Turkey with Cornbread Stuffing

Freshly-made cornbread for the stuffing is a special step for a magnificent stuffed turkey. Rye bread, herbs, and plenty of onion and celery add their hearty flavors, too.

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 5 hr
• Calories: 1324 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 6 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1 (1 pound) loaf rye bread, cubed
• 1 whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 cup vegetable oil
• 0.33333334326744 cup white sugar
• 1.25 cups water
• 0.75 cup cornmeal
• 0.25 pound bacon, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a pie pan.

Step 3

In a bowl, mix cornmeal and water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg and vegetable oil into the wet cornmeal; stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just combined and pour into the prepared pie pan.

Step 4

Bake the cornbread in the preheated oven until lightly browned and a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Step 5

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes per side; drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon when cool. Stir the onion, garlic, celery, red bell pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, and oregano into the bacon drippings left in the skillet; cook and stir until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.

Step 6

Remove cooled cornbread from the pie pan and cut into small cubes; place into a large bowl and mix in the rye bread cubes. Stir the bacon and cooked vegetables into the stuffing until well combined; drizzle the chicken broth into the dressing, stirring to evenly moisten the bread cubes.

Step 7

Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey into a large roasting pan with a lid. Fill the body and neck cavities loosely with stuffing, folding the neck skin over the stuffing and securing in place with toothpicks. Place any leftover stuffing onto a large square of aluminum foil and fold and seal the edges to enclose the stuffing. Refrigerate stuffing packet until about 45 minutes before serving time.

Step 8

Place the turkey in the oven, and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove lid after about 2 1/2 hours to brown skin. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. About 45 minutes before serving, bake the extra stuffing if desired.