Is my stuffing ruined?

[E_M]

So I am making a cornbread-chestnut stuffing. I made the cornbread from a mix in concession to a gluten-free family member. I tasted it when it came out of the oven and frankly, it was awful. However, we have used it before as topping for other dishes, and when combined with other stuff, seems to taste OK.

Then, I roasted and chopped the chestnuts. I wasn't impressed with them either. To me, they tasted like raw sweet potatoes.

Obviously, they will be combined with stock, herbs, and cooked in a turkey (yeah, turkey fat!) But considering that so far I hate the separate pieces, would I be wise to cook something else, or can I keep going and salvage this?

[onrushpam]

Okay, I'm feeling really stupid here...
Isn't corn meal gluten free? I think so...
Why would you make corn bread with some substitute flour when you can make perfect cornbread with 100% cornmeal?
My favorite stuffing/dressing is a mix of cornbread and other breads. But, I know I could make a perfectly acceptable stuffing with all cornbread and my cornbread never includes wheat flour of any sort!

[Hungryin theBurbs]

I also think cornbread made from all corn meal is great. I also am making a gluten-free meal. I cheated and bought GF bread cubes from Whole Foods. Because I'm not confident about how they will cook up, I'm also making a wild rice and mushroom dressing.

[goodhealthgourmet]

just a tip for next time...i haven't tried them myself, but i've heard that if you cut up Udi's GF bagels they make an *excellent* substitute for conventional bread in things like this.

[goodhealthgourmet]

you're not stupid, or crazy, cornmeal is GF. but many cornbread recipes call for a combination of cornmeal and AP flour, so i'm guessing that's why the OP felt compelled to play with substitutions. but i make GF cornbread and corn muffins all the time with just cornmeal - usually a mixture of coarse & fine - or with a mixture of cornmeal and GF flour blend. depends on my mood & what i have in the house.

[E_M]

You are correct. Every recipe that I have seen for cornbread calls for 1/2 - 1 cup of flour. Now that I know you can make them sans flour, I will search for a recipe.

But it's getting down to the wire. I might go with what I have and hope the turkey fat resurrects it. I am dumping the chestnuts in favor of walnuts and apples.

[magiesmom]

You can just use all cornmeal in any recipe, as goodhealth says, use a mix of fine and meduim or coarse if you have it, otherwise don't worry. And for stuffing, I leave out any sugar called for. the chestnuts will be fine but I would def redo the cornbread if it tastes bad.

[chefMolnar]

White flour just makes cornbread softer and more delicate, but for a stuffing you want the opposite. You want a coarse, drier, cornbread. So I agree that you should go with 100% cornmeal.

[magiesmom]

I find that even for cornbread itself, some fine ground cornmeal is tastier than flour. I guess I am not after delicacy but full corn flavor.

[paulj]

I was just looking up info on a Korean sweet potato that I recently bought. Some say it tastes like chestnuts!

[JEN10]

I make gluten free cornbread and it tastes fine. I use an almond flour instead of all purpose, it tastes fine. I have never done the chestnuts so I can not help you out there. Can you make a new batch of cornbread, I like to add in some frozen corn kernals and dried sage to the batter. I do the celery, onions, mushrooms along with sausage, as usual, I also like to add in some diced green apple, red bell peppers, seasonings, and chicken broth. I let it sit for a day and then bake it off in a casserole the day of.

[E_M]

Wait. You use a normal recipe and just swap the all purpose with almond flour? (The gluten free recipes I found use a cornucopia of other ingredients.) I can do an easy swap.

[ChristinaMason]

I've made bread using almond flour, and it was extremely heavy and dense. Not in a good way. You can make cornbread from scratch and just sub AP Gluten Free Flour (typically a mix of corn starch, tapioca, rice flour, etc.). But the mix you used is probably fine. Once it's all coated in broth and fat and well-seasoned, it's likely to taste good.

[JEN10]

My bad, I did use an ap flour mix that was gluten free. Sorry, I was thinking of something else. Any who, I just put together my dressing and did add in some GF free bread from Udi's as well. Good lucj and happy T day.