Herbed Cornbread Dressing

 

A new-to-me recipe for my 2020 Thanksgiving meal, it’s fair to say that this recipe will be my new go-to for holiday dressing. The most idyllic element of Herbed Cornbread Dressing is the fact that I didn’t need to age the cornbread. I did age the biscuits, though—french bread would suffice.

The dressing is one of the last dishes to go from oven-to-table, so I wasn’t able to capture a photo of it fully baked; Melissa was tired and her tribe was famished! Imagine it nicely browned and it’s basically the same as the photo below (pre-baked).

 
 
Ready to bake!

ready to bake

 
 

Elements

3 Boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

3 Large Eggs

1 C Whole Milk

1/2 Loaf Stale Bread

8 Celery Stalks, chopped

2 shallots, Finely Chopped

1 T Minced Garlic

1 Stick Butter

4 C Chicken Broth

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Herbes de Provence

1 tsp White Pepper

3 Hard-Boiled Eggs, finely chopped *optional*

1 tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped

1 tsp Fresh Sage, chopped

1 T Fresh Rosemary, stemmed and chopped

Directions

  1. Prepare cornbread as directed in a baking dish; I prefer an 8x11 rectangular dish. Once cool, slice in a grid pattern, to create cubes, using a knife (see slides below).

  2. preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

  3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add butter.

  4. Once butter is melted, add minced garlic and sauté until golden brown.

  5. Add celery and shallots to garlicky butter and sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes.

  6. In an extra-large mixing bowl, scoop-out cornbread into bowl.

  7. Break apart bread with your hands and add to bowl; you want small 1” chunks, not too big.

  8. Add sautéd veggies to bowl; add seasonings.

  9. Toss using a large spoon and try to keep some of the cornbread cubes in tact.

  10. Add chicken broth and toss again.

  11. Pour dressing into a buttered or sprayed baking pan and top with fresh thyme.

  12. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes; stir once edges brown, cover, and bake for another 30 minutes.

  13. After one hour, remove foil, check to see if any broth remains and how tacky the dressing feels; you want it to be bread-like not soupy or soggy. Bake uncovered until top browns and correct consistency is reached.

  14. remove from oven, top with freshly-chopped herbs, and serve!

 
 
 

Progression Slides

 

xo, Melissa

 
HolidayMelissa ChildressDressing, Cornbread, HerbedComment