An authentic recipe for traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing and an easy turkey cooking method. Both are always a part of our Thanksgiving menu.
I'm checking today to make sure I have everything I need for that good old Thanksgiving classic Turkey and Southern Cornbread Dressing.
This is always the star of the show at our Thanksgiving dinners. The side dishes may change. The desserts may be varied. But there is always, always turkey and dressing on the menu.
Stuffing or Dressing? What's the Difference?
Of course, I know that there are those who will debate the differences in dressing and stuffing. I suppose there are merits to each, but dressing is our tradition.
Some people say that the difference is simply that stuffing is cooked inside the turkey and dressing is cooked in a separate dish. In my experience, there's a great deal more difference than that.
The type of cornbread dressing that I grew up with was as different from stuffing as night is from day. Stuffing has cubes of bread or cornbread with other wonderful additions. Vegetables, sausage, even fruit.
But dressing is of a completely different texture. The cornbread is broken down to be more homogenous with the other ingredients which are typically not much more than onions, celery, and stock.
It's also given some lift during the cooking by the addition of beaten eggs. The result is more akin to what southerners would call "souffled," the cornbread having been lifted and lightened by the addition of the eggs.
My Mama's Dressing
What follows is, with minor modifications, my mother's recipe for cornbread dressing. Now my Mama is the undisputed Queen of Southern Cornbread Dressing Makers.
She holds the title and everyone in the family knows it. We're all crazy about her dressing and she always makes far more than is needed to feed the crowd because we all want to take home some of the leftovers.
When BeeBop and I were newly married and living far away from our southern home, Mama wrote down her dressing recipe and mailed it to me (yes, mailed it; there was no email in those days).
That was 30 years ago, and I've used her handwritten instructions ever since. It makes me feel like she's right there in the kitchen cooking with me.
If you want to treat your family to some authentic southern cornbread dressing, give my recipe a try.
An authentic recipe for traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing and an easy turkey cooking method Click To Tweet
How to Make Southern Cornbread Dressing:
Make the Egg Bread
You'll start by making a type of cornbread that we call egg bread. The egg bread should be room temperature, so it’s easiest to make it the day before you make the dressing.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Sift together the cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
Add buttermilk and eggs, alternately.
Pour the cooking oil into an iron skillet and place it into the hot oven. Let the batter rest while the skillet and oil are heating (about 5 minutes).
Quickly pour the batter into the hot skillet and return immediately to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Set aside the egg bread until you're ready to make the dressing. I always make the egg bread a day or two in advance and refrigerate it until it's needed.
Assemble the Dressing:
Just a little note here - people often ask me if they can assemble the dressing a day ahead and bake it when needed. I do not advise doing that simply because cornmeal (and, therefore, cornbread) is very, very absorbent. The longer it sits, the more liquid it absorbs. If you made up your dressing the day before baking, it would turn out very dry because the cornmeal would have taken up all the liquid. This type of dressing is meant to be quite moist when served.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Chop the onions and celery.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan.
Yes, a whole stick of butter. This makes a huge dish of dressing so you probably won't even get a half a tablespoon of butter in your serving. And anyway, it's Thanksgiving, for Pete's sake. Indulge!
Add the onions and celery cooking slowly until tender but without browning at all. Sprinkle with the 1/2 tsp. salt while cooking.
Meanwhile, crumble the egg bread into a large baking dish. Just break it up as small as you can with your hands. Don't worry about it too much, you'll work out the finer texture a little later.
Add the soup and broth and then grab your potato masher. Yes, I said potato masher. Use the potato masher to break up the egg bread to a finer texture. You want as few lumps as possible.
Add the sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Stop here and taste the mixture. You may need a little more salt. Remember, that's a big dish of dressing to season.
Lightly beat the eggs and add to the dressing mixture. Your mixture should be fairly “soupy.” If you think it’s too thin, you can add some additional bread, crackers, etc. to thicken it.
However, it's rarely too wet. Even if you think it's too wet, it's probably not. It took me a long time to learn that. It's just one of those cook-by-feel lessons that you acquire through making a traditional recipe over and over.
If you do add more bread or crackers, be sure to crumble them well and incorporate them into the mixture.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the dressing is golden brown on top and cooked throughout.
How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey:
Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without the turkey! Here's my simple method for cooking a beautifully moist turkey with a golden, crispy skin.
If your turkey is frozen, allow it to thaw unopened in the refrigerator. Allow at least 24 hours for every 4 pounds. When thawed, keep in refrigerator until ready to cook.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Remove the turkey from its packaging and, using disposable paper toweling, pat dry very thoroughly. Just look at that turkey in the upper left! I opened the packaging to find the skin split in several places. Grrr...thanks a lot Publix.
Anyway, if that happens to you, don't panic. Just do some toothpick surgery like I did. Pull the edges of the split skin together and use toothpicks to secure it. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
If using a whole turkey, tuck the wing tips underneath the body and tie the legs together with twine. Place the turkey on a rack in an open roasting pan.
Rub the skin all over with a generous amount of softened, room temperature butter. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper, a seasoned salt mixture, or your favorite combination of spices.
Place the pan in the oven and set a timer for about 2/3 through the cooking time. When the turkey is about 2/3 done, check for browning. You may need to cover the breast and top of drumsticks with lightweight foil to prevent over browning.
Cook according to the following time table:
| 4 1/2 to 7 pounds | 2 – 2 1/2 hours |
| 7 to 9 pounds | 2 1/2 – 3 hours |
| 9 to 18 pounds | 3 – 3 1/2 hours |
| 18 to 22 pounds | 3 1/2 – 4 hours |
| 22 to 24 pounds | 4 – 4 1/2 hours |
| 24 to 30 pounds | 4 1/2 – 5 hours |
Test for doneness with a meat thermometer. A thermometer placed deep within the thigh should read 180 degrees when done.
Remove from oven and let stand at least 15 minutes before carving.
Enjoy!
More Thanksgiving Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Pork Loin Stuffed with Prunes and Apricots
- Sweet Potato and Pecan Stuffing
- Copper Pennies
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Two Thanksgiving Relishes - Kumquat & Dried Cherry Chutney and Cranberry-Orange Relish
- Baked Fruit
- Pecan Cheesecake Pie
- Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Roll
- Old Fashioned Gingerbread with Lemon Glaze
Cornbread Dressing Recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Southern Cornbread Dressing from Add A Pinch
- Easy Cornbread Dressing from Seeded at the Table
- Cornbread Dressing from Tastes Better From Scratch
Like This Recipe! Pin It!
Turkey and Southern Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 onions
- 3 stalks celery
- 8 tbsp butter (1 stick)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Egg Bread recipe follows
- 1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 32 oz. chicken broth or stock
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups (or more) of additional bread crumbs saltine crackers, leftover biscuits or stale bread
For the egg bread:
- 2 cups finely ground white cornmeal sifted
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
For the turkey:
- Whole turkey or turkey breast
- Softened butter
- Salt and pepper or your preferred seasoned salt mixture
Instructions
To make the dressing:
- Start by making the egg bread. The egg bread should be room temperature, so it’s easiest to make it the day before making the dressing. See directions below.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the onions and celery. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and celery cooking slowly until tender but without browning at all. Sprinkle with the 1/2 tsp. salt while cooking.
- Meanwhile, crumble the egg bread into a large baking dish. Add the soup and broth and mix well using a potato masher to break up the egg bread to a fine texture. Add the sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Taste and adjust for more salt if needed.
- Lightly beat the eggs and add to the dressing mixture. Your mixture should be fairly “soupy.” If you think it’s too thin, you can add some additional bread, crackers, etc. to thicken it. Be sure to crumble them well and incorporate them into the mixture.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the dressing is golden brown on top and cooked throughout.
Make the egg bread:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Sift together the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk and eggs, alternately.
- Pour the cooking oil into an iron skillet and place it into the hot oven. Let the batter rest while the skillet and oil are heating (about 5 minutes). Quickly pour the batter into the hot skillet and return immediately to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Cook the turkey:
- If your turkey is frozen, allow it to thaw unopened in the refrigerator. Allow at least 24 hours for every 4 pounds. When thawed, keep in refrigerator until ready to cook.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey from its packaging and, using disposable paper toweling, pat dry very thoroughly. If using a whole turkey, tuck the wing tips underneath the body and tie the legs together with twine.
- Place the turkey on a rack in an open roasting pan. Rub the skin all over with softened, room temperature butter. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper, a seasoned salt mixture, or your favorite combination of spices. When the turkey is about 2/3 done, cover the breast and top of drumsticks with lightweight foil to prevent over browning.
- Cook according to the following time table:2 to 7 pounds: 2 – 2 1/2 hours8 to 9 pounds: 2 1/2 – 3 hours10 to 18 pounds: 3 – 3 1/2 hours19 to 22 pounds: 3 1/2 – 4 hours23 to 24 pounds: 4 – 4 1/2 hours25 to 30 pounds: 4 1/2 – 5 hours
- Test for doneness with a meat thermometer. A thermometer placed deep within the thigh should read 180 degrees when done. Remove from oven and let stand at least 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
| facebook | instagram | pinterest | twitter |
Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →
gloria patterson says
I would almost kill for this southern cornbread dressing!!!!! In the north they eat bread stuffing that is all gummie. I am polite and take one little spoonful but hate ever bite of it....................... YOU could sent me a big of this any time :-)
Miss P says
And the angels sang "Hallelujah!"
Truly, absolutely, still after so many decades, the absolute best food on the planet. Mama is indeed the Queen of Dressing.
Miss P
Lana Stuart says
Yes, she is! No doubt.
Rozalyn says
Question I don't have a case iron skillet can I bake it in a pie pan or glass dish?
Lana Stuart says
You can bake it in any ovenproof dish.
Judy says
Hi Lana,
I made the egg bread today - I am planning on putting the dressing together tomorrow morning then refrigerate it overnight and then cook it on Thankgiving day. Is this a good strategy? If I cut the recipe in half how much bread crumbs, saltine crackers and stale bread should I add? Can I blend the onion and celery after they are sautéed? My husband doesn't like the texture.
Lana Stuart says
You'll have to add a good bit more liquid if you let it sit overnight. The cornbread absorbs a massive amount of liquid in a short time. I never make mine ahead of time.
Peg says
Lana, I have to thank you for posting this again! I think this post is how I found you a few years ago, and I've used your egg bread & dressing recipes for the past 3 or 4 years. It gives me that wonderful southern cornbread dressing like my mom and MIL used to make. Thank you thank you thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Stella says
For years, into my adulthood, I wondered what made my paternal grandmother's dressing so special. Finally figured out that it was the addition of rosemary.
amber says
THis recipe is the one I chose as my first time ever making dressing. IT IS AMAZING! All the guest said it was the best they ever had.
Lana Stuart says
I'm so glad you all enjoyed it!
Bkelley says
Lana, all those ingredients, the i.e., Egg Bread (recipe follows)
1 can cream of chicken soup
32 oz. chicken broth or stock is for if you only do one pan of egg bread correct? so I should just double all of that if I make two or three egg breads correct?
Lana Stuart says
Yes, the recipe as written is for one batch of dressing using one pan of egg bread.
Theresa says
Ver similar to my moms dressing. I'm tryin yours now! Can I prepare it all tonight and refrigerate it until I cook it tomorrow?
Lana Stuart says
Theresa - it will absorb too much liquid if you mix it up tonight and it'll be very dry when you bake it. I don't advise mixing it in advance.
Christy says
Can I use jiffy cornbread mix? I usually do and I think it's sweet but the fam likes it. I just add sage, poultry seasoning, s/p, broth and celery so it's plain but the sweet gives it a little more interest.
I want to change it up but not too much and this looks great! I just bought my cornbread mixes tho. Would it work?
Lana Stuart says
Hi Christy - If you want an authentic taste, Jiffy won't work. First, it's yellow cornmeal instead of white and secondly, it's way too sweet. It also has a very different texture than this egg bread. It's okay sometimes, I guess, but it won't make *this* recipe correctly.