If you grew up in the South, chances are cornbread dressing is a staple on your Thanksgiving table. And if you're like many Southerners, it is the only kind of dressing served.
But there's a whole world of dressing and stuffing out there, some with cornbread, some without. And some don't even include bread. We know, your grandma made the best dressing. But for those without a family heirloom recipe, or those faced with the challenge of cooking for guests with specific dietary needs (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and the like), homemade dressing is easier than you may think.
TIPS
• To avoid too-salty dressing, use no-salt-added or low-sodium broth.
• Stale bread makes the best stuffing. If you didn't buy the bread in time for it to stale naturally, cut it into cubes, spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly toast it in a 200-degree oven.
• If you have stale bread on hand you'd like to save to make stuffing with later, cut it into cubes and place them in a freezer bag, press out all of the air and freeze for up to 2 weeks. This works for chunks or wedges of leftover cornbread, too.
• To save time on Turkey Day, assemble and refrigerate the dressing or stuffing up to 2 days in advance, then bring it to room temperature and bake it on serving day. If the recipe calls for eggs and broth, wait until just before baking to mix them in.
Before we get to the recipes, it is important to acknowledge the great stuffing versus dressing name debate. We define stuffing as being cooked inside a bird or vegetable. Dressing is cooked in a baking dish. The recipes for both are the same. Call the dish what you wish. For the sake of fairness, some of the following recipes are called stuffing and some are called dressing.
This sweet and tangy stuffing is common on Thanksgiving tables across the Mid-Atlantic states.
Sauerkraut and Rye Bread Stuffing
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery, including leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 teaspoons fine grain salt
1/2 cup white wine OR beer
2 cups cored and chopped tart apples
8 cups 1/2-inch rye bread cubes, stale or slightly toasted
1 pound fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
Ground black pepper
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper-towel lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and return skillet to medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, thyme, caraway seeds, celery seeds and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the wine (or beer) and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. Add the apples, cover, and cook until apples are tender.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and sauerkraut. Add the apple mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake inside the turkey or transfer mixture to a 3-quart baking dish and bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes more.
Makes about 12 cups.
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Thanksgiving Cookbook from the editors of Fine Cooking
Dressing With Apples, Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Butter, for greasing pan
1 (15-to 16-ounce) loaf day-old white rustic-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
2/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan. Set aside.
Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet to dry at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Reserve and set aside 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining bacon drippings. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until onion is deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Scrape the onion into a very large bowl. Add the reserved bacon drippings to the skillet, along with the apples and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the parsley, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Saute 1 minute more. Scrape into bowl with onion.
When you're ready to bake the stuffing, add the bread cubes and bacon to the bowl with the onion mixture; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the eggs and broth and mix well. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until top is light and crusty.
Makes about 8 servings.
Variation: Sourdough Dressing With Sausage, Apples and Caramelized Onion; substitute sourdough bread for the rustic white bread and loose sausage for the bacon.
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Thanksgiving Cookbook from the editors of Fine Cooking
This rice stuffing is naturally gluten-free and is prepared with readily available ingredients. It can be used for stuffing vegetables, fowl or served as a side dish. It is even good served cold as a rice salad.
Wild Rice With Cranberries and Pecans
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup minced onion or shallot
2 cups wild rice blend (we used Rice Select Royal Blend)
3 cups vegetable broth (if not preparing for vegetarians, use turkey stock or chicken broth)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Add the rice blend and stir well. Add the broth (and enough water to equal the amount of liquid called for on the package), salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer according to rice package directions or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed.
Stir in sage, cranberries and pecans, cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Use as a stuffing for vegetables or turkey or serve as a side dish.
Makes about 8 servings.
This vegan stuffing is sure to please the vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table.
Whole-Grain Stuffing With Caramelized Onions and Pecans
1/4 cup olive oil
4 to 6 onions, peeled, quartered and sliced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Pinch dried leaf sage
Salt
1 cup vegetable broth
1 (16-ounce) loaf whole-grain bread, cubed
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and thyme and sage, season with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 30 minutes, or until onions are deep brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in broth and 1 cup water and increase heat to medium. Simmer 10 minutes.
Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour onion mixture over bread cubes and stir until liquid is absorbed. Stir in pecans and season generously with black pepper.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread bread mixture in baking dish and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crisp and brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from Best Vegan Recipes from the editors of Vegetarian Times
This vegetarian-friendly cornbread dressing is studded with bits of sweet-tart fruit. The recipe can be halved if cooking for a smaller group.
Sweet-Savory Cornbread Dressing
Vegetable oil
1 cup apple cider
1/2 pound dried apricots
1/2 pound pitted prunes
10 to 12 cups coarsely crumbled stale cornbread
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, split lengthwise, then chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried leaf sage (not ground), crumbled
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 sweet-tart apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil spray.
In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a boil.
Place the apricots and prunes in a small, heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling-hot cider over them and let them soak.
Spread the crumbled cornbread in a single layer on each baking sheet. Bake the cornbread until it is quite dry, but not browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the onion, celery, basil, sage, thyme, apples, salt and pepper to taste to the bowl.
Drain the apricots and prunes, reserving the cider. Coarsely chop the fruit and add it to the cornbread mixture.
Add enough broth to the reserved apple cider to equal 21/2 cups.
In a small saucepan, combine the stock-cider mixture with the butter over medium heat. When the butter melts, pour the liquid over the cornbread mixture and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Mix in eggs. If mixture seems dry, add as much of the remaining broth as needed.
Use to stuff a bird or vegetable of your choice, or transfer to a well-greased baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Makes about 12 cups.
Recipe adapted from The Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon
Food on 11/19/2014