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Down Home Cornbread Dressing

A true traditional recipes for southern cornbread dressing

True Down Home Cornbread Dressing, just like Mom’s!

When I was younger, I wasn’t a huge fan of turkey. So when the holidays came around, I could less about the “bird”( It wasn’t until I got older, and started cooking the turkey myself that I started to like it…) There was one dish, however, that I went bananas over ever holiday- And that dish happened to be my Moms’ Dressing! Hunny, my Mom can make dressing like no other ( well, other than her daughter of course 😛 ). She would  put use the turkey necks, and turkey giblets, and use other ingredients to make the best damn dressing ever! My only complaint was she never seemed to make enough!

Years later, I pretty much make the same dressing, but I have added my own twist to it of course. Since, I am now a turkey lover, I like to add more turkey to my dressing. Therefore, I don’t just use the one or two turkey necks ( my mom used the turkey scraps, and put used to them). I use 2 lbs of turkey necks! Also, I add sweet peppers( bell pepper…. but not the green ones) to my dressing.

Homemade southern style cornbread dressing with turkey, vegetables and seasonings

Now what about the cornbread?!

For this recipe I make homemade cornbread. I will not be using any store bought dressing/ stuffing stuff. The recipe for the cornbread I make, is super easy. Also, you DO NOT have to wait a whole day to use this recipe (  I like old fashioned recipe just like the next girl, but ain’t nobody got time to wait a day to use the damn bread!) I simply  make my cornbread on 400 F, to help dry it out a bit. Therefore we don’t have to wait 24 hours for it to dry out.

Keep in mind, this is how I make my dressing. You can add more seasonings, and etc  if you choose!

Cornbread Dressing
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Down Home Cornbread Dressing

This homemade cornbread dressing is stuffed with turkey, tons of delicious seasonings, and sweet peppers, onions, and more. This classic southern dish will be the highlight of your holiday table. 
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Keyword Southern Cornbread Stuffing
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author I Heart Recipes

Ingredients

CORNBREAD:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Other ingredients needed:

  • 2 lbs turkey necks
  • 1 lb chicken gizzards or turkey gibblets
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp ground sage
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp parsley flakes
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp dehydrated onions
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium sized onion chopped
  • 2 medium sized sweet pepper chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups chicken
  • or turkey broth
  • 1/2 cup butter melted

Instructions

Start off with the Cornbread:

  • In a large bowl, add in the cornmeal, all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Mix or sift the ingredients together.
  • Now add in 2 eggs, the vegetable oil, and the butter milk. Whisk everything, until well combined.
  • Grease a 13 x 9 pan ( or whatever you have) and pour the cornbread batter in the dish.
  • Bake the cornbread on 400 F for 30-35 minutes.
  • Let the cornbread cool down.

The meat:

  • Before anything, make sure you carefully clean the turkey necks and gizzards. Be sure to remove the membranes from the turkey necks.
  • Season the Turkey necks with 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced onion, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp ground sage, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp salt. Season the gizzards/giblets the same way.
  • Oil a bake dish, and place the turkey necks on one side of the dish, and the gizzards on the other.
  • Pour the chicken or turkey broth into the bake dish along with the turkey necks and gizzards.
  • Cover the dish, and place it in the oven on 350 F, for 1 hour or until the meat is nice and tender.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool.

Building the stuffing:

  • Add 2 tbsp of olive oil ( or vegetable oil) into a medium sized pan. Turn the heat to medium, and add in the chopped onions and peppers. Cook the vegetables until they softened, then remove from the heat.
  • In a large bowl, or dish crumble the cornbread. Add in the onions, and peppers, and fold in.
  • Remove the turkey meat from the bones, and add it along with the cornbread and peppers. Now dice the gizzards/gibblets, and add them along with the other ingredients. Fold in.
  • Pour the broth, from the bake dish that you cooked the turkey necks and gizzards in, into the dressing mixture.
  • Add in two large eggs, and stir in.
  • Last but not least pour in 1/2 cup melted butter.
  • Mix until everything is well combined, then place the dressing into a well greased dish.
  • Smooth out the dressing, then cover it with foil.
  • Bake the dressing in the oven on 350 F for about 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Remove the dressing from of the oven, and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
  • ENJOY!!!!

Video

 Check out these recipes as well!

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Homemade Southern Cornbread

Southern Cornbread

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Soul Food Collard Greens

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Baked Candied Yams

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Comments

  1. I am definitely making this for Thanksgiving dinner!! I love cornbread stuffing, and this definitely looks and sounds like a winner. Thanks for the recipe and have a wonderful holiday season!!

    Reply

  3. Hopefully, you will get this before tomorrow, but is that 4 tablespoons of baking powder in the recipe? That sounds like a lot; just wondering if that is the precise measurement?

    Reply

  4. I will be making this tomorrow. Since my neck and other parts went into the gravy, I’ll add some of the turkey. This looks delicious.

    Reply

  5. I found you on You Tube, while looking for cornbread dressing recipes. Let me say, I was shocked to see someone else using turkey necks. Everyone I know do not use turkey necks. I was happy to see you used them, as we do. But was surprised that you baked them. We boil then de-bone the meat. I will try your method for the Xmas holidays. I think your method may be easier than what I normally do. Thanks for the video.

    Reply

  6. YAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!!! I’m so thankful for this! Finally someone that does it right! gezzz!!!!! I am thankful for you and your video. NOw I’m about to tear it up! It’s going DOWN!!!!!

    Reply

  11. Rosie,

    Thanks for your recipes! I used several of them to create a wonderful Christmas dinner. Thank you for sharing your gift!

    Reply

  12. I can not wait to make this for my fiance on Thanksgiving!!!! He is going to love it…. Thank you sooooo much Rosie! All my dishes are coming solely from your recipes.

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    HI Rosie,

    I tried posting this comment a week ago but it never did. Maybe this blog post is too old for me to comment but I’ll try again. Why do you bake the neck and giblets instead of boiling them? Or is that just something you’ve always done?

    Reply

  16. OOOOOOh my! I did not find this in time for Thanksgiving, but I will definitely incorporate this recipe into a meal really soon! Thank you so much for sharing. This looks delicious!

    Reply

  17. I came across this recipe on Facebook. I am so glad I did !!! Your directions are so detailed. Thank, I’m making this today for Christmas Dinner along with your peach cobbler.

    Reply

  18. Hi Rosie, is it 1 tbsp paprika or 1 tsp? Please help I’m planning on making this and I really want to do it justice….. thanks so much!!!

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    Rosie what is dehydrated onions is that minced onion? Sweet onions does it matter which color use? Thanks for answering my questions. I made your old fashion cornbread stuffing for Easter 2018 dinner it was declious. I used your homemade onion gravy for Salisbury steak recipe for ild fashion cornbread dressing recipe. I also made soulful yams and hamwith pineapple brown sugar glaze with cherry.dinner was great. I gave coworker a plate he say it was good I got skills. Next day he was like you got leftovers.

    Reply

  22. Can you make this ahead of time and if so how far in advance… I am trying to prepare a such as I can this year before the day so I can enjoy my thanksgiving as well

    Reply

  24. 5 stars
    Hi beautiful,
    I am going to make your dressing this year for the first time, I was wondering if it would taste just as good if I prepped the dressing the day before and just put it in the oven for the last part at the end of your directions the day of? Or would it be dry sitting in the fridge overnight? Just curious ,
    Thank you!

    Reply

  26. I made this for a potluck at my office several years ago and people are still begging me to make it again, saying it was the best they’ve ever had! I’m not a fan of necks and gizzards, but used chicken drumsticks for the meat, which worked out just fine, I followed the recipe for all other ingredients. Excellent recipe, and highly recommend!!

    Reply

  27. 5 stars
    I have been making her recipes for two years. They all come out great, Food Network or the O Network are missing out on someone who relates to how simple people want recipes to be.

    Reply

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