Southern Liver Dressing Recipe

With its rich history of family, feasts, and festivities, Thanksgiving calls for a menu that speaks to the soul. And what better way to celebrate the season of gratitude and gatherings than with a classic Southern delicacy – Southern liver dressing recipe?

This liver dressing recipe has been a staple on Thanksgiving tables for generations. A stand-out addition to your holiday feast made with tender beef liver, onions, celery, herbs, and chicken broth. The liver imparts a richness to cornbread stuffing like no other cut. 

Southern liver dressing is easy to make

• First, make homemade cornbread for the dressing bread cubes.
• Next, air fry the beef liver.
• Then, simmer the liver with the vegetables, herbs, and broth. 
• Combine the ingredients and bake for a tender and delicious liver-flavored cornbread dressing. 

Kitchen equipment for a Southern liver dressing recipe

• 8″ cast-iron skillet, 8″ casserole dish, or 8″ baking pan
• 8″ baking dish 
• Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
• Instant Pot Omni Plus oven

Ingredients for Southern cornbread 

• 1 cup of medium grind cornmeal
• ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar (*can be omitted if you don’t prefer cornbread sweet)

Ingredients for Southern soul food liver 

• 1 pound of beef liver, slightly frozen (about 4 pieces of liver)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ a teaspoon of pepper
• ½ a cup of all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper

Ingredients for a Southern liver dressing recipe

• ¼ cup of unsalted butter 
• 1 cup of yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup of celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme or dried
• 1 tablespoon of rosemary, fresh or dried
• 1 teaspoon of sage, ground 
• ¼ cup of parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup of chicken broth (or chicken stock)
• ½ cup of chicken broth (or chicken stock)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ a teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 large egg

Instructions for the homemade cornbread 

1. Preheat the conventional or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (although you may not use all this time to melt the butter). 
2. Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
3. While the butter is melting, combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar) with the heavy cream in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
4. Pour the melted butter from the baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients. 
5. Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan or skillet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven, bake for 20-25 minutes. Bake in the IP Omni Plus oven for 18-20 minutes.
7. When baking has finished, allow the cornbread to cool for approx. 10 minutes.
8. Cut the bread lengthwise and then across into 1-inch bread cubes and set aside.

Instructions for making Southern soul food liver 

1. Start with slightly frozen liver pieces because they’ll be too slippery and hard to work with if completely thawed.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ a teaspoon of pepper, then use it to season the liver, front and back sides.
3. Next, combine the flour, ½ a teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl, then use it to coat the slightly unthawed liver in the flour mixture.
4. You can use a cast iron skillet for cooking the liver. Or, if using the air fryer, spray the air fryer cooking basket/tray and the top side of the flour-coated liver with cooking spray. (I used an olive oil spray.)
5. Then air fry at 360 degrees F for 2 minutes, flipping the meat and air frying for another 2 minutes on the other side. (Total 4 minutes in the air fryer.)
6. Remove the liver from the air fryer.
7. Chop the liver into small bite-size pieces and set it aside. (The meat may still be red or pink inside, the flour still white – and that’s all OK. It will finish cooking in the following steps.)

Instructions for a Southern liver and dressing recipe

1. 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.
2. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté setting for 10 minutes.
3. With the lid off, melt ¼ cup of butter. 
4. Add the chopped onion, celery, thyme, rosemary, and sage. 
5. Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs and melted butter, and then sauté until they soften and slightly brown.
6. Add the pre-cooked liver, ½ cup of chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the inner pot’s simmer and stir to combine.
7. Allow the liver mixture to simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables have slightly browned.
8. Remove the liver and herb mixture from the heat and set aside. 
9. 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!)
10. While the herbs are cooling off, beat the egg with the parsley in a medium-sized bowl.
11. 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. 
12. Then, pour the cooled liver and herb mixture into the cornbread and egg mixture, evenly distributing with your pour.
13. Gently fold in the liver mixture evenly with the bread cubes. 
14. 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.
15. Uncover and bake until golden, 10-15 more minutes (conventional oven) or 10 minutes (Omni Plus oven).
16. Serve this Southern liver dressing recipe warm, and enjoy! Optional – serve with gravy on top.

Check out this soul food dressing recipe with poultry: Southern cornbread dressing with gizzards

Does your family have a dressing or stuffing recipe that passes down from one generational table to the next?

What do you serve with a Southern liver dressing recipe?

Serve this Southern liver dressing recipe with your Thanksgiving turkey or a soul food pineapple glazed ham recipe with Southern candied yams, collard greens, or creamy mashed potatoes for a memorable Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner feast.

Southern liver dressing FAQs

Can you make stuffing ahead of time?

Asked another way, “Can you prepare this the day ahead?”

This Southern turkey dressing recipe is an excellent make-ahead dish.

How to make liver dressing in advance: 

1. Pre-bake the cornbread and sauté the vegetables and herbs ahead. 
2. Pre-air fry the liver.
3. Seal the cooked food in an airtight container, unmixed, and refrigerate.
4. Add the egg and combine the ingredients when you cook the dish.
5. Then bake!

What is traditional stuffing made of?

Stuffing has been a part of the American Thanksgiving tradition for generations. A classic stuffing recipe is a simple blend of bread and fresh herbs such as onions, celery, parsley, and sage.

Southern versions are called dressing instead of stuffing, and cornbread is used instead of regular loaf bread.

Should stuffing be covered when baking?

This recipe benefits from both covered and uncovered baking to deliver the best Thanksgiving stuffing you have ever made.

Covering the stuffing with foil during the first 35 minutes of baking retains moisture and creates a softer, more steamed texture. This method is particularly effective if you prefer your stuffing to be softer throughout. Baking your dresing covered also prevents the top layer from becoming too crispy or brown.

For the final baking, which takes 10 to 15 minutes, it is recommended to leave the stuffing uncovered. This will enable the top of the dressing to develop a delicious golden-brown crust while keeping the interior moist. It will create the perfect culinary contrast between the crispy top layer and the soft interior.

What does chopped liver taste like?

Liver tends to get a bad rap as far as taste. When seasoned correctly, the Southern soul food way, it’s exceptionally delicious! 

Liver has a rich, deep flavor and smooth texture. This is why it’s also a French culinary delicacy when minced called pâté.

How can you make my liver more flavorful?

Season the liver and the flour batter before frying it for a delicious, flavorful meat.

How do you keep the stuffing moist?

One of the biggest struggles people all face at Thanksgiving dinner is how to keep the stuffing moist. Because no one wants dry, chewy dressing, that is nothing less than a nightmare at arguably the most important feast of the year! 

However, to achieve a golden and slightly crunchy dressing on top with a soft, moist inside. Plus, delicious, soulful flavors. It’s simple. All you have to do is cover it during the initial baking.

Covering the dressing with foil or a lid while baking traps the steam and retains the moisture.

How do you get the top of the stuffing crispy?

During the second phase of the dressing bake, allow it to bake without a cover so the top layer can brown and crisp. Doing this creates the desirable texture contrast between the crispy top and the moist interior.

Brushing the top of the stuffing with melted butter or oil before baking can promote crispiness by helping the surface brown and develop that appealing texture. Brush it with butter before the second uncovered bake for an extra crispy dressing.

What to do with leftover Thanksgiving dressing?

It’s almost a tradition to enjoy leftover dressing with leftover Thanksgiving turkey the next day. After all, who wants to cook the day after Thanksgiving? 

In my house, that’s the day for sales and shopping! Am I right?

Here are some creative ideas to make the most of your leftover dressing:

Sandwiches – Transform your Thanksgiving dressing leftovers into a mouth-watering delight by using it as a filling for your sandwich. Add some leftover turkey and cranberry sauce to top it off for a fulfilling post-Thanksgiving meal that will leave you inspired!

Breakfast Hash – Repurpose the dressing into a breakfast hash. Sauté it with veggies and cooked breakfast meats. Serve it with eggs for a hearty breakfast.

Stuffed peppers or vegetables – Looking for a creative and indulgent way to enjoy leftover dressing? Why not use it as a delicious filling for hollowed-out bell peppers, zucchinis, or mushrooms? Sprinkle some cheese on top and bake until veggies are tender. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you for this wholesome and tasty dish!

Instant Pot leftover pulled turkey recipe – Don’t waste even a bit of that delicious dressing! Instead, combine it with leftover turkey, yams, and cranberry sauce in the Instant Pot for a pulled turkey over cornbread recipe.

Did you enjoy this Southern liver and dressing recipe?

Have you had it?

Would you make it? 

Comment below and lemme know. 

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