Southern Cornbread By Renae Food

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Whisk the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together in a medium bowl, then fold it into the cornmeal mixture and set aside.
• Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. Once smoking-hot, turn off the heat, add the butter and swirl it around to coat the pan as it melts. Pour the melted butter into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet (you will hear a sizzling sound when pouring it into the pan) and bake until the edge is golden brown and the center bounces back when pressed with a finger, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan.
• Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish in three 15-second intervals on high or in a small pan on the stove. Set it aside to cool.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs. Add the melted butter. Add the flour-cornmeal mixture and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the cornbread just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 23 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD BY RENAE

Steps:

• 1. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk. In the mean time melt the margarine in a microwave but save til the end. Also heavily coat the cast iron skillet with the butter flavored spray and place in a cold oven. Set the oven for 400 degrees and start it heating.
• 2. Add eggs to the dry mixture and stir in buttermilk. Make sure the consistency is just a little thinner than pudding. May want less or more buttermilk than called for so stir in half or more of the buttermilk and work from there.
• 3. Once the batter is the right consistency, mix in the melted margarine continuing to use the whisk. Make sure well incorporated.
• 4. Remove the now hot skillet from the oven that should be at 400 degrees by now and pour the batter into the pan. Should hear a little sizzle. Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Turn out onto a plate, slice and enjoy.
• 5. Note: The reason I use margarine instead of butter is because of the oil content. Margarine is just essentially butter flavored oil.

REAL SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Put the skillet in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
• Combine the dry ingredients except for the baking soda in a bowl.
• In another bowl, mix the buttermilk and the baking soda.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with the sugar until combined.
• Add the oil and mix until combined.
• Pour this mixture into the buttermilk/baking soda, and mix.
• When the oven is preheated, toss the butter into the skillet and let it melt.
• Meanwhile, pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix in as few strokes as it takes to just make the dough come together.
• Pull the skillet out of the oven, swirling to get the butter covering the bottom and up the sides of the skillet.
• Pour the batter immediately into the pan, smoothing the top, then back into the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and pulled away from the sides of the pan.
• Turn out onto a cutting board, cut into wedges and serve.
• NOTE: IMNSHO- cornbread isn't worth making if you don't make it in a cast-iron skillet.
• It may just be my upbringing, but it tastes better somehow.
• And please do not add the baking soda to the dry ingredients.
• I can't explain why, but adding it to the buttermilk makes a big difference in the texture.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Liberally grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and let it preheat in the oven for about 10 minutes while preparing the cornbread batter.
• Mix soda, baking powder, salt and sugar with cornmeal.
• Add buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter and mix well.
• Pour into the hot skillet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan.
• Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish in three 15-second intervals on high or in a small pan on the stove. Set it aside to cool.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs. Add the melted butter. Add the flour-cornmeal mixture and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the cornbread just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 23 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
• ;

REAL SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, butter, and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
• Heat a dry 12 inch cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add corn oil to skillet, swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides. Leave remaining oil in pan. Return to high heat for 1 minute.
• Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center. Remove from stove.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree F (200 degree C) oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

SOUTHERN STYLE CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Set 8-inch cast-iron skillet with bacon fat (or vegetable oil) in heating oven.
• Measure 1/3 cup cornmeal into medium bowl. Mix remaining cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in small bowl; set aside.
• Pour boiling water all at once into the 1/3 cup cornmeal; stir to make a stiff mush. Whisk in buttermilk gradually, breaking up lumps until smooth, then whisk in egg. When oven is preheated and skillet very hot, stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Pour hot bacon fat (or melted butter) from the skillet into the batter and stir to incorporate, then quickly pour batter into heated skillet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and instantly turn cornbread onto wire rack; cool for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.
• Note: Though it is preferable to make cornbread in a preheated cast-iron skillet, a 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square baking pan, greased lightly with butter and not preheated, will also produce acceptable results if you double the recipe and bake the bread for 25 minutes.