Julie's Southern Cornbread
FEEDS A SMALL CROWD, UNLESS YOU'RE NOT INTO SHARING
Perhaps no bread in the world is quite as good as Southern corn bread, and perhaps no bread in the world is quite so bad as the Northern imitation of it. – Mark Twain
"Growing up in Alabama, I could never walk through our kitchen without seeing half a round of cornbread sitting on the counter. It is a dinner staple in the South. Southerners love their cornbread and they also love their sweets, but, according to my Dad, sugar has no business in cornbread. I couldn’t agree more: the two simply do not belong together. So, stir into the mix whatever you want – jalapeno peppers, grated cheese, bacon – but if you want true Southern cornbread, please don’t stir in sugar. Here's my tried and true savory, buttery, crusty cornbread that my Northern-bred husband loves." - Julie Tanous
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons neutral oil or bacon grease
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
DIRECTIONS
Pour 2 Tablespoons of oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet and swirl around so it coats the entire bottom and the sides. Place the greased skillet in the oven and preheat oven to 375ºF, allowing the skillet to preheat with the oven.
Melt 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter in the microwave and set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Using a potholder or dishcloth (remember – it’s been preheating!), carefully remove cast iron skillet from oven and pour batter into the pan. Bake cornbread until golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Invert cornbread on a plate and serve warm with more butter!
BONUS ROUND: Crumble up leftover cornbread in a tall glass. Pour milk over it and enjoy with a spoon. This is my and my dad’s all-time favorite snack