Holiday Entertaining: Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter
5 large eggs, divided
2-1/2 cups whole buttermilk, divided
1-1/2 cups plain yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 medium sweet onion
2 celery ribs
4 cups chicken broth
Garnish: Freshly ground pepper

1. Start by washing your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Wash your cutting boards and counter tops with hot soapy water.

2. Preheat oven to 450 °F.

3. Coat a well-seasoned 8-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil. Place 1⁄4 cup butter in the skillet and put into the oven for 5 minutes or until melted. While the skillet is warming, crack 2 eggs into a medium bowl. Wash hands, with hot, soapy water after handling raw eggs. Whisk 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk into the eggs just until blended. Set aside.

4. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven. Whisk the melted butter into the mixture and pour into the hot cast iron skillet.

5. Bake until set, about 18 to 22 minutes. Insert a thermometer into the center of the cornbread. It should register 160 °F. Loosen the cornbread edges with a small knife. Cool 1 hour.

6. Lower the oven temperature to 350 °F. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Crumble the baked cornbread into a very large bowl.

7. Stir in the soft bread crumbs and the poultry seasoning. Rinse the parsley under running water and blot dry with a clean cloth towel or paper towel. Chop on a clean cutting board. Add parsley to the crumbled cornbread mixture. Set aside.

8. Remove the outer skin from the onion. Rub the whole onion and the celery while rinsing under running tap water. Chop the onion and the celery. Place in a small bowl. Set aside.

9. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and celery. Cook the vegetables until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked celery and onions to the cornbread mixture and mix well to combine. Stir in the broth.

10. Crack 3 eggs into a medium bowl. Wash hands with warm water and soap after handling raw eggs. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk into the eggs just until blended; stir this into the cornbread mixture until well blended. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

11. Bake the cornbread dressing until set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a thermometer into the center of the dressing. It should register at least 165 °F. Once it reaches that temperature, sprinkle the casserole with freshly ground pepper and serve.

12. If it will not be served immediately, tent with foil and keep warm in a 200 °F oven. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours. Leftovers should be eaten or frozen within 3-4 days.

Learn the Core Four Rules Of Food Safety in order to prevent sickness. 

No. 1

Clean

No. 2

Separate

Don’t cross-contaminate. Cross-contamination is how bacteria can be spread. When handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Always start with a clean scene — wash hands with warm water and soap. Wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops and utensils with hot soapy water. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator. Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

No. 3

Cook 

Cook to the safe internal temperature. Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. The best way to Fight BAC!® is to use a food thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive) when cooking in a microwave oven. For best results, cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking. Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165 °F.

No. 4

Chill

Refrigerate or freeze promptly. Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Do not over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to help keep food safe. Keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40 °F or below is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40 °F or below. The freezer temperature should be 0 °F or below. Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs and other perishables as soon as you get them home from the store. Never let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90 °F). Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately. Always marinate food in the refrigerator. Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. Use or discard refrigerated food on a regular basis.