Alton Brown Cornbread Dressing Recipes

ALL-CORN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on this rack, then crank the oven to 450°F.
• Spin the grits in the carafe of a blender on high for 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, thoroughly combine the buttermilk and eggs. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk smooth.
• Open the oven and pull out the skillet. Swirl the butter around the bottom and sides of the skillet to both melt the butter and grease the skillet, then dump the butter into the bowl of batter. Stir to combine, then quickly pour the batter into the pan. Jiggle the skillet to evenly distribute the batter, then place back on the lower middle rack of the oven.
• Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched, 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 200 to 205°F at the center.
• Remove from the oven and immediately invert the cornbread onto a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Consume hot with butter and a glass of cold buttermilk on the side.

CREAMED CORN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet into the oven.
• In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together to combine well.
• In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and creamed corn, whisking together to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more buttermilk to the batter.
• Swirl the canola oil in the hot cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes.

SWEET CORN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sweat onions with butter and herbs in an oven safe skillet until translucent.
• Combine corn, cream, eggs, baking powder, cornmeal, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add cubed bread and fold to combine. Pour batter into skillet, right on top of the onion mixture. Bake 50 minutes, or until set. Cool slightly before serving.

OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• The day before making the stuffing, bake the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk to combine well. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs and creamed corn, whisking to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more buttermilk.
• Swirl the vegetable oil in the hot cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the skillet, then crumble 6 cups of the cornbread and spread out on a baking sheet. Let the cornbread dry out at room temperature, uncovered, about 24 hours.
• Make the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and celery are semitranslucent, about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; add the crumbled cornbread, oyster crackers, thyme and sage and stir well. Next, add the oysters with their liquor and the eggs; stir until combined. Pat the mixture down into an even layer.
• Put the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp around the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes.

GOOD EATS CREAMED CORN CORNBREAD (ALTON BROWN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet into the oven.
• In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together to combine well.
• In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and creamed corn, whisking together to combine thoroughly.
• Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more buttermilk to the batter.
• Add 2 tablespoons canola oil to the cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the cornbread: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put butter in an 11-inch skillet. Cast-iron is best here, but any ovenproof skillet will do. Heat butter in oven for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until butter has melted and is just starting to brown.
• While butter melts, whisk together cornmeal, salt and baking powder. In another small bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add buttermilk and stir until mixture is combined. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir well.
• Remove hot pan from oven, pour butter into batter and stir until batter looks uniform. Pour batter back into the pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the top has begun to just brown.
• Remove cornbread and let it cool on a rack. Tear or cut it into large pieces and place in a large bowl. Let it sit out overnight to dry out slightly.
• Prepare the dressing: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cornbread and white bread in a large bowl, tossing to mix, and breaking cornbread into smaller pieces.
• Melt butter in a large skillet, and add onions, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté until vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add vegetables to bread mixture and combine. Lightly beat eggs and add to bowl. Sprinkle in herbs, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper and toss together.
• Add 4 cups broth and stir well. Using your hands, work the mixture to get a very lumpy, thick, batterlike consistency. Add another cup of stock if needed. The mixture should be very wet and pourable but without standing liquid.
• Butter an 8-by-11-inch baking dish. (Any other ovenproof dish that can hold about 2 quarts will work. A deeper vessel could take longer to bake; a more shallow dish less time.) Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake until dressing puffs slightly and has browned well around the edges, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you have drippings from a roasted turkey, spoon some over the top about 30 minutes into the baking time.