Southern skillet cornbread
Makes: one, 8 inch cornbread
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
1 Tablespoon bacon drippings, lard or cooking oil
1 cup yellow cornmeal, divided
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pan: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Add bacon drippings or oil to an 8 inch cast iron skillet and transfer to the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add 2/3 cup cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda and whisk together to combine. Set aside.
3. Make Cornmeal Mush: In a separate medium bowl, add the remaining 1/3 cup cornmeal and the boiling water and stir to combine.
4. Mix Wet Ingredients: To the cornmeal mush, add the buttermilk and whisk together until smooth. Add the egg and whisk together until smooth.
5. Finish Batter: When the oven is preheated and the skillet is hot, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together to combine.
6. Bake Cornbread: Be carefully here. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the hot oil into the batter. Stir batter to combine. Pour batter into the hot skillet – put your oven glove back on – and carefully transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
7. Serve & Enjoy: Flip the cornbread out onto a wire rack. Let cool 5 minutes before serving hot. Enjoy!
