This classic deep South dressing is made with homemade cornbread, herbs, vegetables, and fresh or canned chopped oysters. It has everything a seafood lover looks for, plus the savory soul food seasoning you come to expect from a Black folks dressing recipe.
¼cupsugargranulated, *can be omitted if you don’t prefer cornbread sweet
4tablespoonsbutterunsalted
3ozcream cheesesoftened or whipped
4ozheavy whipping cream
Ingredients for the Southern cornbread oyster dressing recipe
16ozoysterschopped into large pieces (fresh oysters preferred, or canned)
¼cupbutterunsalted
1tablespoonbutterunsalted
1cupyellow oniondiced
1cupcelerydiced
1tablespoonthymefresh or dried
1tablespoonrosemaryfresh or dried
1teaspoonsageground
¼cupparsleyfinely chopped
½cupchicken stockor chicken broth
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
1egg
Instructions
Instructions for the cornbread recipe
Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter).
Place the 4 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
While the butter is melting, combine the Jiffy cornbread mix, sugar, cream cheese, and heavy cream in a medium-size mixing bowl.
Pour the melted butter from the skillet into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Pour the cornbread mixture into the skillet.
Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven for 25-30 minutes. Instant Pot Omni Plus oven for 23-25 minutes.
When the baking time has finished, allow the cornbread to cool for approx. 10 minutes.
Cut the bread lengthwise and then across into 1-inch bread cubes and set aside.
Instructions for Black folk’s Southern oyster dressing recipe
Grease an 8″ or similar-sized baking dish, transfer the set-aside cornbread cubes to the pre-greased dish, and then set aside the cornbread cubes.
Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté setting for 8 minutes.
With the lid off, melt ¼ cup of butter.
Add the chopped onion, celery, thyme, rosemary, and sage.
Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs and melted butter and then sauté until they soften and slightly brown.
Drain the oyster juice, then add the oysters, chicken stock, salt, and pepper to the inner pot’s simmer, and stir to combine.
Remove the oysters and herb mixture from the heat and set aside.
Allow the mixture to cool to the touch so that it can be mixed with the egg. (You don’t want the egg to cook from the residual heat and scramble!)
While the herbs are cooling off, beat the egg with the parsley in a medium-sized bowl.
Pour the egg and parsley mixture over the cubed cornbread in the set-aside baking dish, and gently fold in the mixture evenly with the bread cubes.
Then, pour the cooled oyster and herb mixture into the cornbread and egg mixture, evenly distributing with your pour.
Cut the 1 tablespoon of butter into small pats and place them all around on top of the dressing.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes in the conventional oven. Bake for 30 minutes if using the Omni Plus oven.
Uncover and bake until golden, 10-15 more minutes (conventional oven) or 10 minutes (Omni Plus oven).
Serve this Black folks’ Southern oyster dressing recipe and dressing recipe warm, and enjoy! Optional – serve with gravy on top.