GRANDMA'S CORNBREAD DRESSING STUFFED TURKEY

Grandma's Cornbread dressing stuffed turkey is a whole baked turkey that is placed in a pan of cornbread dressing and then baked. The best turkey and dressing you will ever eat. And don't forget the giblet gravy.

This is my Mother in law Betty's recipe. When I came into the family, I was not used to eating turkey stuffed with cornbread dressing. I grew up eating the turkey baked separately from the dressing.

It did not take me long to get used to eating the turkey and dressing stuffed.

I still enjoyed eating my Mother's recipe, but I have to say my Mother in law won me over to hers being the best.

She cooked her turkeys the same way and used the broth from the baked turkey to make the dressing, which had straightforward ingredients. Now, the dressing is a different story.

Betty made sweet cornbread with a cup of flour and cornmeal, and Mother made buttermilk cornbread with two cups of cornmeal and three tablespoons of flour and no sugar. In the dressing, Betty used more light bread and added milk. Mother's was more cornbread and less light bread and no milk.

There are some more differences, but I will let you see them in the recipe.

There is a lot of skepticism about stuffing the turkey versus not stuffing the turkey. One of the skepticism is that the turkey will not be cooked all the way through, but Betty had an easy, foolproof method to solve that.

Betty always completely cooked the turkey before filling it with uncooked cornbread dressing, hence cooking the cooked turkey with the uncooked dressing in it until it is completely done. Genius!

She cooked her turkey and dressing like this ever since she cooked her first turkey in the 40s.

The turkey is amazing, moist, and rich in flavor from the dressing, and the dressing is moist rich in flavor from the turkey.

We can not get enough of this dressing when Thanksgiving rolls around, but I have been known to cook turkey and dressing all throughout the year. Enjoy!

WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR GRANDMA'S CORNBREAD DRESSING STUFFED TURKEY

Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for Grandma's Cornbread Dressing Stuffed Dressing and similar recipe ideas you can have.

Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.

TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKE THE BEST GRANDMA'S CORNBREAD DRESSING STUFFED TURKEY

These two steps are essential to do before handling the turkey.
A. Line a big deep roaster (however size your turkey will fit in) pan going crosswise with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure that it is tucked down in around the sides of the roaster and hanging off considerably to wrap the turkey once it is in the roaster. Repeat the same going lengthwise; then set it aside.

B. Set on the counter ready to reach: 1) your salt and pepper containers, 2) any herbs that are going in, and 3) have the butter opened and set on the paper wrapper ready to use. To keep from contaminating the salt and pepper containers, I wrap them with paper towels, put a rubber band around each of them, and use them this way until I am through handling the turkey. After I am through handling the turkey, I discard the paper towel and rubber band.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GRANDMAS CORNBREAD DRESSING STUFFED TURKEY

Aluminum foil
Turkey
Salt and pepper
Butter
Cornbread
white bread
Onions
Celery
Milk
Eggs
Ground sage
Reserved turkey broth
Giblets and neck from baked turkey
Whole milk
Cornstarch
Boiled eggs

HOW TO MAKE GRANDMA'S CORNBREAD DRESSING STUFFED TURKEY

TURKEY

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. The method of preparing the turkey to bake is the same whether you have a 10 lb. Turkey or a 22 lb. Turkey. Remove and wash giblets from the vent and neck of the turkey; set them aside. Wash the turkey inside and outside the cavity really well and pat it dry.

Sprinkle liberally on the inside and the back side (not the breast side yet) of the turkey with salt and pepper.

Set the turkey backside down in the roasting pan lined with foil. Insert one stick of butter in the cavity of the turkey.

Arrange the giblets (neck, gizzard, heart, and liver) around the turkey at the bottom of the lined roaster. I usually find there is more room around the neck. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on the top and sides of the turkey.

Pull the second layer (the lengthwise one) of the foil up and around the turkey. Pull the first layer (the one that is crosswise) of foil up together and roll down, sealing the turnkey. Gently pat the foil tight around the turkey.

Pour the water around the outside of the foil into the roasting pan. Depending on what size your turkey is and how much water you will use. For a 20 lb. turkey, I use 4-6 cups of water. The water needs to come up half way in the pan. Only half way.

Place in the oven and bake until the meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey is 165 degrees. It usually takes 5-6 hours for a 20 lb. Turkey. One hour before the turkey is done, open the foil, pull away from the turkey, and rub 1 stick of butter over the breast and around the legs until all is melted. Bake for the remaining hour to get the golden brown color.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the giblets and reserve for the giblet gravy. Lift the turkey out of the roasting pan and place on a serving platter. Let rest before placing in the cornbread dressing mixture.

Reserve 2 cups of turkey broth for giblet gravy. Leave the remaining turkey broth in the roasting pan for the cornbread dressing.

DRESSING

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Crumble the cornbread over the reserved turkey broth in the same pan the Turkey is cooked in and mix with a large spoon or potato masher.

Add celery and onion mixture; stir some more. Add milk and eggs; stir well until eggs are mixed. Add salt and pepper and sage; stir well until all is mixed.

Place the baked turkey in the middle of the roasting pan gently in the cornbread dressing mixture, pushing down gently and positioning the turkey in the roaster. Spoon spoonfuls of the cornbread dressing mixture on top and all around the turkey. Once the turkey has been coated with the cornbread dressing mixture, it is ready to be baked.

Bake until the meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey is 165 degrees. It usually takes one and one-half hours and is golden brown or longer if needed.

GIBLET GRAVY

In a large saucepan, heat the turkey broth to boiling.

In a small bowl or jar with a lid, whisk together (or shake together if using jar and lid) cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the boiling broth, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Add milk, stirring constantly. Remember, DO NOT BOIL MIXTURE after you add the milk. Add giblets and stir until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir until creamy and smooth. If it starts to boil, take off the burner.

Just before serving, add sliced eggs. And give a gentle stir, being sure not to break up the eggs too much.