From Grandma’s Counter to Nashville’s Finest

Chef Jordan Arcuri’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe from the heart of her grandmother's kitchen

Before she was the Executive Chef lighting up Nashville’s dining scene and earning the nickname “Beef Queen,” Jordan Arcuri was a little girl perched on a kitchen stool in Orlando, learning to chop vegetables alongside her mom and grandparents. Born on Thanksgiving—fittingly—she likes to say food has always been in her blood. For Jordan, family recipes aren’t just instructions; they’re memories, passed down through flour-dusted hands and Sunday-morning rhythms.

One whiff of onions sautéing or cornbread cooling, and she’s transported right back to those early days, absorbing lessons in love, patience, and flavor. This dish, inspired by her grandmother’s Southern dressing, pays homage to the warmth of her childhood kitchen—where tradition was the secret ingredient, and every meal brought family closer together.

Based on her exclusive interview with Palomino County, here is one recipe you can add to your list this Thanksgiving.

Young Chef Jordan in her grandmother's kitchen

Grandma’s Southern Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs white bread (or white bread stuffing mix)

• 2 lbs Jiffy cornbread

• 3 packages Jimmy Dean sage sausage

• 1 cup celery, finely diced

• 1 cup onion, finely diced

• 1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced

• 2 tsp poultry seasoning

• 2 tsp salt

• 3 eggs

• 3 quarts turkey stock

• 1 quart giblet stock (made by simmering turkey giblets in water and reducing by half)

• 1 cup pecans, diced

  
  

Instructions:

1. Prep the Bread: Cut white bread into small pieces and leave out overnight to become crusty and stale.

2. Make Cornbread: Bake the Jiffy cornbread according to package instructions. Let cool, then break into small pieces.

3. Cook the Veggies: Sauté celery, onion, and bell pepper in butter until tender. Set aside.

4. Cook the Sausage: Brown sausage in a skillet until fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.

5. Mix Everything: In a large mixing bowl, combine bread, cornbread, sautéed vegetables, cooked sausage, seasoning, eggs, turkey stock, and giblet stock. Mix well to a soft consistency—make sure it’s moist enough so it won’t dry out when baked.

6. Add Pecans: Gently fold in the diced pecans.

7. Bake: Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to brown the top.

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READ THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JORDAN HERE.