Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cornmeal / polenta, stone-ground, medium grind
• ½ cup All-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 cups Low-fat buttermilk
• 2 Eggs (large)
• 4 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp Canola oil

Method

1. Put the skillet in the oven with the tablespoon of oil in it and heat to 450°F. The pan has to be hot enough that the batter hisses when it lands.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In another bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.
3. Combine with about ten strokes. Lumps are fine; a smooth batter means a tough cornbread.
4. Pour into the hot skillet — it should sizzle around the edge immediately — and bake 20-22 minutes until the top is golden and a tester comes out clean.
5. Turn it out of the pan after 5 minutes so the bottom crust stays crisp. Cut in wedges.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Preheating the greased skillet is the entire technique. It fries the bottom crust while the middle bakes.

🧒 For the kids

For a Northern-style sweet cornbread, add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Southerners will object; children will not.

🥡 Leftovers

Best the day it is made. Day-old cornbread is what cornbread dressing and croutons are for.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.