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FOR CORNBREAD DRESSING

1½ recipes Cornbread

15 Ritz crackers

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 cups pulled cooked chicken thigh meat

1 cup finely chopped cooked gizzards

4 cups Thanksgiving Broth, or as needed

FOR GIBLET GRAVY (6 cups)

3 ½ cups Thanksgiving Broth (facing page), or as needed

½ cup evaporated milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup finely chopped cooked gizzards (from Thanksgiving Broth, facing page)

½ cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped

Ground black pepper

Kosher salt

FOR THANKSGIVING BROTH (3 quarts)

5 pounds chicken thighs

2 ½ pounds turkey necks

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

¼ cup finely chopped garlic

½ cup chicken bouillon powder

12 pounds chicken gizzards

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CORNBREAD DRESSING

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with vegetable shortening (butter-flavored Crisco preferred).

2. In a large bowl, combine the cornbread and crackers and crumble by hand into uniform coarse crumbs.

3. Add the eggs and stir until completely mixed, then add the sage and thyme and mix thoroughly.

4. Add the celery, onion, garlic, chicken, gizzards, and broth and stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture is uniformly moistened.

5. Add more broth if needed to achieve a moist but not overly wet consistency, mixing again until completely incorporated.

6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.

7. Bake the dressing until the center is hot and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

8. To check for doneness, insert a small knife blade into the center for a few seconds, then remove it and touch the blade; it should feel hot.

9. Cover to keep warm until serving.

10. Leftover dressing will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

GIBLET GRAVY

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, combine the broth, evaporated milk, and flour and whisk until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then continue whisking just until the mixture begins to bubble and the raw flour taste is gone, about 4 minutes. Add the gizzards, celery, onion, garlic, eggs, and ½ teaspoon pepper and mix thoroughly.

2. Bring the mixture back just to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have a medium gravy consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside off the heat, covered, until it's time to serve. (If you need to rewarm the gravy, you can add a tiny bit more broth and re-heat it very gently over low heat.)

3. Leftover gravy will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

THANKSGIVING BROTH

1. In a large stockpot over high heat, combine the chicken thighs, turkey necks, onion, garlic, bouillon powder, and gizzards. Add water to cover the meat by about 2 inches, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to a simmer and let simmer, covered, until the meat is tender and the broth is flavorful, about 2 hours.

2. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside the broth and gizzards and chicken meat separately; discard the turkey necks (they will have lost their flavor). Both the broth and the meats will be used for gravy and dressing, with some left over for other uses.

3. The broth will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. It will have some fat in there so just make sure you stir before using in other recipes. The meats will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.