thanksgiving dressing 1597269127 6542bf5d7f8ec

How to Make Cornbread Stuffing

Elevate your Thanksgiving celebration with the best dressing recipe featuring cornbread stuffing. This easy-to-follow recipe is packed with flavor and perfect for family gatherings, promising a delightful addition to your holiday table that everyone will love. Transform your dinner into a memorable feast this season.

This dish is a personal one. Some Thanksgiving dressing recipes are light and airy, and can almost be tossed around with a spoon. Other dressings are firm and solid, and can almost be cut into uniform squares. Some people stuff their roasted turkey with dressing, in which case the dressing is called stuffing. Others are dead set against stuffing the bird and opt for baking their stuffing in a baking dish, which means it’s called dressing. Some do a combination of both.

Me? I grew up loving my mom’s dressing. She never stuffed the bird, and her dressing fell into the slightly firm and very flavorful category. To serve it, we scooped out helpings with a spoon and for the most part, the stuffing stayed together in one homogenized piece. I still love it today.

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A few years ago, however, I tried my mother-in-law’s dressing for the first time and everything became clear and beautiful. The larger chunks of dried bread break apart to some degree when mixing the dish together, but large chunks remain throughout—and that’s what I love about this dressing. It isn’t soggy at all; even after baking, it remains light and crumbly and beautifully textural. The top gets golden and slightly crisp and it’s just a real feast for the senses! This is just about my favorite Thanksgiving side and one that I make every single year. To me, it’s just as important as the turkey. Put it on your Thanksgiving dinner menu. You’ll thank yourself later!

What’s in Thanksgiving dressing?

Some dressings are basic: a combination of dried bread, aromatics, and dried herbs. Other loaded versions can contain oysters, mushrooms, and even dried fruit and nuts. This simple version calls for bread (three types… more on that below), onion, celery, fresh parsley, and some dried herbs. There’s also butter and lots of chicken stock to moisten the dressing and, in turn, help it hold together.

Should you stuff your turkey with dressing or not?

I’m a big fan of baking Thanksgiving dressing separately in a casserole dish. It’s less complicated, and produces a better textured dressing. When you stuff it inside the cavity of a turkey, the dressing tends to steam, which makes it more mushy. I love a crunchy topping on my dressing, and you just don’t get it when it bakes inside the turkey! You also run the risk of the turkey and dressing not cooking at the same rate when you stuff the bird, which is an invitation for bacteria, and other bad things that you definitely don’t want at your Thanksgiving dinner. So, I play it safe and cook the two separately.

Should Thanksgiving dressing be soft or crispy?

It should be both! This dressing gets golden and crispy on top while the middle cooks up softer as the bread continues to absorb the broth. This version isn’t soggy though—the big chunks of bread keep it from getting that way.

What kind of bread is best for Thanksgiving dressing?

The magic happens when you combine a few different types of bread. I mainly use cornbread with added hunks of crusty Italian bread (like ciabatta) and French bread. It gives the dressing lots of texture. The most important part is to dry the bread for dressing; otherwise, the dressing will be too soupy and mushy. I usually cube the bread and let it sit out a day or two to dry out.

Is Thanksgiving dressing better with or without eggs?

It’s all about personal preference. If you want a sturdier dressing, eggs can help do that. I don’t use eggs in this recipe, though, because I like a lighter, more crumbly texture in my dressing.

Should dressing be covered when baking?

No, leave your dressing uncovered so it has a chance to crisp up on top. The slightly crunchy, golden brown topping is my favorite part of the whole dish! If you were to cover it, the dressing would more so steam than brown and crisp.

Can you make Thanksgiving dressing ahead of time?

I like to wait to fully assemble the dish until just before baking for the best texture, but there are several things you can do ahead that’ll save you time on Thanksgiving day. First, go ahead and dry your bread up to two days ahead of time. I cube it, place it on a baking tray, and let it hang out on the counter until it’s super dry. Secondly, you can sauté the veggies and make the broth mixture a day ahead. Store it in the fridge, then reheat it in a saucepan on the stove before ladling it over the bread.

the pioneer woman's thanksgiving dressing recipe

Ralph Smith


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Note: For the original/ancient 2007 version of this post, click here! The basic recipe is the same, save for a few minor alterations.

A day or two before Thanksgiving, make the cornbread!

Here’s the recipe I use. It’s dee best: Skillet Cornbread.

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Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes.

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Do the same with some crusty/chewy Italian bread (this is Ciabatta)…

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And do the same with some good ol’ Americanized “French” bread.

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Now, just lay all the bread on trays and let them dry out over the next day or two. The bread needs to be dry, dry, dry…dry!

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On Thanksgiving day, when you’re ready to make the dressing, chop up some onion…

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Some celery…

Leaves and all!

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You also need a good amount of chopped parsley.

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And some minced rosemary.

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Grab the largest skillet you have and melt a whole doggone stick of butter.

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Add the onions and celery.

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And cook them for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

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When the veggies are starting to soften, pour in a whole bunch of chicken broth.

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Let this bubble up…

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Then add the rosemary…

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Dried basil, ground thyme, salt, and pepper…

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And parsley. Let this cook for another couple of minutes or so to make sure the flavors merge and melt and come together and get married and have babies and all that jazz.

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Pile all the dried bread into a huge bowl…

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Then, using a ladle…

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Spoon the broth mixture over the top. Keep adding the broth mixture, tossing as you go, until it’s all mixed in. Now, how much broth mixture you add depends on how moist you like the dressing! If you like dressing to be a little drier, just add about 2/3 of the broth—if you like it really moist and wet/mushy, go ahead and add it all!

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Once you’ve got the moisture right, give it a taste and add a little more salt, pepper, or whatever else you think it needs.

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Pile it into a huge casserole pan, or you can put part of in a pan and part of it in the turkey, or you can put the whole dang batch in the turkey! Well, as much as will fit.

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Then just bake it at 375 for about 20-30 minutes! It’ll be golden and slightly crisp on top, then nice and moist and lovely underneath.

Delicious!

Here are some variations:

* Add 3 peeled, finely diced carrots to the skillet with the onions and celery.
* Add 1/2 teaspoon ground sage with the other herbs.
* Add 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric to add a slight golden color to the dressing.
* Add chopped cooked bacon to the bowl with the bread chunks and herb/broth mixture.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11893/thanksgiving-dressing-recipe/
#Thanksgiving #Dressing #Recipe #Cornbread #Stuffing

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Marcella Gucci embodies a warm, inviting, and adventurous spirit. Her tone is friendly yet knowledgeable, blending passion for culinary exploration with a genuine love for travel. She communicates with enthusiasm, inspiring her audience to embrace new flavors and cultures.

As the founder of Travel Foodie, Marcella is a culinary enthusiast and globe-trotter. With a keen eye for detail and an appreciation for diverse food cultures, she curates experiences that connect people through the universal language of food. Marcella’s mission is to transform culinary dreams into reality, guiding her audience on a delectable journey around the world.

Travel Foodie where culinary curiosity meets wanderlust! This site is your passport to a world of flavors, offering a delightful mix of travel tips, authentic recipes, and immersive culinary experiences. Whether you’re planning your next adventure or simply looking to spice up your kitchen, we will serves up inspiration and tasty tidbits that will leave you hungry for more. Bon appétit!

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