CORNBREAD
Cornbread, as it turns out, wears many hats: essential barbecue side, thing-that-makes-chili-worth-eating, cultural mainstay, even dessert when it has to be. However you want to enjoy it, a few simple tricks will keep your crumb light and and your crusts crunchy, no matter upon which side of the Mason Dixon Line you lie.
Special Equipment List
Cast iron skillet
Shopping List
For Classic Southern-Style Cornbread
2 cups of coarsely ground cornmeal
1 tsp of kosher salt
½ tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of baking soda
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups of buttermilk
½ cup of lard
For Delicate Southern-Style Cornbread
2 cups of finely ground cornmeal
1 tsp of kosher salt
½ tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of baking soda
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups of buttermilk
½ cup of lard
For Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
5 oz of finely ground cornmeal
5 oz of all-purpose flour
½ tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of kosher salt
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
4 oz of grated cheddar cheese
½ cup of fresh corn kernels
1 ½ cups of buttermilk
2 tbsp of honey or sweetener of choice
Jalapeño pepper
2 large eggs
1 stick of melted butter
Honey
Sea salt
For Brown Butter Cornbread
5 oz of finely ground cornmeal
8 Tbsp butter, melted
5 oz of all-purpose flour
½ tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of kosher salt
3 tbsp of sugar
1 ½ cups of buttermilk
2 large eggs
Honey
Sea salt
For Honey Butter
¼ cup of honey
2 sticks of unsalted room temperature butter
Method
Classic Southern-Style Cornbread
Start out by pouring 2 cups of coarsely ground cornmeal into a mixing bowl. Then, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ a teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ a teaspoon of baking soda. Whisk together accordingly.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 2 large eggs and 1 ½ cups of buttermilk together. Pour your cornmeal mixture into the bowl and whisk everything together. To adjust for texture and consistency, gradually add more cornmeal if needed. Use a spatula to mix together until the batter reaches your desired thickness.
In a cast iron skillet, melt ½ a cup of lard over medium flame. When it is melted, without being too hot, add about half of it to your cornbread batter and whisk to combine.
Place the skillet with the remaining lard over medium-high heat until shimmering and very hot for a super crisp crust on the bottom of your cornbread. Carefully dump the batter into the skillet, where it should begin to sizzle. Smooth out the top of the batter and place the skillet into a preheated 425 degree-Fahrenheit oven for about 20 to 25 minutes until set, light brown in the center, and deep golden brown around the edges.
Carefully remove the cornbread from the skillet and allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Delicate Southern-Style Cornbread
Start out by pouring 2 cups of finely ground cornmeal into a mixing bowl. Then, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ a teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ a teaspoon of baking soda. Whisk together accordingly.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 2 large eggs and 1 ½ cups of buttermilk together. Pour your cornmeal mixture into the bowl and whisk everything together until you end up with a thin and cake-like batter.
In a cast iron skillet, melt ½ a cup of lard over medium flame. When it is melted, without being too hot, add about half of it to your cornbread batter and whisk to combine.
Place the skillet with the remaining lard over medium-high heat until shimmering and very hot for a super crisp crust on the bottom of your cornbread. Carefully dump the batter into the skillet, where it should begin to sizzle. Smooth out the top of the batter and place the skillet into a preheated 425 degree-Fahrenheit oven for about 20 to 25 minutes until set, light brown in the center, and deep golden brown around the edges.
Ensure that the cornbread is cooked by using a toothpick and making sure that there are only a few moist crumbs remaining on the toothpick. Carefully remove the cornbread from the skillet and allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving while it is still warm.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
In a mixing bowl, combine 5 ounces of finely ground cornmeal and 5 ounces of all-purpose flour. Add ½ a teaspoon of baking powder, ½ a teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Whisk together accordingly. Next, add 4 ounces of grated cheddar cheese and toss to coat with the dry ingredients so that nothing sticks together.
Use a food processor to pulse together ½ a cup of fresh corn kernels, 1 ½ cups of buttermilk, and 2 tablespoons of honey or sweetener of choice. Then, add 1 jalapeño pepper that is cored and quartered. Give it 6 to 8 pulses until the jalapeño is nicely chopped.
Next, add 2 large eggs as well as 1 stick of melted butter that is completely cooled off to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pulse 4 to 5 times to combine.
Take your mixing bowl of dry ingredients and dig a well in the center. Pour in your wet mixture from the food processor and gently mix together with a paddle. If the batter is over mixed, it can become tough.
Coat a cast iron skillet with butter and carefully add your cornbread batter. Smooth out the top of the batter and garnish with a few slices of jalapeño pepper. Place the skillet into a 425 degree-Fahrenheit oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Ensure that the cornbread is cooked by using a toothpick and making sure that there are only a few moist crumbs remaining on the toothpick. After allowing the cornbread to cool in the skillet for about 5 to 10 minutes, give it a drizzle of honey and brush it on for even coverage to create a shiny and sticky glaze. Then, give it a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
Carefully remove the cornbread from the skillet and allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving while it is still warm.
Brown Butter Cornbread
In a mixing bowl, combine 5 ounces of finely ground cornmeal and 5 ounces of all-purpose flour. Add ½ a teaspoon of baking powder, ½ a teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk together accordingly.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 2 large eggs and 1 ½ cups of buttermilk together.
Melt 1 stick of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat while swirling constantly to prevent it from overheating and exploding. Swirl until the milk fats separate and begin to turn brown.
Pour the butter into a heat-proof container and add 2 ice cubes to allow it to cool down rapidly. Give it a little mix for 1 to 2 minutes or until the ice cubes are fully melted.
Combine the butter with the egg and buttermilk mixture and then pour to combine with your dry ingredients. Gently paddle to combine until you end up with a pancake batter consistency.
Using the same cast iron skillet that is still lubed up with about 1 tablespoon of the brown butter, add the cornbread batter and smooth it out on the top. Place the skillet into a 425°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden brown around the edges.
Ensure that the cornbread is cooked by using a toothpick and making sure that there are only a few moist crumbs remaining on the toothpick. After allowing the cornbread to cool in the skillet for about 5 to 10 minutes, give it a drizzle of honey and brush it on for even coverage to create a shiny and sticky glaze. Then, give it a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
Carefully remove the cornbread from the skillet and allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving while it is still warm.
Honey Butter
In a stand mixer, combine 2 sticks of unsalted room temperature butter with ¼ a cup of honey. Mix until it is light and fluffy with no lumps remaining.