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Herbed Cornbread Dressing, Part 1 of 2

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Submitted by hihart26

Southern cornbread dressing done right: make-ahead cornbread and homemade turkey giblet broth prepped the night before for Thanksgiving day assembly with rice, mushrooms, pecans, and fresh herbs.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

10 min

COOK

160 min

READY

200 min

Part one of a proper Southern cornbread dressing. This is the make-ahead prep you do the day before Thanksgiving so the cornbread can go stale overnight and the turkey broth can chill in the fridge. Both steps matter. Fresh cornbread falls apart into mush in the final dressing; stale cornbread holds its shape and soaks up seasoning.

The turkey broth is built from the neck, giblets, and gizzard most cooks throw away, slow-simmered with onion, celery stalk, and celery leaves. This is the flavor base that ties everything in the final dressing back to the bird. Store-bought broth works in a pinch but won’t match the depth.

Once both components are ready, part two combines them with herbed bread cubes, cooked rice, sautéed mushrooms, pecans, sage, thyme, and butter into the final baked casserole.

Pro Tips

  • Preheat the pan with a thin slick of oil before pouring the cornbread batter. The hot pan creates a crispy, almost-fried bottom crust like a cast iron skillet would.
  • Break the cornbread into LARGE chunks, not crumbs. Crumbs disappear into the dressing; chunks give texture and chew.
  • Use very low heat for the broth. A rolling boil clouds the stock and turns it bitter. Gentle bubbles for 2 hours is the move.
  • Cool the broth fast in a shallow pan. Warm stock left on the counter is a food-safety problem waiting to happen.

Variations

  • Use buttermilk instead of milk in the cornbread for a tangier base.
  • Add a bay leaf and a few peppercorns to the turkey broth for extra aromatic depth.
  • Make a double batch of broth to use in gravy or the following day’s turkey soup.

Ingredients

cornbread
1 ½ 355
CUPS ML CORNMEAL
yellow
½ 118
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML BAKING POWDER *
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG
lightly beaten
3 45
TABLESPOONS ML VEGETABLE OIL
1 237
CUP ML MILK
1
X VEGETABLE OIL
to taste *
Turkey broth
1 1
EACH EACH TURKEY NECK
skin removed *
1
X TURKEY GIBLET
and gizzard, from 1 turkey, to taste *
1
X CELERY STALK
stalk leaves, from 4 stalks, to taste *
1 1
STALKS EACH CELERY
1 1
SMALL SMALL ONION
quartered
12 2.8
CUPS L WATER
dressing
12 346.8
OUNCES ML/G BREAD
herbed, cubed
1 1
LARGE LARGE YELLOW ONION
3 3
STALKS EACH CELERY
3 710
CUPS ML RICE
cooked, cooled uncovered overnight in a shallow dish
½ 226.8
POUND G MUSHROOMS
sliced
2 473
CUPS ML PECANS
roughly
1
X BUTTER
or margarine, to taste *
1
X SALT
to taste *
1
X BLACK PEPPER
to taste *
1
X SAGE
rubbed, to taste *
1
X THYME
to taste *

Directions

MAKE CORNBREAD: The night before, make the cornbread.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Thinly coat the bottom of a standard Pyrex pie plate, or 9-inch square baking pan, with vegetable oil.

Put pan in oven while it is preheating and you are mixing the cornbread batter.

In a mixing bowl, blend together the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder.

Stir in the egg and about 3 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add milk and mix thoroughly by hand.

The consistency should be a thick, but not “doughy," liquid.

It may be necessary to add a little more milk. Pour into preheated pan and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown on top.

Let cool in pan for 30 minutes.

Remove from pan and break up into very large chunks in a large mixing bowl.

Let stand overnight, uncovered.

This will ensure that it is dry and stale.

MAKE TURKEY BROTH: The night before, make the turkey broth.

Bring about 12 cup of water to a boil in a large pot.

Thoroughly rinse turkey neck, giblets and gizzard.

Add turkey parts, onion, celery leaves and celery stalk to water, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer.

Simmer on very low heat for 2 hours.

Strain the broth, cover, cool quickly and refrigerate.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 606g (21.4 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 654 38% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 400mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 30%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Sugars g
Protein 27g
Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 11% Iron 17%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 

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