The Best Cornbread Dressing (and How to Make It Before Thanksgiving) (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use broth or stock for dressing? ›

You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results.

If your dressing doesn't turn out right, don't fret. You can usually fix it. If you find your stuffing is too dry, add additional warmed broth to it, stir well, and return to the oven, checking periodically. If the stuffing is overly wet and too gummy, cook it uncovered for a bit longer, checking periodically.

So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix. Give it a good stir, then let it sit for a minute. The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much.

In most cases, stock and broth are interchangeable. If you're in the soup aisle and can't remember whether the recipe called for stock or broth, either will do for making soup, gravy, or a flavorful pot of rice or grains. Keep in mind that stock is unseasoned, and broth is seasoned.

Stock has a richer, deeper flavor and mouthfeel, making it better at adding body to a dish, whereas broth might be a better choice when you want to let other flavors to shine.

If your cornbread dressing is mushy, be sure you baked it in a wide enough pan. Plenty of surface area will help the top crisp and the bottom bake completely. Also, be sure you measured your ingredients properly and didn't add too much liquid.

Be sure to leave enough time — the cornbread needs to sit out overnight to harden slightly before you make the dressing.

Yes, you can freeze dressing in advance of the Thanksgiving feast. There are two ways to go about it: You can prepare the recipe up until the point of baking, then freeze. Or bake the dressing according to the recipe, allow it to cool completely, and freeze.

Do not refrigerate uncooked stuffing. If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours.

What is the difference between Yankee cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread. Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing's irresistible gooey center. And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Traditionally, stuffing is moistened with turkey stock or chicken stock, but you can use vegetable broth if you're aiming for vegan or vegetarian stuffing. Store-bought low-sodium chicken broth will absolutely do, but if you want to know how to make stuffing really shine, it's all about using homemade stock.

Cook until the center of the dressing reaches 165 degrees. When checked with a food thermometer. Never place frozen dressing or other frozen food in a slow cooker, it will not reach proper safe temperature fast enough.

As a result, stock is usually a healthier product, delivering a richer mouth feel and deeper flavor than broth. Stock is a versatile culinary tool that can deliver taste to any number of dishes. Darker in color and more concentrated in flavor than broth, it's ideal for use in soups, rice, sauces and more.

Because stock is made of bones, it tends to have a slightly thicker consistency, due to the collagen and natural gelatin in the bones, and you will find that good stocks may gel when chilled. This makes stocks wonderful for use in sauces and gravies and stews where the texture can really help with the consistency.

But, if you are in a pinch, and your recipe calls for chicken broth and all you have is beef broth, you can substitute one for the other without ruining the dish. You will notice subtle changes in the color or flavor of the finished dish, but it will still taste great, and it will get dinner on the table on time.

And the Winner Is..

Stock! Whether homemade or store-bought it has more protein and usually less sodium per serving as compared to broth. Plus, the flavor is just better which means you'll start with something tastier and will hopefully use less salt to taste at the end.