Southern-Style Skillet Cornbread

About This Recipe

Southern cornbread is a subject of genuine regional passion in America. Northern cornbread tends toward sweetness — a yellow, cakey quick bread that Southerners regard with gentle contempt. Southern cornbread is made entirely from stone-ground white or yellow cornmeal, not a cup of flour in sight, baked in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet greased with bacon drippings or lard, producing a crust that rivals the most satisfying crackers you've ever tasted surrounding a tender, slightly crumbly interior. The cast iron skillet is non-negotiable for authentic Southern cornbread — the preheated, greased pan creates an instant crust the moment the batter hits it, a sizzling sound that every Southern cook recognizes as the sound of success. The inside is tender and just barely sweet from the corn itself, not from added sugar, which many Southern cooks consider an affront to cornbread's dignity. Serve it hot from the skillet, sliced into wedges, with a slab of cold butter that melts into the steaming interior. Crumble it into a glass of cold buttermilk for the traditional Southern evening snack. Serve alongside chili, beans, BBQ or collard greens — cornbread is the South's answer to all questions about what to serve alongside.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 cupsstone-ground yellow or white cornmeal
• 1 tspbaking soda
• 1 tspfine salt
• 2 cupsbuttermilk(well-shaken)
• 2 largeeggs(beaten)
• 4 tbspunsalted butter(melted, plus more for serving)
• 2 tbspbacon drippings or lard(for the skillet (or butter))

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the skillet

   Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven. Preheat to 450°F with the skillet inside. This is the most important step.

   The screaming-hot skillet creates the signature crispy crust. Don't skip preheating it.

2. 2

   Mix batter

   Whisk cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Stir until just combined — a few lumps are fine.

3. 3

   Grease and bake

   Carefully add bacon drippings to the hot skillet — they should shimmer immediately. Pour batter in; it should sizzle on contact. Bake 18–22 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

4. 4

   Serve hot

   Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board. Slice into wedges and serve with cold butter.

Variations

• •

  Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread: fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar and 2 minced jalapeños.

• •

  Sweet Cornbread (Northern style): add ¼ cup sugar and ½ cup all-purpose flour for a cakier texture.

• •

  Cornbread Dressing: crumble day-old cornbread for Thanksgiving stuffing.

Storage

Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes. Freezes well up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions