I grew up on this cornbread dressing. There was never a Thanksgiving without it, and leftovers were fought over as if it were pie. It’s the real, old-fashioned dressing. Dressing that knows it’s dressing. Nothing fancy, but delicious in a simplicity that trusts the basic flavor combination that is so home.
Dressing is largely bread, so it makes sense to use the best bread at your disposal. (Which is never sandwich bread from the store.) Please, please, think about your bread before you make your dressing! The bread can be a little stale, which is handy when you’re preparing for a big meal. Make the bread a few days before to take the load off your holiday prep schedule. You can also do all your vegetable chopping in advance and throw the dressing together in a few minutes when it’s time. If possible, put the dressing together the day before you intend to bake it in order to allow time for the flavors to meld. You always knew it was the day before Thanksgiving in my house when I was growing up because there was a big pan of dressing in the fridge. My mother always had the bread made a day or two ahead of that.
Of course, my mother always made it with this cornbread and, depending on what was on hand, either Grandmother Bread or these biscuits. The white bread is the smaller portion of the bread and it works just fine whether you use cubed loaf bread (Grandmother Bread!) or crumbled biscuits. My mother used whichever she happened to have, and so do I. (It doesn’t take much to come up to three cups.) One pan of cornbread will give you enough for the seven cups of that.
My mother sometimes would replace one cup of the cornbread and one cup of the white bread with two cups of Pepperidge Farms herbed cubes (cornbread/white mixed) because she liked the herb flavoring in it and because she grew up on a farm in the dust bowl of Oklahoma during the Depression. She didn’t have anything to prove to anybody about doing everything the hard way. When she got to civilization, she said, “Dude, show me the convenience products!” (Okay, my mother has never said the word “dude” in her whole life, but the rest is true.) If you go that route using part Pepperidge Farm herbed cubes, adjust the seasonings in this recipe by taste-testing as you add them.
I never use the Pepperidge Farms herbed cubes. I grew up in the suburbs and came to the boonies of West Virginia and said, “Dude, show me the hardships!” (It’s really not that hard–you’re already gonna make a pan of cornbread and you already gotta have some white bread onhand. I prefer the all homemade, throwback, real old-fashioned recipe my mother started with before Pepperidge Farms put stars in her eyes, and I promise you will, too!
This recipe makes enough for 10-12 people and fits a regular 9 x 13 casserole pan. If you have a huge crowd, double the recipe and go for two pans.
Sometimes when I post links within paragraphs, people miss them, so to make it easy:
For the cornbread—my recipe is here.
For the white bread–you can use Grandmother Bread or these biscuits.
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How to make Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing:
7 cups cornbread, crumbled
3 cups white bread, crumbled or cubed
2 cups celery, chopped
3 cups onions, chopped
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
3-4 cups chicken or turkey broth
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Place the crumbled cornbread and white bread in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped celery and onions. Mix.
Pour the melted butter over all the ingredients along with 3 cups of the broth. (ONLY add 3 cups just yet! Wait on the last cup. More info on that below.) Add the seasonings gradually. Test to your taste.
You may like more or less of any of the seasonings. Poultry seasoning usually includes thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, and black pepper. If you have a particular dislike for any of those, you can add the seasoning separately for each herb you choose. I also add the extra teaspoon of sage, which is enough for me. You may like it more sagey. (Or less.) Use more, or less, of the salt.
The dryness or moistness of dressing is also taste-specific. You may prefer yours more crumbly. If you only use three cups of the broth, you’ll get a more “Stouffer’s”-like consistency, if that’s what you’re used to and prefer. I use four cups of turkey broth in mine. I like it moist. I roast turkeys throughout the year. I save the broth over from one to the next for various uses. (I freeze it in quart jars, leaving enough head space. You can also use home-canned broth, or just buy chicken broth from the store.)
Do all your taste-testing before adding the eggs. Add the fourth cup of broth if you like. When you’re sure you’re satisfied with how you’ve seasoned it, add the eggs. Mix well and spoon into a greased 9 x 13 casserole pan. You can refrigerate it overnight (or even a couple of days). It’s truly best when it’s made ahead of time and left to sit, though you can bake it right away if you need to. It can also be frozen ahead of time. Let it defrost in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes, covered. Take the cover off and bake an additional 30 minutes.
Cornbread dressing isn’t just for Thanksgiving, by the way! And it’s not even just for turkey. It’s great with chicken or pork, too. (I bake the meat and dressing separately then add the meat on top of the dressing when it’s time to serve.)
One more thing–my mother liked to also stir in a can of sliced water chestnuts. This is not quite traditional to the recipe, just something she liked. I was never a huge fan of the water chestnuts, so I don’t. Just tossing that out there in case it’s something that appeals to you.
If you’re new to hosting Thanksgiving dinner and have never made dressing before, or if you’ve lost the family recipe for cornbread dressing, I hope this is one that will bring back the memories you’re looking for this year. Or if you have a favorite family Thanksgiving dressing recipe already, I’d love to hear about it and even have you post it in the comments. Your recipe might just be the one someone is looking for that matches their memories.
Tell us about your dressing!
Find this recipe on Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.
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maryann says:
we have made different dressings through out the years, basically starting from making our own bread to the current one.
(this is for a turkey roasting pan)
two boxes of stovetop chicken stuffing (mostly because all of the seasonings already in it)
two bags of pepperidge farms unseasoned bread cubes
1lb of hamburger (cooked and drained, set aside)
1lb of pork sausage (cooked and drained, set aside)
1 red delicious apple (washed,corded and chopped)
1lb of fresh mushrooms (optional)(cooked partially in either butter or sausage grease
1 cup of chopped celery (cooked in a little sausage grease or butter)
1 large can of chicken broth
Mix stovetop (cubes and seasons) and Pepperidge Farm breadcubes together, add enough broth for the breading to start to hold together and holding to the spoon. Mix in the remaining ingredients, bake at 350 covered until the temp gauge reaches 155 degrees, uncover and bake for another 10 minutes to slightly dry out the top.
One year I ran out of room in the oven and accidently baked it on top of the stove above the oven vent on the back burner. I was waiting for the pies to be done before sliding in the dressing and I happened to catch the sight of steam coming out from under the lid. When I checked on it, it was baking.
P.S I would use spell check but it keeps telling me that all photos are copy righted.
On November 10, 2009 at 4:21 am
KateS says:
That is SO my grandma’s dressing that I’ve always made!! Who knew it was an actual recipe with actual measurements!?! :smilerabbit: I just chop and toss will nilly. :snoopy:
On November 10, 2009 at 4:50 am
Louise says:
sounds tasty!I look forward to trying it out at christmas.
I think your dressing is what we call stuffing in the uk, usually stuffed and cooked inside the bird, hence the name. We often have a different stuffing for each end! have you tried it cooked inside the turkey?
I always make a stuffing which my mother made (cooked rice, chopped dried apricots, raisins, honey, rosemary, diced onion, a little orange juice or stock,) and then try a new one for the other end.
On November 10, 2009 at 4:59 am
C says:
Just like mama/grandma/great-grandma used to make!! This is a tradition in my family at Thanksgiving and an every-so-often treat through the year. My mother is the “dressin’ maker” of the family. She will spend Wed. night with me to make the dressing for Thanksgiving feast next day. We always use biscuits for the “light bread” element! C
On November 10, 2009 at 5:07 am
trish robichaud says:
i am the baby of my family, so i have everyone at my home for the holidays. we never had less than 30 people for dinner. i always use cornbread in my stuffing.ive never added eggs though. i make the dressing the night before and bake it early, i also make 8 pies the night before so oven space is limited. i always get a 25-28 lb. turkey, any larger and it doesnt fit in the oven. one year i learned that the hard way. i had to saw him in half. it turned good out though, now i cook a turkey breast also for the extra meat. i love the poultry seasoning. also i find removing strings from the celery is a plus. happy holidays everyone.
On November 10, 2009 at 5:20 am
Mary Lou says:
When my large family of aunts and cousins gathered together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we tried to avoid the subject of how to make cornbread dressing. Each cook, all from the Great Depression Era, had her own way “it’s supposed to be done.”
Some thought it should include white bread. Others swore allegience to strictly cornbread. My mother was on the cornbread side of the issue. Eventually, she started adding water chestnuts.
Those were a big hit with everyone. But, when one of my
sisters-in-law joined the family and brought her dressing with Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup added, another issue was on the table, and it started all over again. Everytime I make my dressing,
I smile and add a little of everything in honor of those ladies, and it’s the best cornbread dressing ever.
On November 10, 2009 at 5:34 am
Tovah says:
Can I just say that the lego ad next to your blog is super annoying? I had to click on it three times to make it go away. I almost just left the blog as the advertisement, when it pops up covers a good chunk of your entry. Don’t know if you realized this. It has happened to me before otherwise I would just let it go.
The dressing looks good. I love cornbread!
On November 10, 2009 at 5:49 am
Suzanne says:
I completely agree with you. I don’t like the Lego ad either. But, it’s part of a combination of ad campaigns I get through BlogHer, and without those ads, I couldn’t afford to run this site. (Hosting alone costs several hundred dollars a month.) Two things–one, it will go away eventually. Ad campaigns run for periods of time (usually a few months). Second thing–if you make sure your mouse doesn’t roll over it, the ad won’t open out. (That’s what I try to do.) Oh actually a third thing! The ads change when you refresh the page, so if you come to my site and see the Lego ad, the quickest way to make it go away is just refresh the page. I hope that helps! (I’m sorry!)
On November 10, 2009 at 6:18 am
Christine says:
Oooh, thank you! Thanksgiving is at my place this year. I’ll certainly by serving this.
On November 10, 2009 at 5:59 am
RosieJo says:
Yep, that’s the real stuff…stuffing…dressing! The only difference at our house is the amount of sage. My hubby says’ “If you don’t ‘stump your toe’ with the sage you haven’t added enough.”
On November 10, 2009 at 6:09 am
Myrna Mackenzie says:
Suzanne, I am thrilled that you put this recipe on the blog. Although I’ve lived in the north most of my life, my family originally hails from the bootheel of Missouri and on my mother’s side from Mississippi. Cornbread dressing is a part of every Thanksgiving, but because we live in the north and have family members with northern roots, we also have bread stuffing. Every year, there is a friendly rivalry between the cornbread and bread factions, so I’ll make sure to mention that “my” type of dressing got featured in your blog. :shimmy:
Re: the Lego ad, I haven’t had that problem (although I did click on it and yes, ordered Legos for my nephew. I am, as my husband reminds me, easily distracted by bright, shiny things 😮 So maybe I’m not the best judge of what annoys others).
On November 10, 2009 at 6:11 am
JOJO says:
:woof:
You are so right–it would not be Thanksgiving with out this stuffing. I make a lot so my Son can take plenty home with him–I also bake some in a cast iron skillet and cut it just like a pie, even cold it is yummy.
Try doing a leftover turkey sandwich with turkey, canberry sauce and a bit of dressing, it is so good.
Thanksgiving is my favorite of all holidays.
On November 10, 2009 at 6:47 am
Suzanne says:
I love that, too! The stuffing sandwich! Which is pretty odd since you’re putting bread between bread. I do it with the turkey and cranberry sauce, too! YUM.
On November 10, 2009 at 6:55 am
mint says:
:hungry: Sounds similiar to my Mom’s…except we ate it runny!! I don’t do that now tho’
On November 10, 2009 at 6:49 am
Melinda says:
I am from Louisiana and my recipe is the same except I also chop one bunch of green onions and add to the mix (the entire thing except for the roots). When my mother was teaching me her recipe she said the way to tell you have enough eggs (which keeps it moist) is to make sure when it is raw it has the consistancy of “slush” or a very thick soup. It cooks up so moist and holds it’s shape. I’m glad Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away…now I am hungry for Dressing!!!!
On November 10, 2009 at 7:10 am
wkf says:
Does anyone make Turkey Bog with leftovers?! I call it Turkey glop, You use left over turkey , reg. cornbread dressing(not stuffing) and gravy and mix it all together and rebake it, just enpough to crisp the top and warm the middle. My favorite redo !!!!! :happyfeet:
There is another topic, Gravies, talk about a heated debate! Oi!
We also make a pan of oyster dressing too.
On November 10, 2009 at 7:15 am
CindyP says:
This is how we have always made it, except with white bread. I’ve always loved Stove Top cornbread stuffing, so I’m adding cornbread this year. It’s all about thinking out of the box!!! And something else I just realized……I buy way too much stove top during the year, why? Dressing can be made anytime, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
On November 10, 2009 at 7:18 am
Deborah R says:
I have never had cornbread dressing. Ever. I love cornbread so I’m not sure why I haven’t tried it.
I use a modified version of Mom’s stuffing (not dressing) recipe. I save (freeze) the ends of the loaves of home-made (white) bread I make (I save them all the time – bread pudding anyone?), and tear them into pieces when it’s time to make stuffing.
Sautee a chopped onion and some celery in a bunch’o’butter, add it to the bread, add salt, pepper, parsley, several eggs, stock (made the night before from turkey neck and giblets), meat pulled off the turkey neck and about a quarter pound of prosciutto, chopped.
Fill the turkey cavities, truss and roast away.
But we no longer make a whole turkey, since it’s usually just the two of us, so now I get a turkey breast, remove the skin, cut it in half at the breast bone, butterfly it, lay the stuffing on it, roll it up and truss it, put the skin back on, etc. Yum!
TMI? 😀
On November 10, 2009 at 7:28 am
Lish says:
Wow, this is so close to our dressing it’s SCARY. The only thing is… we, like your mom, started using pepperidge farm herb cubes as well. They are very, very good and great when you just don’t have the time. Scary how the old recipes are so similar!! Good food is good food though. And we NEVER stuff a bird. It’s dressing, not stuffing, at our table! Dad grew up on a farm and always said he wasn’t puttin’ ANYTHING inside that bird!! Hehehe
On November 10, 2009 at 7:29 am
Nicol says:
My mother in law gave me the same recipe that was her mother’s only she put chicken in it and boy is it good I’ve been making it for 10 years now:)
On November 10, 2009 at 7:45 am
Doris says:
My mother was a great cook! She owned 2 restaurants in her lifetime. The only difference in her dressing, she added some baking powder at the last minute just before baking; it made if a little lighter. I do that now too!
On November 10, 2009 at 7:48 am
Lynda Dunham-Watkins says:
Your dressing recipe is almost identical to the one I grew up with and still make. About the only difference is I just dump it all together and season and taste and season and taste!! It’s the best. I’ve not tried making it the day before though and just may do that this year. Thanks!!
On November 10, 2009 at 8:04 am
Diane says:
Wonderful! My mother-in-law made this dressing every year, but she would saute the onions and celery in a stick of butter til they were softened, before adding it to the cornbread/bread mix.
Now my daughter-in-law makes the dressing every year and she always adds pieces of cooked chicken breast torn into bite size pieces. Yum! This year will be the first time my husband and I have not had family with us for Thanksgiving, so I’m not sure what we will do!
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving day.
On November 10, 2009 at 8:05 am
Joycee says:
Makes me hungry and it’s only 8AM! I use one very similar that’s been passed down. The only difference is I use leftover biscuits and homegrown sage instead of the poultry seasoning. Thanksgiving is all about tradition!
On November 10, 2009 at 8:06 am
Jo says:
I’ve never had cornbread stuffing either. I might have to try that this year. I always like to add either raisins or dried cranberries to my stuffing. Yummy! :happyflower:
On November 10, 2009 at 8:27 am
Nancy in Iowa says:
Warning! Warning! Drool on keyboard again. Actually, I do NOT like cornbread, but strangely enough I love cornbread stuffing. I just offered to make it for TG at my daughter’s house, but I’m embarrassed to tell you that my plan calls for Stovetop Cornbread Stuffing! :devil2:
On November 10, 2009 at 8:39 am
Sharee says:
Looks so yummy! I used to hate stuffing…I was stupid I know. But I love it now and use it as toppers on things like chicken lasanga or a breading for baked chicken! (oh sounds so good) I want to do alot more than traditional turkey this year..and I want to make a full blown from scratch stuffing….So suzanne you have saved the day for me….! Do you think it will taste the same without celery or onions? ( I dont like celery – and onions…well I always have hated onions..I usually replace it with a powdered onion seasoning or salt…I cant bite into one it just gives me the willies…) Let me know THanks!! I will probably make it with those in it and just pick them out later!
On November 10, 2009 at 9:02 am
JoAnn says:
I make my dressing ahead of time too (I love it that you use the word “dressing” – a lot of people don’t anymore. I put the dressing in the crockpot insert and refrigerate it. Then early on Thanksgiving day (or whatever day I’m serving it) I set the crockpot on high and let it cook most of the morning. A wonderful crust forms on the bottom of the crockpot – if you like crusty (I love it) or you can stir it every hour or so to prevent a crust. Tilt the lid of the crockpot if you like a drier dressing. I serve the dressing on the turkey platter (and some of it was roasted in the turkey) and keep the rest warm in the crock pot – serving more hot dressing as needed. I also put the gravy in a smaller crock pot after it is made – it stays warm for re-filling the gravy boat. I adore my crockpots – I have four of them.
On November 10, 2009 at 9:29 am
Chic says:
:hungry: Mmmm Suzanne that dressing looks so good! I have to be honest and tell you I have NEVER had corn bread stuffing in my life…ya can you believe it! Anyway I’m going to try it with chicken soon. I have never made a stuffing that is NOT put in the bird..guess I’m just old fashioned. No one has gotten sick or died from my stuffing and my kids make the same recipe and stuff the bird too. I know..some will ‘freak’ at this but ‘oh well’. Anyway…here is the recipe I use and everyone who has ever tried it loved it.
Sausage stuffing
10 cups bread torn up
1/2 C chopped onion
1 cup hot chicken broth
2 lg apples diced
1 1/2 lbs sausage meat
1/2 c butter
1 tsp poultry seasoning
salt pepper to taste if any
Brown sausage in lg pot. Add butter and let melt. Stir in bread onions, broth and seasonings. Mix and stuff bird.
This makes your gravy taste SOOOO good and you can just imagine how your house smells!
Anyway…hope someone tries it and likes it. In the meantime I’m going to make some cornbread and try yours before Thanksgiving Suzanne…my mouth is watering already! :hungry2: (pitchfork!)
On November 10, 2009 at 9:31 am
mamawolf says:
I hate to be redundant but this sounds like the dressing my Grandmother and mother made. MIL used browned country sausage in hers. We have used this recipe forever it seems and have made the sausage. Yummm. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. One of the many things I give thanks to is findung Suzanne’s blog; it lifts me up every morning. Thanks Suzanne.
On November 10, 2009 at 9:42 am
Linda in New Mexico says:
Your recipe is exactly the one my Mom, raised in Tenn. made every year. Tradition is a double edged knife, because of the “battles” that are also a tradition at TG. I laughed when I read about other families having the great dressing wars…too funny. When my sister in law joined the family 49 years ago…god I’m old, she brought with her her own traditions and my Mom bristled and huffed and begrudgingly added my sis in laws dishes. As a kid I enjoyed the additional things but not everyone was as accepting. All these years later, it would not be TG without the two dressings, fruit salad and jello salad and two differnt desserts. Too much cooking but worth the remembering…..thanks for your recipe. Makes me wish my Mom was still here to cook for us and enjoy Turkey Day.
On November 10, 2009 at 9:49 am
TXLady says:
That is very much my recipe too except that I saute the vegetables before adding to the cornbread. One of our daughters learned to make dressing from in-laws in South Carolina and you cannot tell her dressing from mine. Truth is…I am not crazy about turkey but I can eat dressing all day long with a little cranberry.
On November 10, 2009 at 9:56 am
Debbie says:
I just realized that our version of this recipe was probably someone making a mistake years ago. Ours is the same but the eggs are boiled and chopped. I’m just wondering if they saw eggs in the recipe and assumed the wrong thing. ha! It was probably my mom who wasn’t much of a cook and married into a family full of fabulous southern cooks who gave her many of their recipes. Wish she was still around to kid her about it. Her version is the only one I have ever known so it’s the one that we use….and I couldn’t leave out those boiled eggs now. Especially since my “girls” just started laying. Anyone else ever hear of using boiled eggs?
On November 10, 2009 at 10:43 am
drgnfly447 says:
I don’t think it was a mistake. We have spent days trying to find a recipe my husbands late grandmother used to make. She was from Tennessee,and used boiled eggs in it. He wants granny’s dressing. So I will be using this recipe using boiled eggs this TG to honer her and my late MIL. Thank you so much for this.
On November 17, 2009 at 11:42 am
Linda says:
My mother in law didn’t put boiled eggs in her dressing but she did put sliced boiled eggs in her giblet gravy. Has anyone else heard of that? I would guess she learned it from her mother. I have carried on the tradition. I guess tradition is one of the most important ingredients of our recipes.
On December 5, 2009 at 11:39 am
KLabmom says:
We don’t make cornbread dressing, but make sage dressing instead. It’s made the same way really just using all white bread. I’m wondering if this is what we eat because we’re from the northwest and have no southern roots? Is it a regional dish?
On November 10, 2009 at 11:27 am
Sharon L says:
That’s the way my mom made it, but she’s from England. Maybe a recipe handed down in your region with colonist origins? I knew it was thanksgiving when I woke up to the smell of onions & celery boiling on the stove (she used the liquid, as well, along with her chicken broth.) Ah, memories!
On November 16, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Aedrielle says:
Well that picture sure has me convinced!!
My husband and I tried a cornbread stuffing from a box once and neither of us really cared for it – and to be honest we’d never heard of cornbread stuffing!! He’s from Wisconsin and I’m a born and raised Washingtonian, so I’m not sure where cornbread stuffing fell from tradition.
Anyhow, we’re both huge stuffing lovers, so we were surprised to not like the cornbread stuffing. BUT what I’m thinking is that it needs to be homemade!
We’ll be trying this at home, for sure. Maybe I’ll volunteer to bring the stuffing on Thanksgiving!
:hungry:
On November 10, 2009 at 11:45 am
Joanna Wilcox says:
My folks liked to spread the dressing/stuffing thin on a sheet, bake, and eat it like thin crust pizza.
On November 10, 2009 at 11:55 am
Michele says:
I want to make this too. Great pics as usual. :hungry2:
On November 10, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Shirley says:
Your dressing recipe is the one a friend taught me to make years ago, and my family always loved it. Then I found a crockpot dressing that is very easy and tastes the same. I’ve been using it for about 10 years, and have featured it on my blog.
There’s nothing better than good dressing, but there’s also nothing worse than bad.
On November 10, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Jana says:
I have been after my mother to write down her recipe for YEARS but she says she does better with making it from memory. *sigh* This sounds pretty close to hers from what I’ve seen…except she adds chicken and boiled eggs (along with the raw ones). I wish she made it more than at just TG and Christmas. I love it.
Now that you’ve given us a recipe that sounds pretty close, I may try making it myself.
Thanks, Suzzanne, for making me want to cook! LOL
On November 10, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Kathleen H from Indiana says:
I love cornbread dressing. Have never made it. Mom or Aunt Molly usually bring it. But this year I think I will use your recipe and surprise everyone. I am going to use the homemade cornbread and white bread and use all 4 cups of broth (love it moist). Your picture has me convinced. I will definitely make it a day in advance to let the flavors come together. Yum Yum. Thanks Suzanne.
:hungry:
On November 10, 2009 at 1:52 pm
J says:
Yep, handed down from Granma Izzie to mom and her sisters to me, my sisters, and even my brother makes this stuffing.
Yummmm, that picture of the dressing and chicken makes my mouth water. :hungry:
On November 10, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Courtney says:
This is also my recipe except I also simmer my veggies in butter. I also make my own cream of chicken soup AND my favorite addition is a smoked fattie (Jimmy Dean 1lb maple flavored breakfast sausage smoked in my smoker). I have also been using Publix Italian five grain bread. But I bet the homemade bread would be great!
Courtney
On November 10, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Judy H says:
Just the way we fix it around our home and family for years!
Yummy!!!
On November 11, 2009 at 1:01 am
Robin Feltner says:
This looks so delicious. I’m going to try this version. Thanks for the recipe.
On November 11, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Donna says:
My mother always made the cornbread stuffing or dressing…but would make a baked chicken recipe with bread stuffing. My inlaws have the bread stuffing. Mine has bread and cornbread..sort of an even mix…tastes so good. I use a bag of Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs and then bake a pan of cornbread with 5 eggs, so there is no chopped egg showing in the stuffing…I sautee celery and onion in butter…add some stale toast or biscuits or sleeve of saltines…turkey meat..like I boil legs in Poultry seasoning and then use the broth..and add chicken broth out of the cartons…salt, pepper, little sage and little more poultry seasoning, like 1 TBSP per pan…it makes alot and is sooo good.
On November 12, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Gweny says:
At the risk of saying it again… This is very near the recipe that has been handed down in our family for many generations. I never measure anything, I just know what it is suppose to look like and taste like LOL. I mix the cornbread/bread mixture, celery, onions, and seasoning the day before for the purpose of the flavors marrying :). Then add my broth, butter and eggs to make a soupy consistancy on TG morning and bake. I do like the idea that JoAnn gave of cooking it in the slow cooker or crock pot. I could sure use the extra room that would leave in the oven for more goodies…Happy Thanksgiving everyone and God Bless each of you and your families.
On November 15, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Mary McGrew says:
Thank you for the help with my Thanksgiving dinner. I have never made dressing but have left it to other family members to make. This year I was assigned to make it. I found your page on the internet and it sounded right but I still was nervous about making it. Well it was so good we ate dinner and had some for left overs.Thats because I made enough for thirty people.I’ll be using this recipe again and again . I may even try different things in it now that I have confidence in the outcome. Thank you so much!
On November 30, 2009 at 9:07 pm
ScreamingSardine says:
Slowly, but surely, reading all the past blog entries.
Anyway, I’m going to try your cornbread stuffing very soon. Here’s one I grew up with:
3/4 cup minced onion
3 cups diced celery
1 cup fat (butter or margarine)
1 pint oysters
3 quarts bread cubes (around 12 cups, I think), firmly packed
1.5 teaspon poultry seasoning
1.5 to 2 cups stock from oysters or milk
Cook onion and celery in butter until golden; stirring occasionally. Cook oysters in own juices until edges begin to curl. Drain off stock to be used as part of liquid in recipe.
Toss seasoning with bread cubes. Add onion, celery, butter, and oysters. Mix lightly. Add stock slowly, stirring lightly.
Stuffs a 16 pound turkey.
On December 17, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Bev says:
This recipe is very similar to what my Grama made EXCEPT, the onions and celery were always cooked in butter until soft and golden. It makes a much tastier dressing as you are not biting into uncooked celery or onion. :sheepjump:
On August 29, 2010 at 7:08 pm
joykenn says:
Sounds exactly like the cornbread dressing my mother always made except we sauted the celery and onions in the butter before adding it all in. I never liked the bread stuffing my mother-in-law made–too gummy and bland for my taste. Sooo, I devised a rice and bread dressing. I cooked rice in chicken stock with sage added. Then used THAT in place of cornbread. Sometimes I added fresh mushrooms to it. Actually it was kind of a good compromise for what my husband was used to and what I was used to. But now I’ve reverted to my roots and got the guys to all like cornbread dressing–not stuffing!
On September 2, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Wendy says:
My grandmother (I called her Mom,) called it “filling.” I suspect that’s PA Dutch speak? But it sure was filling!!! She didn’t use cornbread, neither. 😉 But I want to try.
On October 28, 2010 at 2:24 am
Susan says:
:happybutterfly: Putting eggs in the stuffing must be a southern thing; my friends from N. Carolina do it, too. We never did. But we are a bunch of Swedes from Wisconsin.
On November 7, 2010 at 2:21 am
Sandi says:
My family also sautes the celery and onion, and puts hard boiled eggs in. My mom was from Massachussetts and made “cruton” dressing, my dad from Mobile, AL and had cornbread dressing. I’ve always had both growing up, because neither was willing to give up their version! This year, I will be making my first cornbread dressing recipe, without mom or dad’s help. Thanks for the recipe!
On November 21, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Stoney says:
I used your recipe instead of my usual for Thanksgiving this year and I received several comments stating this was the best dressing they ever had or that it tastes just like their grandma’s. So glad I found this recipe. This is truly southern dressing. Thanks for posting!
On November 27, 2010 at 9:49 am
Annette says:
this looks just yummy!!! just like my gramma used to make.. except she added white rice to the mix.
On December 20, 2010 at 8:04 am
jodiezoeller says:
Close to my Mom & Grandmother’s Texas cornbread stuffing… Except we saute the celery and onions in the butter before adding to the dressing. My Mom used to use eggs, chopped boiled eggs and some milk instead of some of the broth. Her cornbread dressing was usually 1/2 cornbread, 1/2 light bread or biscuits. The dressing with milk was more like a corn bread pudding. I usually use broth in mine.
On November 21, 2013 at 11:36 am
Portnoy44 says:
Love all the recipes, wanted to post my family’s version:
Bake 9×13 pan of cornbread ahead 2 days. Crumble and leave out to dry. I normally use some bread cubes, to keep it from being gloppy since I don’t use eggs. The ratio is about 1/3 cubes & 2/3 cornbread. Cubes should be dry. Get large bowl and mix breads, make sure there is plenty of room to stir! I normally use the really BIG bowl.
Fry about 2 lbs bacon, thick slices, crumble when dry. Reserve bacon grease. Chop 2 onions and a head of celery, sliced thin, make sure to use leaves. I often de-string mine. Fry onions and celery in bacon grease, making sure the grease used has the dark floaty bits. I normally use 1/4 cup grease and and a stick of butter. Fry til soft, not brown. Add poultry seasoning to taste, mine usually looks almost black w seasoning, I use at least 4 Tbsp. Pour cooked mixture over breads, stirring all the while – this is usually a two person job! If alone, measudre out a cup at a time, stir, repeat. Breads should NOT be soaked at this point, just a little wet.
Here is where the fun begins! Add ingredients as you like, or what you have on hand. I usually use 2 apples, 1-2 cups pecans and ALL the fried, crumbled bacon. Leave the peel on the fruit. Over the years, I’ve tried almost every nut, discovered pears disappear when baked & that cranberries do NOT BELONG lol. However, this is YOUR dressing, so use whatever! Mushrooms, water chestnuts, chestnuts, raisins, etc are all things I’ve tried. Some people prefer sausage to the bacon, I’ve done it myself when out of bacon. This is the creative part, so have FUN! Stir til combined.
Now you need melted butter or pan drippings and stock. Bullion doesn’t work well, it gets much too salty IMHO. Use the stock and butter to moisten, it should be very moist throughout but not gloppy. Stir well while adding or do as before and measure out a cup at a time, pour over, stir and repeat. I usually grind some salt and pepper as I moisten – not too much – taste as you go. The mixture should be wet enough to make it tough to stir but not runny. IF using eggs, add here w extra stock, my Moms allergic so I don’t. I find it holds together well enough without, tho its not ‘set’ like dressing w eggs when baked. Cover, refrigerate overnight.
Turkey day, when the bird comes out and the casseroles go in, is your time to bake. I will melt a stick of butter and pour over before baking, or use reserved bacon grease if short on butter. I also pour stock over to ensure moisture content while baking. Cover w foil, bake 15-20 min, then uncover and bake another 15, or til its hot throughout (150° minimum). Don’t be afraid to let the top get crusty!
My MAIN problem is that it always seems to make TOO MUCH, but that depends on how welcome leftovers are! My ex came up with a NEW DISH one year that I adore, but rarely enjoy…normally we have candied yams too. I’m talking about the ones w the sugar syrup & marshmallows. This depends on having leftovers of BOTH dishes. Spoon dressing into buttered baking dish. Take a fork and mash up the chunks of yams, then spread evenly overtop the dressing and bake. YUMMMMY!!! :snoopy: Its sweet and savory combined into a NEW dish! I would take turkey slices, spoon on and roll up OR simply serve atop warm turkey leftovers. I love frying the turkey slices in a little butter til browned a bit and spoon the Yam Dressing concoction atop. It also eats well alone! If you don’t have candied yams, pour maple syrup over the dressing to reheat, or open a can of yams, mush lightly and then pour over syrup. I love the Yam Dressing as breakfast!!!
I am stuck this year, trying to make enough for 8 people plus leftovers. I think it becomes a HUGE amount cuz of how much cornbread I start with… ANY & ALL suggestions for how to make LESS would be gratefully accepted. It never seems to work the same when I try to halve it, somehow.
HOW on Earth do I figure out the amounts if I want LESS?!?! As you can tell, its not a recipe really, its more like instructions…. my Dad always made it, trying to duplicate his Moms. Then, one year, he got wild and added the apple and nuts, before then it was just the breads, bacon, butter, poultry seasoning and stock! He also makes her mustard potato salad, w LOTS of pimentos. These two dishes are the ones he always adored, so he taught himself those two and nothing else. LOLOL The chopping is a chore, so I get out the food processor every year for onions and celery. :pinkpig:
On November 23, 2013 at 7:39 am
sara63 says:
:snoopy: Thank you so much, My mother has passed away and for years I have been trying to figure out how to make this and you connected all the dots for me. I remember my Dad and me sneaking in the fridge to take a bite the nite before . We loved it! She would tell us about the eggs but we didn’t care! Cant wait to make this.
hugs!
Sara
On November 22, 2014 at 11:33 am