Crispy Southern Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 slightly heaping cup stone-ground cornmeal
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1⅓ cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp high-heat oil (avocado oil recommended) or bacon grease for extra flavor

Instructions

1. Preheat — Oven to 400°F. Preheat a 10–12 inch cast iron skillet on medium-high heat while making batter.
2. Mix dry ingredients — Whisk cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
3. Combine — Whisk egg and buttermilk together, then add to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Adjust consistency — Add a little more buttermilk if needed. Batter should be like thin pancake batter.
5. Heat oil — Add oil to the preheated skillet and coat the bottom sufficiently. Wait until oil starts to smoke slightly or shimmer.
6. Pour and bake — Pour batter into the hot skillet and let sit for one minute, then transfer to the oven. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
7. Flip and serve — Loosen cornbread from the pan and flip over (optional but recommended) to keep the crust crispy. Serve warm.

Notes

• Cornmeal matters — Use good quality stone-ground cornmeal, not pre-mixed cornbread mixes.
• No sugar — Traditional Southern cornbread contains no sugar. Don't add it.
• Cast iron is key — Essential for achieving the crispy crust; the hot skillet with smoking oil is what makes it.
• Don't overmix — Overmixing the batter will make the cornbread dry.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tags: #recipe #cornbread #southern #baking #sidedish #american