* Exported from MasterCook *
Cornbread, Southern-Style
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread Bread-Bakers Mailing List
Cast-Iron Skillet Low Fat
Posted
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4 teaspoons bacon drippings -- or 1 tablespoon melted
butter and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup yellow cornmeal -- preferably stone ground
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup water -- rapidly boiling
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg -- beaten lightly
We wondered if our Southern-style cornbread recipe (white cornmeal
and no flour or sugar) might have something to learn from our
Northern-style cornbread recipe (yellow cornmeal, fair to generous
portions of flour and sugar). Combining the two recipes to come up
with a happy medium, we used yellow cornmeal for potent corn flavor,
adding a small amount of sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of
the corn. We started with cornmeal mush (moistening the cornmeal with
some water first) because cornbread that started with some mush had
the most corn flavor we'd tasted yet, and it also produced a fine, moist crumb.
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 favor this dense, moist, tender
version. Cornmeal mush of just the right texture is essential to this
bread. Though I prefer to make cornbread in a preheated cast-iron
skillet, a 9" round cake pan or 9" 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.
MAKES: ONE 8" SKILLET OF BREAD
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 450F. Set
8" 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.
Technique: Getting the Batter Just Right: If your mush looks crumbly,
it is too firm; work in a tablespoon or two of hot water to loosen it
before adding the wet ingredients.
If the water is not hot enough, the starch will not gelatinize, the
batter will be too thin, and the mush will not form.
The mush should be like soft polenta: thick enough to give the batter
body, but pliable enough to stir wet ingredients in easily.
Cal 929, Fat 27g, Carb 143g, Sod 1169mg, Fiber 6g, Pro 23g
S(Internet address):
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/874-southern-style-cornbread
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 141 Calories; 4g Fat (28.3%
calories from fat); 4g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber;
39mg Cholesterol; 388mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean
Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : 2019 - 0119