Bakery — SOUTHERN STYLE CORNBREAD by dvdlee

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Bakery -- SOUTHERN STYLE CORNBREAD
Submitted by dvdlee on August 27, 2004 at 10:19 am

DESCRIPTION
Bakery -- SOUTHERN STYLE CORNBREAD

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Muffins Quickbreads Scones

INSTRUCTIONS
Makes one 8-inch skillet of bread (double quantity for 9" round or 9x9 square pan)

Unlike its sweet, cakey Northern counterpart, Southern cornbread is thin, crusty, and decidedly savory. Though some styles of Southern cornbread are dry and crumbly, I like this dense, moist, tender version. The cornmeal mush method is what makes this bread work.

4 teaspoons bacon drippings OR 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil OR combination of bacon fat with oil or butter
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup rapidly boiling water
3/4 cup buttermilk (you can use reconstituted buttermilk powder)
1 large egg, beaten lightly

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Set 8-inch cast-iron skillet with bacon fat (or vegetable oil) in oven as it heats.

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 (similar in density to oatmeal).

Whisk in buttermilk gradually, breaking up lumps until smooth, then whisk in egg.

When oven is preheated and skillet hot, stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Carefully remove skillet from oven and pour hot fat into batter. Stir to incorporate, then quickly pour batter into heated skillet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately turn cornbread onto wire rack; cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

If not using a cast-iron skillet, do not preheat pan, just melt the fat and pour it into batter - bake for around 25 minutes.

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