Best Carry Me Back Cornbread Dressed Turkey Recipes

90 MINUTE TURKEY

Steps:

• To brine the turkey, thoroughly clean the trash can with food-grade cleaner. Dry. Then add 3 gallons water, the salt, pepper, herbs and turkey. Finally, squeeze the lemons into the brine. Add some ice and allow the turkey to brine for 12 to 24 hours, re-icing during the process to keep temperature below 40 degrees F. This brining is optional.
• To cook the bird, remove from the brine and pat dry with towels. Or, for the non-brine option, remove the bird from the package, pat dry with towels, and apply the salt and pepper to the exterior of the bird.
• Next, place foil on level ground to form a 3-foot-square area. Place a stake in the ground and place the turkey on the stake, legs first. Cover the turkey with the trash can and apply half the coals on top of can with the remainder tightly around the base of the can.
• Light the coals evenly and allow the coals to warm until hot, then set the timer for 90 minutes and relax.
• After 90 minutes, carefully remove the coals with a turner or fireplace shovel and uncover. Remove the turkey and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

ROASTED TOM TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the giblets from the turkey, wash the turkey well, and pat dry with paper towels.
• Use your fingertips to gently separate the turkey skin from the breast. Mix the chopped herbs with the softened butter and distribute evenly underneath the turkey skin. This will create a self basting turkey and keep it moist as it cooks slowly.
• Preheat oven to 450 or 500 degrees F.
• Place the chopped onion, celery, apples, oranges, and carrots inside the cavity of the turkey and then sprinkle the turkey all over with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the turkey on a rack (the reason we place the turkey onto a rack is so we don't get a mushy bottom on the turkey) in a roasting tray, cover with aluminum foil, and place in a preheated oven at 450 to 500 degrees F for the first 25 minutes then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F for a further 4 hours checking every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day. About 1 hour from finishing remove the foil and allow to get golden brown.
• You should roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees F (this is the temperature for a whole turkey) and the juices no longer run pink when you cut into the center of the thigh (it should be clear). The drumstick should move easily from the socket when lifted or twisted. When the turkey has finished cooking remove from oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes - longer is better. It will not go cold!!!
• Note: I personally don't like to baste because every time you open the oven you lose at least 25 degrees F of heat, so this means that you keep the turkey in the oven longer therefore drying it out.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSED-UP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the bacon in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the pan with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper; cook over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Set the skillet aside.
• Combine the cornbread, spinach, cheese, pecans, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg in a medium bowl. Crumble in the bacon and toss gently. Stuff the mixture between the skin and flesh of each chicken half, making sure to cover the breast and thigh.
• Place the chicken halves skin-side up on top of the onions in the skillet. Combine the butter and honey in a bowl and brush all over the chicken; season with salt. Roast in the oven until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165, about 50 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon mustard into the onion mixture and set aside. Carve each chicken half and serve on a platter with the onions.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S TURKEY DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix together cornbread and crumbled toast with stock.
• Be sure to use enough stock so that it will not be stiff. (1-2 cups).
• Add eggs and remaining ingredients.(spices to taste).
• Bake slowly for one hour.(350°F).

CORNBREAD TURKEY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Add turkey and cheddar cheese.
• Combine the soups and milk.
• Pour 1 cup each into 3 greased 13x9x2 inch baking dishes. Top each with turkey mixture and remaining soup mixture.
• Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.
• Cover and freeze 2 casseroles for up to 3 months.
• Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
• To use frozen casseroles: Thaw in the refrigerator. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

ROAST TURKEY WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• In skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender.
• Place in a lg bowl with corn bread, fresh bread crumbs, sage and poultry seasoning.
• Mix eggs and chicken broth; add to dry mixture, stir gently to mix.
• Stuff the cavity and neck of turkey.
• Fasten openings.
• Tie legs together.
• Place on rack in roasting pan.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake at 325* for 4 hours (cover with a foil tent), or until turkey tests done.
• Let stand for 20 minutes before cutting.

MOI'S TURKEY AND DRESSING

Steps:

• You will need a large roaster pan for this dressing.
• Cook cornbread according to pkg. directions. I use Martha White, not a sweet cornmix like Jiffy.
• Chop onion and celery finely, saute in one stick butter.I like to saute' my onions, but I add a small amount of water, enough to cover the onions and celery to finish cooking them.
• After cornbread has cooled crumble in pan. Add celery, onion and chopped eggs to the cornbread, along with any water that is left. Crumble a few slices of white bread, biscuits or I like to use about a half a loaf of day old French bread.
• Add sage, salt and pepper to cornbread. We use a lot of sage, so use what you need. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• All of this can be done the day before and then keep in the refrigerator until the turkey is cooked.
• We cook our turkey in a cooking bag. (This is where you can be as creative as you want with the turkey, JUST SAVE THE JUICES WHEN IT IS DONE.).
• Add chicken broth also, at least 1 and half or 2 of the broth, I use low sodium and then add as much of the turkey drippings as you need to make the mixture loose. I add a couple of raw eggs now. My mom never did.
• If the mixture is too dry and does not jiggle when you shake it add enough turkey juice from the pan or more broth.
• That is very important step my mom always emphasied, the dressing needs to be "loose" when you shake it. (my mom's words).
• At this time we taste it to see if we need more sage, pepper or salt, before we cook. .
• Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 1 to 1-1/2 hours until it is brown on top. The last half hour uncover it so it will brown. We always have someone sample it to see if done.