Heat the skillet Put three tablespoons of the bacon drippings into a ten-inch cast-iron skillet, set it in the oven, and heat the oven to two hundred thirty degrees Celsius with the skillet inside.
02
Mix the dry ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.
03
Whisk the wet ingredients In a second bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the buttermilk until smooth.
04
Combine the batter Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal and stir with a spoon just until no dry streaks remain, then stir in the remaining tablespoon of bacon drippings.
05
Pour into the skillet Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven, swirl the drippings to coat the bottom and sides, and pour the batter straight in so it sizzles.
06
Bake the cornbread Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.
07
Rest in the pan Let the cornbread rest in the skillet on a heatproof surface for a few minutes so it firms up.
08
Turn out and serve Run a knife around the edge, flip the cornbread onto a board so the crisp bottom faces up, cut it into eight wedges, and serve warm with beans, greens or chili.
An unsweetened cornbread made from cornmeal, buttermilk and egg, poured into a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet slicked with bacon drippings so it forms a crisp, golden crust. A daily staple across the American South, it is eaten alongside pinto beans, collard greens, black-eyed peas and chili, often crumbled into the pot liquor.
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Method
1
Heat the skillet
Put three tablespoons of the bacon drippings into a ten-inch cast-iron skillet, set it in the oven, and heat the oven to two hundred thirty degrees Celsius with the skillet inside.
The skillet must be heated with the oven, not added later. A truly hot pan is what gives the bottom its crisp crust.
Heat the skillet · 15 min
2
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.
3
Whisk the wet ingredients
In a second bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the buttermilk until smooth.
If you have no buttermilk, stir two tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into two cups of milk and let it stand for ten minutes, though real buttermilk gives the best tang and rise.
4
Combine the batter
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal and stir with a spoon just until no dry streaks remain, then stir in the remaining tablespoon of bacon drippings.
Do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable, like a loose pancake batter. If it is very stiff, add a splash more buttermilk.
5
Pour into the skillet
Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven, swirl the drippings to coat the bottom and sides, and pour the batter straight in so it sizzles.
If the batter does not sizzle loudly when it hits the pan, the skillet was not hot enough and the crust will be soft. Use a thick, dry oven mitt, as the handle is extremely hot.
6
Bake the cornbread
Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.
Check at eighteen minutes. Cornmeal-only cornbread dries out quickly if overbaked.
Bake the cornbread · 20 min
7
Rest in the pan
Let the cornbread rest in the skillet on a heatproof surface for a few minutes so it firms up.
Rest in the pan · 5 min
8
Turn out and serve
Run a knife around the edge, flip the cornbread onto a board so the crisp bottom faces up, cut it into eight wedges, and serve warm with beans, greens or chili.