a roux, it should also be added incrementally. A final option is making a beurre manié, which is made by rubbing flour into butter to create a dough or paste.
What is giblet gravy made of? ›
This giblet gravy recipe calls for turkey giblets and neck, turkey broth, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, dried thyme, pan drippings from a roasted turkey, butter, all-purpose flour, hard-cooked eggs, and salt and pepper.
