Grandma's Soul Food-Style Cornbread Dressing

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Soul Food

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 5

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Our family's old-fashioned southern cornbread dressing with moist, sweet honey cornbread and Louisiana aromatics, and a kick of heat! This dressing comes out moist on the inside with a golden top crust.

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Equipment

1 mixing bowl
1 kitchen spoon
1 oblong baking dish
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 stock pot or deep saucepan

Ingredients

For the Cornbread

2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 eggs
2 cups milk see notes
1 cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar

For the Dressing

1 green bell pepper
3 stalks celery
½ onion
4 cloves garlic
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dried parsley
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth or stock, warm or at room temperature
2-3 tablespoons hot sauce or to taste
7 eggs
2 cups evaporated milk

Instructions

Make the Cornbread: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then stir in the remaining cornbread ingredients until a uniform batter comes together that is free of any large lumps or dry pockets.
2 cups yellow cornmeal, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup honey, ¼ cup brown sugar
Transfer batter into a baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Allow the cornbread to come to room temperature, then use a utensil or your hands to break and crumble it into pieces no bigger than two inches. Set aside.
*If you're making the cornbread ahead of time (up to three days), turn the oven off once it's done, and store the cooled and crumbled cornbread in an airtight food container at room temperature.
Build the Flavor: Meanwhile, chop the bell pepper, celery, and onion, and crush or mince the garlic.
1 green bell pepper, 3 stalks celery, ½ onion, 4 cloves garlic
Add butter to deep pot over medium heat, and allow to melt, then add parsley, cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant (about five minutes).
1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dried parsley, 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 bay leaf, black pepper, sea salt
Stir in chopped vegetables and continue cooking until tender and translucent (about eight minutes).
Pour in the broth and hot sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and set them aside.
2 cups chicken broth, 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce, 7 eggs
Assemble and Bake: Remove pot from heat, then stir in the cornbread, evaporated milk, and beaten eggs until smooth and uniform. The cornbread should absorb all the liquid in the pot when fully incorporated.
2 cups evaporated milk
Spread the mixture into baking pan and transfer to oven to bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until the dressing is golden brown and firm to the touch. Let it set for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Preparation

My original cornbread recipe calls for buttermilk, but I find that produces too soft of a crumb for this recipe. We want a sturdier cornbread--like a savory bread pudding, so use regular dairy milk or plant-based milk.

To use Jiffy Mix: Replace the listed cornbread ingredients with four boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, four eggs, and 1 ⅓ cup of milk. Then follow the recipe as written from step two.

Modifications

You can add cooked shredded poultry (like chicken, duck, or turkey), ground meat, or sausage to the dressing just before baking, or uncooked seafood like shrimp, crawfish, or crab for extra indulgence.

Feel free to follow the individual spices listed in the recipe card, or an equivalent amount of Creole seasoning plus the dried parsley.

Storage

Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

To freeze, allow the dressing to come to room temperature, then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and transfer to the freezer. It will keep for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To reheat dressing by the pan, let it come to room temperature from the fridge, then pour a splash of broth, stock, or milk over top, place the pan into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.

To reheat individual servings of dressing, microwave for about two minutes with a small spoonful of broth or milk over top.

Nutrition