Used with permission from Dillard Fay Pierce
INGREDIENTS
- 1 whole chicken (Mom preferred a 5-7 pound hen), finely chopped
- 1 12” iron skillet of cornbread (about 12 cups)
- 6 slices of stale bread, buns or biscuits (Mom kept leftover bread in the freezer just for dressing)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, not sautéed
- 4 celery ribs, finely chopped,not sautéed (Mom didn’t use celery but I like it)
- Sage and Black Pepper (Mom did it to her taste. If Dad was home he added more which she always said, ”Daddy you’re gonna ruin the dressing”).
- 6 +/- cups chicken broth, enough to make the dressing moist but not soupy
- Cooked chicken breast, wing, thigh and leg, (or your favorite pieces) ,rough chopped (no skin)
For the Chicken & Chicken Stock
Place whole chicken and giblets in a heavy stock pot.
Cover with water and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
Bring to a boil, cover and gently simmer at least 2 hours, preferably 4. Mom did not add aromatics or herbs.
Remove cooked chicken from the stock and let cool.
Debone chicken; reserve skin and bones. Finely chop the meat and set aside or store until ready to assemble. This can be done days or weeks ahead. (After removing the meat from the bones Mom did add vegetables to the bones and skin to make broth for chicken soup or chicken and dumplings).
For the Cornbread
3 cups self-rising white cornmeal
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons bacon grease
1 cup full-fat buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
4 eggs (Add more if you like. Mom put eggs in the cornbread, not raw eggs in the dressing)
Preheat oven to 425°.
Add bacon grease to a 12” black iron skillet and heat skillet in oven while you’re mixing the batter. Thoroughly mix remaining ingredients.
Remove skillet from the oven and add the hot bacon grease into the mixture leaving 2 tablespoons of grease in the skillet.
Stir to combine quickly, then pour mixture into the hot skillet so you hear the sizzle.
Return skillet to the oven and bake 20 minutes until golden brown.
ASSEMBLY
Mom used a large stainless steel mixing bowl, as do I. Crumble the cornbread into the bowl and add the bread torn into small pieces. Add in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Mom used her hands and made sure there were no large pieces of bread. She was always afraid the finished product would be dry. Again, make sure it’s really moist but not soupy.
Pour into 9 x 13 dish (or bigger). This makes a lot of dressing and freezes well or shares well. Bake on 350° for one hour or until golden browned. Do not over bake. You should be able to scoop it to serve; not cut it in squares.
*** For vegetarians, dressing is equally as good without adding meat.