Southern Cornbread Dressing

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Step 2

Sift together the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk and eggs, alternately.

Step 3

Pour the cooking oil into an iron skillet and place it into the hot oven. Let the batter rest while the skillet and oil are heating (about 5 minutes).

Step 4

Quickly pour the batter into the hot skillet and return immediately to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Step 5

Allow the egg bread to cool completely before proceeding.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Step 7

Chop the onions and celery.

Step 8

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and celery cooking slowly until tender but without browning at all. Sprinkle with the 1/2 tsp. salt while cooking.

Step 9

Meanwhile, crumble the egg bread into a large baking dish. Add the soup and broth and mix well using a potato masher or large fork to break up the egg bread to a fine texture.

Step 10

Add the sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Taste and adjust for more salt if needed.

Step 11

Lightly beat the eggs and add to the dressing mixture. Your mixture should be fairly “soupy.” If you think it’s too thin, you can add some additional bread, crackers, etc. to thicken it. Be sure to crumble them well and incorporate them into the mixture.

Step 12

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the dressing is golden brown on top and cooked throughout.