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4.80 from 5 votes

Thanksgiving Cornflake Stuffing

This is one of my Dad's famous recipes. At least in our family. Made from cereal cornflakes, it's a great substitute for bread.
Course: Bread, Condiments and Spices
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Stuffing:

  • 18 oz corn flakes (large cereal box) Option: 15 cups cubed bread
  • 10 cups water to make stock
  • 1 yellow onion chopped and sauteed
  • ½ cup walnuts chopped
  • ¾ cup raisins or dried prunes or other dried fruit
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 4 tbsp poultry seasoning (or: 1 tbsp dried marjoram, 1 tbsp dried savory,1 tsp dried parsley, ½ tbsp dried sage and 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • ½ cup turkey livers chopped
  • 1 turkey neck meat
  • 1 gizzards chopped
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • ½ cup olive oil

Instructions

Stock Liquid:

  • Add 10 cups of water to pot on low heat and simmer the gizzards and neck of the turkey for at least one hour.

Turkey Liver:

  • Wash, salt and broil to kashrut until medium well done for about 5 minutes per side.
  • Saute the onion in a frying pan with 2 tsp olive oil.
  • In a large bowl add the dry bread crumbs or corn flakes, walnuts, raisins, chopped celery, seasoning and meats. Loosely mix (If using corn flakes, slightly crumble the mixture by hand until reduced about 30%, Don’t over do it.)
  • Add the eggs to the large bowl and mix again. Add the olive oil and mix again. 
  • Now slowly add the turkey stock while stirring. Give it 30 seconds to absorb and mix again. You want to use only enough liquid to get to the point where the stuffing starts packing together. Slowly add 1/2 cup of stock at a time and repeat until you reach this consistency. Once you reach this consistency, it is time to stuff the turkey. Fill the turkey cavity and lightly pack it in from the back and from the front opening. Cross the legs over and use string (or short skewers) to tie them together.
    david's thanksgiving cornflake stuffing
  • Pack the remainder of the mixture into a 9" x 13" greased casserole dish, so the stuffing is at least 1-1/2" thick. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees in a convection oven or 350 degrees conventional for one hour or until done.

Notes

I make enough to stuff a 16# turkey and a 9" X 12" casserole dish.
You can prepare the stock liquid, liver, and sautéed onions ahead of time.
Cooking Times:
Weight of Bird Roasting Time (Unstuffed) Roasting Time (Stuffed)
10 to 18 pounds 3 to 3-1/2 hours 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours
18 to 22 pounds 3-1/2 to 4 hours 4-1/2 to 5 hours
22 to 24 pounds 4 to 4-1/2 hours 5 to 5-1/2 hours
24 to 29 pounds 4-1/2 to 5 hours 5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours