Cornbread Dressing
Gluten Free Living – 2016
Cornbread Dressing was always my Dad’s favorite stuffing recipe when I was growing up. He would beg Mom to make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. On occasion, Mom would make it for him and it was a rare treat when she did. Most of the time if she made the Cornbread Dressing she would also make her regular bread dressing (usually with homemade bread)!
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My sister uses the same recipe and uses about five different kinds of bread, like pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, and two other artisan-type breads. It’s a simple, yet versatile recipe that’s savory and delicious.
It has been a long time since I’ve made Cornbread Dressing. I’m sure it was back when my kids were still at home. I can’t remember making it since we’ve been living in Texas (20+ years), so like I said, it has been a long time. I wanted to make the recipe as clean as possible, so I started with a batch of my Gluten Free Honey Cornbread which I made a day before needing it.
The only change I made was to decrease the honey from 1/2 cup to 1 tablespoon. You don’t want a sweet dressing, even a teaspoon of honey or sugar is plenty. Other than that, I followed my Mom’s basic recipe except for adding sage.
It’s important to defrost your turkey in the refrigerator about a week in advance of Thanksgiving. Remove the giblets the day before and boil them off an hour or two in water that’s been generously salted and peppered. You may have to add additional water if too much evaporates. (I actually did this in the crockpot the night before).
Then on the morning of Thanksgiving or Christmas, cut the cornbread (baked the day before), into cubes. Saute the onions and celery in butter. Combine everything with the seasonings and giblet broth and it’s ready to stuff inside the turkey.
If you don’t like to cook your stuffing that way, just put it in a greased casserole dish and bake about 30-40 minutes or until done. We prefer to serve our Cornbread Dressing (or any kind of dressing) with gravy poured over the top. But it’s just as good served plain.
I served mine for Thanksgiving dinner along with Squash and Carrot Casserole and other traditional fixings. Gluten free gravy poured over top made it perfect. If you’re looking for a delightful Cornbread Dressing recipe, then give this healthier gluten free version a try.
Cornbread Dressing is a terrific side dish any time you’re preparing a holiday turkey.
Here I’ve drizzled Turkey Gravy over top of the stuffing.
If you enjoy Cornbread, you’ll enjoy Mom’s Cornbread dressing.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients. A batch of Gluten Free Honey Cornbread (minus most of the honey) is in the baking dish and I cooked the turkey giblets off in a crockpot overnight on low for the giblet broth.
Prepare cornbread a day in advance. On the day you’re preparing the stuffing, cut cornbread in cubes.
Place cubed cornbread in a very large mixing bowl. Add seasonings.
Saute onions and celery in butter in separate skillets if necessary. Do NOT drain. Add veggies and drippings to the cornbread cubes.
Add giblet broth. (Chicken broth can be substituted).
The idea is to moisten the cubes enough so it doesn’t dry out while baking. If you’re putting the whole batch in a casserole dish you will need between 2 to 2 1/2 cups broth so the dressing doesn’t dry out while baking. (It will look moister than this).
If desired, stuff both cavities of the turkey with Cornbread Dressing. Secure the back side with skewers.
Place any remaining dressing in a greased baking dish.
Bake about 30-40 minutes at 350.
Remove stuffing from turkey and place in a large serving bowl.
If you prefer a spicy cornbread dressing, try my Bacon Cheddar Chili Cornbread or Jalapeno Cheddar Honey Cornbread. Just remember to decrease the honey or sugar to one teaspoon–no more than one tablespoon–when making.
Here’s the recipe.
CORNBREAD DRESSING
(Recipe inspired from my Mom’s Cornbread Dressing, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)
Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish to bake the cornbread in
- 1 sharp knife to cube cornbread and cut vegetables
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 large sauce pot with lid to cook off turkey giblets
- 2 large skillets
- 1 one-quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups cornbread cubed (don’t use a sweet cornbread)
- 2 cups celery diced
- 2 large onions diced
- 1 tsp. rubbed sage
- 2 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups homemade turkey giblet broth (or chicken broth), or more if needed
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper or as desired
Instructions
- Prepare cornbread a day in advance if possible.
- After cooled, allow cornbread to stale – a day if possible.
- When ready to begin preparation, cube cornbread and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Set aside.
- Remove giblets from turkey and place in large pot filled with water.
- Salt and pepper the water generously.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer an hour or two until a rich broth has formed.
- (You may have to continue adding water if it boils down too much).
- Set aside.
- Divide butter in half and place in two large 10-12” skillets.
- Turn skillets on low to medium heat.
- Place onions in one skillet and celery in the other.
- Sauté until veggies are tender about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add celery and onions including all the butter to the mixing bowl with cornbread.
- Sprinkle with sage, poultry seasoning salt and pepper, as desired.
- Drizzle with homemade turkey broth and stir until well-combined.
- Start with 1 ½ cups and add more if needed.
- Stuff cavities of turkey and bake as directed for baking turkey.
- Place remaining stuffing in a greased one-quart glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
I served Cornbread Dressing with Turkey & Gravy, Squash and Carrot Casserole and Biscuits. We also had Greek Salad. Not traditional, perhaps, but a salad we love! 🙂
Add gravy and you’re good to go!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Tips For Preparing Holiday Turkey
Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish to bake the cornbread in
- 1 sharp knife to cube cornbread and cut vegetables
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 large sauce pot with lid to cook off turkey giblets
- 2 large skillets
- 1 one-quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups cornbread cubed (don’t use a sweet cornbread)
- 2 cups celery diced
- 2 large onions diced
- 1 tsp. rubbed sage
- 2 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups homemade turkey giblet broth (or chicken broth), or more if needed
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper or as desired
Instructions
- Prepare cornbread a day in advance if possible.
- After cooled, allow cornbread to stale – a day if possible.
- When ready to begin preparation, cube cornbread and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Set aside.
- Remove giblets from turkey and place in large pot filled with water.
- Salt and pepper the water generously.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer an hour or two until a rich broth has formed.
- (You may have to continue adding water if it boils down too much).
- Set aside.
- Divide butter in half and place in two large 10-12” skillets.
- Turn skillets on low to medium heat.
- Place onions in one skillet and celery in the other.
- Sauté until veggies are tender about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add celery and onions including all the butter to the mixing bowl with cornbread.
- Sprinkle with sage, poultry seasoning salt and pepper, as desired.
- Drizzle with homemade turkey broth and stir until well-combined.
- Start with 1 ½ cups and add more if needed.
- Stuff cavities of turkey and bake as directed for baking turkey.
- Place remaining stuffing in a greased one-quart glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.