Mmmmm... cornbread... in my cast-iron skillet

[Zomby Woof]

Damn, it was good. No other way to make it!

[Brigid]

1. MMMMM . . .

Recipe, please. :9

[Zomby Woof]

4. If you can get Martha White cornmeal

Which is not available everywhere, unfortunately, then go with whatever brand you are familiar with. Try to make sure it's white rather than yellow cornmeal. Yellow tends to be too sweet.

Pre-heat your oven to 425. Pour just a smattering (1/8 cup or so) of vegetable or canola oil into the skillet. Just enough to cover the bottom and sides. Tilt the skillet, moving it around, to make sure it coats the entire cooking surface. Pour out any excess if necessary.

Place the skillet in the oven during the pre-heating.

Put the following into a bowl:

1 3/4 cups of cornmeal.
2 large eggs
2 cups of buttermilk
5 tbs of butter, melted
1 tbs of bacon fat (optional, but I prefer it)

Whisk by hand, then let sit for 15 minutes.

Pour into hot skillet, and leave in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Allow some cooling time on the stove.

Be sure to butter the inside when ready to eat! :9

[Brigid]

8. Thank you!

I must try this soon! :9

[zanne]

31. I second that! Thanks for sharing your recipe. nt

[MajorChode]

13. Mmmmm, pork fat

My recipe is more or less the same, but I use lard instead of going through the trouble of rendering bacon. Other than for seasoning cast iron, I don't use lard that often, but ya gotta have it for cornbread.

I also experiment with different dry ingredients. Sometimes I use half AP flour and half course yellow cornmeal, which makes for a different texture.

[Zomby Woof]

22. I made bacon with breakfast

That way, it didn't seem like an extra step, lol.

I sometimes keep a little custard dish of bacon fat in the fridge for when the need arises.

[MajorChode]

27. You never know when some bacon drippings are going to come in handy

I'm with ya on that one.

I like to use it to make salad dressing. Throw in a tsp of Dijon mustard into a salad bowl, emulsify some good vinegar with the drippings in the bowl, and season to taste. It's not good for every day, but great on special occasions.

[Zomby Woof]

33. I like to fry white corn in it

Can be done on the stove top with a smattering of bacon fat, and some white corn kernels. Damn.

[cleveramerican]

21. let the batter sit huh?

never did that but I sure will try it

[TommyO]

30. What size pan for this recipe?

I have to make some of this, and soon.

[Zomby Woof]

32. 10-inch

Thanks for asking - that will be helpful to anyone else wanting to make this!

[mnhtnbb]

45. Oh, yum. Thanks for the recipe.

[yellowdogintexas]

49. you're using self rising white cornmeal, right? the only thing my mom ever used

and she made the BEST DAMN cornbread! Crusty on the bottom (My favorite part).

you can't beat white cornbread made with buttermilk.

Now pass the pinto beans and get out of my way!

[Zomby Woof]

54. Hell yes

:D White cornbread made with buttermilk.

[Enthusiast]

59. Thanks, Zomby Woof.

This Frank fans want to know which iron skillet diameter is best for that recipe.

[Zomby Woof]

61. 10-inch

(Post #32 - but I should have included that in post #4)

The recipe is 'absolutely free'. ;-)

[janx]

74. This sounds delicious!

Thanks for posting it. I'll try it over the weekend!

[Zomby Woof]

77. Hope it's successful!

There is an enormous burden of responsibility when it comes to posting recipes in the Lounge. :D

[janx]

79. There's only one problem...my skillet is too large.

:think: I'll have to get another one! I'll let you know what happens.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Did you use bacon grease?

Get that nice crusty edge on it?

Now I'm hungry, damn you!!!

[Zomby Woof]

5. Yes I did!

See my recipe above - just posted it. :-)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

7. Oh, buttermilk!!!

Thank you SO much!

I'm stuck here with a toasted blueberry bagel with cream cheese.

But I'd rather have cornbread ..................... ;(

[yellowdogintexas]

50. one cannot make good cornbread, biscuits or chocolate cake without it.

buttermilk, that is.

bet my mom used a gallon a week

[Enthusiast]

71. That's why his right foot's bigger

than the other one is like a regular Zombie hoof.

[aquaman]

3. Yum.....

I am coming to your house right now!

[Zomby Woof]

6. There's only 2 slices left

Better hurry. :D

[lildreamer316]

9. Shades of my Nana...

Man, could she cook some great cornbread. Yummm.

[Zomby Woof]

10. Nanas and food

The stuff memories are made of! :hi:

[HopeHoops]

11. That's how I make it too - you are correct - that is the only way - HOWEVER!

About 15 years ago, I pulled it out of the oven and the damn pan rotated in my oven mit, hit my other arm on the way to the floor and the cornbread exploded on impact. I was more upset about the cornbread than my arm, but the burn was of course severe. The scar is still slightly visible.

[Zomby Woof]

34. Holy crap!

:o Helluva price to pay for cornbread.

[HopeHoops]

44. Shit - I didn't even GET the cornbread - the floor got it.

Dog fur and cornbread do NOT mix well.

[jobycom]

40. Reminds me of the old Burger King jingle.

"It takes two hands, to handle the Whopper..."

Words to live by, and not just in the bedroom... :smoke:

[JitterbugPerfume]

12. I love my cast iron skillets too ZW!

cornbread with that crispy crust is just the best

with real butter!

[JitterbugPerfume]

14. and I agree about the white cornmeal

Some people actually put sugar in cornbread , but if it is sweet it is CAKE!


My mom and my gramma would not use any cornmeal but Martha White, and they were the best cooks ever to come out of KY

[Zomby Woof]

23. Martha White is the BEST

:thumbsup: to your mom and gramma!

[yellowdogintexas]

51. our brand of choice was Auburn Leader which came from up the road

in Logan County KY.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. yep

:9

[cleveramerican]

16. love cornbread!

try adding some peanut butter or some chocolate sauce for a nice change

both peanut butter cornbread and chocolate cornbread have been winners for me

[Deep13]

17. My wife does that sometimes. nt

[Kajsa]

18. That looks so good, Zomby Woof!

Now I have to buy some today.

:) :hi:

[Zomby Woof]

24. Do it!

:hi: Kajsa!

[GOPisEvil]

19. This is the best way to make cornbread!

:thumbsup: :9

[Zomby Woof]

25. Your culinary opinion is highly valued!

Whew! :D

[GOPisEvil]

43. I don't like that cake-like cornbread.

Sure, it'll do in a pinch, but when I make cornbread, it's in my cast iron skillet. You get more depth of flavor using this method.

[Zomby Woof]

46. Yep

Flavor and texture are waaaaay better.

[Arkansas Granny]

20. You just can't duplicate that crust without a cast iron skillet.

[Zomby Woof]

26. Exactly

It's the little things that make the biggest difference.

[Kali]

28. add a little chopped onion, jalepeno or green chili, and cheese

also I use a regular pan, but get a crispy crust by melting the butter plus a couple more tablespoons in the pan while oven preheats - just tip the pan carefully to grease it then pour most into batter (leaving plenty in the pan).


fight for the corners!

[Zomby Woof]

36. Jalapeno cornbread is great!

I grown my own jalapenos too...hmmm.. haven't made that kind of cornbread in well over 20 years.

[UndertheOcean]

29. Yum , recipe please ?????

[Zomby Woof]

37. See post #4

:-) And I added in a later post - use a 10-inch skillet.

[eppur_se_muova]

35. Error: You can't recommend threads from this forum

That's just wrong. :)

[Zomby Woof]

39. LOL

That debate will never die - but I can see your point. ;-)

[jobycom]

38. I HATE cast iron skillets.They turn all black in no time.

Soap won't get them clean, neither will SOS pads or Bon Ami. I keep having to throw them out after a few uses.

[Kali]

41. try the dishwasher

or some bleach and lemon juiceO8)

[Zomby Woof]

42. I knew someone who regularly put hers in the dishwasher

She was not fazed at all when I tried to explain why she shouldn't. I am glad I never tried her cooking, lol.

[Shell Beau]

52. Oh yeah, you NEVER put a cast iron skillet in the dishwasher!

That is just absurd.

Some people should never be allowed to cook! :)

[janx]

75. She liked to feed people rust?

:shrug:

:rofl: Her cornbread would come out looking rather orange!

[MajorChode]

80. Nothing wrong with a little extra iron in your diet

[yy4me]

47. Surely you jest. Get thee to the cooking and Baking group. Ask

around about cast iron. You'll find lots of opinions and none of then talk about throwing out the pans. Were you serious?

[jobycom]

53. Obviously I was serious. Who would joke about cast iron pans that turn black after a few uses?

I mean, where's the joke in throwing out dirty pots? :shrug:

If those people in the Cooking and Baking forum know a secret to washing cast iron pots, maybe i should go there. I have to throw those things out once a week. It gets expensive. I much prefer my Emerril non-stick pots.

[yy4me]

56. There is much discussion about how to clean cast iron. We all

have their own opinion. Some never wash them with soap, others have their own ideas about how to keep them looking clean.

I am a 4th generation of cast iron user. My kids have rid themselves of the Calphalon that they once thought was the bees-knees. My grandmother, mother and I never used anything else. Have pans in all sizes, all are clean and usable. I even buy them at yard sales to clean up and give as gifts. I fill them with cooking goodies, maybe a spatula and a few other things appropriate to the recipient.

As to use and cleaning. The pans will always turn black with use. It is the nature of the beast. I wash them in hot dishwater, use a plastic scrubber wipe down and they are ready for the next use.

Of course, the older ones- to me anyway- are better. The iron is better cast and has finer pores, making the whole surface smoother. Some will never scrub the pans or use soap on them. It is a personal choice. You will never find a better pan. Just takes some getting used to.

Found an old one? I clean up any crusty old pans in the self cleaning oven. Short cycle. If you don't have a short cycle, just turn the oven off after about an hour. I don't like to use oven cleaner or other acid, iron is porous. Let cool, the yuck just pops off. Wash, wipe with cooking oil. Let sit for an hour so so, wash again to remove excess oil, wipe dry and you're done.

My pans, now with about 40 years of my use(and came to me used) look great. They are black, smooth and free of any nasty, crusty stuff.


Read the C&B group discussions to see what others say. A quick search will pull up all the postings.

We all love the stuff, no matter how we clean it.

Good luck.

I'll be without a computer for a few days, I'll be anxious to read if you have other thoughts when this thing gets back from the computer hospital.

[jobycom]

57. I'm sorry, I can't keep it up.

:rofl: I had planned to string you along for a while longer, but you wrote such a serious (and good) post that I feel guilty now. I was joking. People who recognized me would know that right away. Sorry. :)

[yy4me]

58. Oh Well, In case someone new happens to take note. Glad to

know you were being facetious. As one cast iron fan to another, have a great day.

[MajorChode]

63. You have to paint them first

Be sure an use high temperature paint from the auto parts store.

You have to repaint them every 5 years or so because you can't get lead paint anymore.

[jobycom]

64. My mother says the same thing, but I don't know.

She used to paint all her cookware, even the non-stick stuff. Painted it weekly to match her hair color, whatever it was that week. She stopped when they stopped making lead paint, too. Used to give eggs the best flavor. But I don't like the flavor of modern paints. I've experimented with just shredding lead, even mixing mercury and lead to make it blend more with sauces, but it doesn't work.

What were we talking about?

[MajorChode]

66. Saffron. Lots of saffron

That's what you're missing. You need about a teaspoon for each omelet. It's not quite the same, but it comes damn close.

You can still get lead paint down in Mexico, so if you ever take a vacation there be sure and stock up.

[Shell Beau]

48. That is the correct way to make it!

:P


Sounds yummy! I love good homemade cornbread.

[Zomby Woof]

55. I think the Delta Kitten agrees!

:D

[LynzM]

60. Dude.

Can haz?! Plz?

:hi:

[Zomby Woof]

62. I wish I could ship it hot!

:hi:

(You need a big home-cooked meal after all that sanding and painting, lol)

[LynzM]

65. That would be awesome!!

Ditto, cookies.

I sure could use one! :D

[madamesilverspurs]

67. Don't have a cast iron skillet,

but I do have a cast iron one of these





and it makes yummy little individual cornbreads.


(It's actually a Danish aebleskiver pan.)

[Zomby Woof]

68. I could see making some great muffins with that

:D

[hunter]

69. Skillet...cornbread...hot fat...

I'm sorry, the temptation to make hush puppies is too great.

Make your cornbread with buttermilk (gotta be buttermilk, I used to grow my own from government surplus powdered milk), add chopped peppers, onions, whatever you've got, and spoon the batter into the hot fat.

It's about a zillion calories compared to the corn bread, but I don't care.

Oh, and yes, I'll have some of your cornbread too!

[Zomby Woof]

70. Buttermilk is key

No matter how you, um... slice it. :-)

[Ptah]

72. Oh yeah!

[Zomby Woof]

73. I had no idea

Cornbread would strike such a strong chord with the Lounge. :D

[janx]

76. My mother used to make a KILLER pineapple upside down

cake in the iron skillet. I wish I still had the recipe.

[Zomby Woof]

78. I absolutely LOVE pineapple upside down cake

It's a very underrated and overlooked quality dessert. :9