Andy's Cornbread Tutorial
Printed From: Foods of the World Forum
Category: The US and Canada
Forum Name: The Southeast
Forum Discription: Slow Southern comfort cooking at its best
URL: http://foodsoftheworld.ActiveBoards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=871
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 21:49
Topic: Andy's Cornbread Tutorial
Posted By: Boilermaker
Subject: Andy's Cornbread Tutorial
Date Posted: 10 October 2010 at 17:56
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Cornbread from Wikipedia.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas - Native Americans were using ground corn for cooking long before European explorers arrived in the New World. Southern http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States - Native American culture ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee - Cherokee , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickasaw - Chickasaw , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw - Choctaw , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscogee_%28Creek%29 - Creek ) is the "cornerstone" of Southern cuisine. From their culture came one of the main staples of the Southern diet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize - corn (maize), either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy, also called masa, in a Native American technology known as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization - nixtamalization . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornbread#cite_note-0 - [1] Corn was used to make all kinds of dishes from the familiar cornbread and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits - grits to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquor - liquors such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey - whiskey and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonshine - moonshine , which were important trade items. Cornbread was popular during the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War - American Civil War because it was very cheap and could be made in many different sizes and forms. It could be fashioned into high-rising, fluffy loaves or simply fried for a fast meal.
We made a big pot of chili yesterday and what goes better with chili than cornbread? So, I decided to do a cornbread tutorial. Our Southern and Midwestern members will not learn much from a cornbread tutorial but I though it may be useful to our Northern and overseas members. Keep in mind that cornbread is very versatile. Some people will use less flour than I do and more cornmeal, some more flour and less cornmeal, some will add sugar, some use oil or lard instead of bacon fat, some people add jalapenos or creamed corn, etc, etc. This is my basic recipe for cornbread. About the only constants to cornbread recipes are cornmeal, buttermilk, and a cast iron skillet. Here's the ingredients. 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone ground if you can get it) 1/2 cup white flour 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup bacon fat (3 tablespoons if adding cracklins, 1/4 cup if not) 1 1/2 cups to 1 3/4 cups buttermilk Optional: 1 cup pork cracklins  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the bacon fat in the skillet, preferably a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, and place the pan in the oven to heat up while the oven pre-heats.  This next step is optional. One can add cracklins or substitute jalapeno pepper slices or simply add nothing. We don't always add cracklins but we are this time. Take about a cup of cracklins.  Chop them up a bit and set aside.  Next, place the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add an egg and the 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk depending on how dry your flour and cornmeal are, you will be able to tell when the batter is the right consistency.  Mix well with a wire whisk.  Add the cracklins, if desired, and mix well.  This next step is key to getting a good crust. Once the oven is pre-heated the pan and fat will be good and hot. Pour the hot fat from the cast iron skillet into the batter and quickly mix it in.  Here's the fat just before mixing. You can see that it is very hot and bubbly and is literally frying the batter.  Once the fat is incorporated into the batter pour the batter into the hot skillet and put into the oven. The entire process of pouring the hot fat into the batter, mixing it, and pouring it all into the very hot skillet should take no more than a few seconds. The hot skillet will retain a layer of fat and will fry a nice crust onto the cornbread. If you look closely you can see the batter bubbling around the edges of the hot skillet.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Here is how we are enjoying it today, buttered with a nice bowl of spicy chili.  |
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Replies:
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 October 2010 at 18:49
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beautiful, andy - you have knocked it out of the park with this one! i LOVE cornbread when it is done right, and this looks like THE way to do it! ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Hoser
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 02:36
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Looks awesome Andy! I haven't made cornbread in a long time, but you're tempting me. I never saw that particular technique before.
------------- Go ahead...play with your food! |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 05:52
Absolutely perfect! This is exactly how I always saw cornbread being made and learned how to do it. Your post is just the way to teach those unfamiliar with proper cornbread how to do it.  ------------- |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 19 April 2011 at 09:52
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going to be able to give this a try soon, possibly this weekend with breakfast or supper! ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Boilermaker
Date Posted: 20 April 2011 at 11:47
| Put that iron skillet to use, you'll love it! |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 11:33
There you go! Now you have another opportunity to show your little house guest what more good eatin' is like! He'd get a kick out of that. Oh, by the way, if you serve it for breakfast, cant beat it with a bit of peanut butter smeared on it instead of butter. Delicious stuff. ------------- |
TasunkaWitko wrote: