Southern Skillet Cornbread (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the skillet
01 -
1 tablespoon of leftover bacon grease
→ For the batter
02 -
2 cups of white cornmeal (you can use yellow if white isn't handy)
03 -
1 tablespoon sugar (a sweet option, but it's totally up to you)
04 -
1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
05 -
1 teaspoon salt
06 -
1 teaspoon of baking soda
07 -
1 large egg (you can leave this out, but it helps hold things together)
08 -
6 tablespoons of butter, melted (unsalted is best)
# Instructions:
01 -
Drop the bacon grease into a cast iron skillet (9 or 10-inch works) and stick it in an oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F so the pan gets really hot while preheating. No cast iron? A Dutch oven without a lid or even a metal cake pan will do just fine.
02 -
Grab a big mixing bowl and whisk up your dry stuff (cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and the optional sugar). In another bowl, mix the egg (if you're using it) with the buttermilk until smooth, then dump this into the dry ingredients. Stir in your melted butter until it's all combined.
03 -
Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven—it'll be crazy hot! Pour in the batter and spread it around evenly. Put it back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400°F. Once the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, it's done!
04 -
Leave the cornbread to cool in the skillet for around 10-30 minutes before slicing it into pieces. A tip: put a potholder over the hot handle, or cool it quickly with an ice cube to avoid any accidents.
# Notes:
01 -
White cornmeal is a Southern classic, but yellow cornmeal works just as well and tastes great too.
02 -
Skipping the egg makes for a crumbly but still tasty cornbread—just a bit less sturdy.
03 -
Let it cool completely before wrapping it in plastic or popping it in an airtight container. It'll stay fresh on the counter for 2-3 days.