All Cornmeal Cornbread Recipes

ALL-CORN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on this rack, then crank the oven to 450°F.
• Spin the grits in the carafe of a blender on high for 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, thoroughly combine the buttermilk and eggs. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk smooth.
• Open the oven and pull out the skillet. Swirl the butter around the bottom and sides of the skillet to both melt the butter and grease the skillet, then dump the butter into the bowl of batter. Stir to combine, then quickly pour the batter into the pan. Jiggle the skillet to evenly distribute the batter, then place back on the lower middle rack of the oven.
• Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched, 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 200 to 205°F at the center.
• Remove from the oven and immediately invert the cornbread onto a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Consume hot with butter and a glass of cold buttermilk on the side.

CLASSIC CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil.
• Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg, vegetable oil and buttermilk, then fold into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes before serving.

NO-FLOUR CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Put first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl. (If it makes you feel better, go ahead and mix the dry ingredients, whisk the eggs into the buttermilk, then combine dry/wet ingredients).
• Mix with large spoon or whisk.
• Put bacon grease in well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium to high heat.
• Just as the bacon grease is about to start smoking, pour it into the other ingredients, stirring as you pour (if you can manage it). Leave enough in the skillet to coat the bottom and sides.
• Pour entire mixture into the skillet.
• Place skillet on middle rack of oven; bake until cornbread is springy in the middle, browned and pulling away from the skillet on the sides (about 15-20 minutes).
• Remove from oven and invert skillet over serving plate. If cornbread does not drop easily, you may need to run an icing spatula or even a flexible metal egg-turner around/under it so it comes loose.
• Recipe halves well, just remember you can't cut the bacon grease by half because you still need to coat the skillet.
• Serve hot, with plenty of butter. Or margarine, if you insist.

CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round cake pan with the cooking spray.
• In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted.
• In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, milk and egg with a fork or wire whisk until well mixed. Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once; stir just until the flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Pour batter into the pan; use a rubber spatula to scrape batter from bowl. Spread batter evenly in pan and smooth top of batter.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.