Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

| United States | Southern U.S. cuisine | Texas cuisine | Bread

Southern Cornbread - This is a hearty, unsweetened variety of cornbread, which is widely served in the Southeastern United States. It is easy to make--and is usually served as the bread portion of lunch or dinner (supper). Also, it is not unusual for some people to occasionally have a simple, quick meal--even breakfast--by crumbling cornbread into a glass of buttermilk and drinking or "spoon-eating" it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups yellow (or white) self-rising corn meal
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or whole milk)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil or vegetable oil

Kitchen Tools

• well-seasoned 8-inch or 10-inch cast-iron skillet

(alternately: an ovenproof skillet or an 8x8-inch baking pan)

• assorted measuring cups
• medium or large mixing bowl

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using cast-iron skillet, place it in the oven to heat. (Do not preheat other types of skillets or baking pans.)
2. If using non-cast-iron skillet or baking pan, coat with a non-stick spray.
3. Beat egg in the bowl. Stir in buttermilk and oil.
4. Stir in the cornmeal and mix until just moistened. Batter will be somewhat lumpy. Take care not to overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the skillet and place in the oven.
6. Bake until crust is a light golden brown. (A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.) For an 8-inch skillet this can be 25-30 minutes, for a 10-inch skillet or an 8x8-inch baking pan about 20-25 minutes.
7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in pan before serving.

Storage

Any leftover cornbread can be wrapped in a damp towel (to keep it moist) and stored in the refrigerator for several days. It can be frozen in storage bags for several months, but will usually become more crumbly if stored this way.

Other Varieties

Other variations of the basic cornbread recipe include:

• Golden Cornbread
• Cornbread
• Cornbread 2
• Corn Sticks
• Skillet Cornbread