Crispy Southern Skillet (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For cooking the cornbread
01 -
1 tablespoon of bacon grease
→ For the mixture
02 -
2 cups of white cornmeal (yellow works if white isn’t around)
03 -
1 teaspoon of salt
04 -
1 teaspoon of baking soda
05 -
1 large egg (totally optional but keeps it all together)
06 -
1 tablespoon of sugar (skip it if you want it less sweet)
07 -
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted down
08 -
1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
# Instructions:
01 -
Drop the bacon grease into a 9 or 10-inch cast iron pan and slide it into the oven. Set the oven to heat up to 400°F while your skillet warms up. No cast iron? You can use a metal baking pan or even a Dutch oven (just don’t cover it).
02 -
Combine the dry stuff (cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and sugar if you want) in a big mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat the buttermilk and egg (if you’re using it), then stir it into the dry mix. Pour in that melted butter and stir it all together until it looks smooth.
03 -
Carefully pull the heated skillet from the oven (it’s gonna be super hot, so watch out for that handle). Pour in your batter and spread it evenly across the surface. Slide it back into the oven and bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes. It’s ready when the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean after poking the center.
04 -
Let the cornbread sit inside the pan for 10–30 minutes before slicing it up. Quick tip: Put a potholder on the skillet handle while it’s cooling so you don’t accidentally burn your hand—an ice cube works in a pinch too!
# Notes:
01 -
White cornmeal is more classic for Southern cornbread, but yellow cornmeal works just as well if that’s all you’ve got.
02 -
If you skip the egg, the cornbread will be more crumbly. Still tasty, but less firm.
03 -
To keep leftovers, wait until the cornbread cools completely. Then either wrap it in plastic or stash it in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh at room temperature for 2–3 days.