Southern Comfort · Free
Golden Skillet Cornbread
Crisp-edged, tender cornbread baked in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet for that signature crackly crust. Just barely sweet, the way the South likes it.
****+
Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min
Method
Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Heating the empty skillet is what gives cornbread its crackly crust.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine, and overmixing makes the crumb tough.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using thick oven mitts and add the bacon grease or oil, swirling to coat the bottom and sides. It should shimmer and sizzle.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet all at once; you should hear a sharp sizzle, which means a crisp crust is forming.
Smooth the top gently with the back of the spoon and return the skillet to the oven right away.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges pull slightly away from the pan.
Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.
Let the cornbread cool in the skillet for 10 minutes so it firms up and releases cleanly.
Run a knife around the edge, then cut into wedges and serve warm with butter or honey.
Chef's tips
- The hotter the skillet, the crispier the crust; do not skip preheating the pan with the fat inside.
- Bacon grease adds unbeatable savory flavor, but oil or melted butter work if that is what you have.
- For a true Southern flavor, use stone-ground cornmeal and reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon or omit it entirely.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
