Southern Style Skillet Cornbread

I just have a short, sweet, simple post/recipe for you today, because I got some fun new toys this week.

Aren’t these just about the cutest things ever?! I found these stinking cute mini cast iron skillets while at the hardware store, of all places, and I immediately had to have them. Of course. I mean, their mini cast iron skillets. Practically anything mini is automatically cute…and I like cute.

So we get home and what’s hubs say?

“What will you ever use those for?”

Oh! How he doubts me. And so I made him cornbread.

Imagine it: You’re having friends over for dinner and you make delicious soup. Maybe it’s hot ham and beans, or cheesy potato soup. You bring the soup to the table and start serving, then you get to bring each guest one of these! Everybody gets their own teeny little individual cornbread. In it’s own baby skillet! Really…really, really, how. fun. is. that?!

The simple recipe I used only requires buttermilk (I use powdered buttermilk reconstituted with water), corn meal, an egg, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and water. You’ll also need bacon fat, butter, or vegetable oil for greasing the pan(s). This recipe can be made in 12 mini cast iron skillets, or one 8-inch cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a regular 8-inch cake pan, greased with butter or margarine.

First thing, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place bacon fat, or vegetable oil/butter mixture in the skillet and place it in the oven to preheat. (If you’re using mini skillets, place all of the fat into one skillet, it will be added to the bread batter later.) If you use mini skillets, place them all on a rimmed baking sheet before putting them in the oven to preheat. If you’re using a plain cake pan, do not preheat it.

Set aside 1/3 cup of the corn meal in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2/3 cup corn meal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Bring the water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, quickly add the water to the 1/3 cup of corn meal in the medium bowl, stirring to form a thick paste. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, being sure to get rid of any lumps that form. Next, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, stir int he dry ingredients until just incorporated. Carefully, remove the skillet with the fat in it from the oven and pour the fat into the batter, stirring until incorporated. Pour into the preheated skillet(s) and bake until golden brown (about 20 minutes for an 8-inch skillet, and 8 to 10 minutes for the mini skillets).

As soon as you remove the bread from the oven, spread soft butter over the top and allow it to melt while the bread cools.

I usually only let mine cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before serving. That way, when I slather even more butter on top, it’ll get all melty. Yum. Be careful when removing the bread from the skillet(s) – even after 15 minutes, the cast iron will be quite warm.

I’m not usually a big fan of southern style cornbread. having grown up in the northern midwest, I’m definitely a northern cornbread kind of girl. Northern cornbread is sweeter and a little denser than southern cornbread. This southern style recipe is really fantastic though. The bread is slightly savory, soft, and almost a little fluffy. It’s not super dry and crumbly, but isn’t dense and heavy either. The recipe was very quick and simple, and I had all the ingredients on hand, which is always a bonus.

When all was said and done, the hubster said, “Okay. Now. What else are you ever going to use these for?”

Hm. Is he trying to get me to make more stuff as proof, or does he really doubt me? Don’t be surprised when you see these babies pop up on here again…I gotta prove they were worth getting, and not just cause they were cute! I think I’m off to a good start. Enjoy!

Southern Style Skillet Cornbread
Makes 12 mini cornbreads, or 1 8-inch round cornbread
Ingredients

4 teaspoons bacon fat, or 1 teaspoon oil and 1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup corn meal (gluten free corn meal is available)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder (not all brands are gluten free, so read labels carefully)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place bacon fat, or vegetable oil/butter mixture in the skillet and place it in the oven to preheat. (If you’re using mini skillets, place all of the fat into one skillet, it will be added to the bread batter later.)

Set aside 1/3 cup of the corn meal in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2/3 cup corn meal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Bring the water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, quickly add the water to the 1/3 cup of corn meal in the medium bowl, stirring to form a thick paste. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, being sure to get rid of any lumps that form. Next, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, stir int he dry ingredients until just incorporated. Carefully, remove the skillet with the fat in it from the oven and pour the fat into the batter, stirring until incorporated. Pour into the preheated skillet(s) and bake until golden brown (about 20 minutes for an 8-inch skillet, and 8 to 10 minutes for the mini skillets).

Immediately smear the tops with butter after removing from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated