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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread dressing served on a white plate beside the baking dish

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Southern cornbread dressing with turkey combines dried, non-sweet cornbread, roasted turkey, buttery vegetables, saltines, and cream of chicken soup for a moist center and golden-brown top.

Ingredients

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Instructions

Prepare the Cornbread

  1. Bake the cornbread 2 to 3 days in advance.
  2. Cool completely, crumble, and let it dry at room temperature, loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel.

Roast the Turkey

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Season turkey wings and thighs with salt and pepper on all sides.
  3. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue roasting for 1 hour. Check the thickest meat, away from bone, reaches 165°F.
  5. Cool until you can safely handle the turkey; refrigerate cooked turkey and drippings within 2 hours if not assembling promptly.
  6. Pour off drippings and reserve.
  7. Remove meat from bones, discarding skin and bones.
  8. Coarsely chop the meat and set aside.

Cook the Vegetables

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper; cook until tender.
  3. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds without browning.

Assemble the Dressing

  1. Place dried, crumbled cornbread in a very large mixing bowl.
  2. Add sautéed vegetables, parsley, crushed saltines, cream of chicken soup, 2 cups turkey drippings, and chopped turkey meat.
  3. If drippings are insufficient, use chicken broth to bring the total to 2 cups.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Transfer mixture into two greased large baking dishes.

Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and the center reaches 165°F.
  3. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
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Notes

Substitutions

  • Replace turkey drippings with chicken broth if needed. (But let me tell you, turkey drippings make it out of this world!)
  • Use rotisserie chicken meat in place of roasted turkey thighs and wings.
  • Substitute homemade cream soup for canned cream soup.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with roasted turkey, chicken, or holiday meats.
  • Pairs well with cranberry sauce, gravy, and green beans.

Storage

  • Refrigerate baked leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze tightly wrapped portions for up to 2 months.
  • Reheat covered in a 325°F oven until the center reaches 165°F.

Make-Ahead Option

  • Bake the dressing ahead, then cool promptly in shallow containers. Do not refrigerate fully mixed, unbaked dressing for 2 to 3 days.
  • After cooling promptly, cover dishes with plastic wrap, and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 4 days and reheat to 165°F.

Timing review: The supplied cook-time field is 1 hour 45 minutes. The written roasting and baking steps total 2 hours 5 minutes (80 plus 45 minutes), excluding cornbread baking, drying, and cooling. Confirm the timing before publication.

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