Cornbread is one of the cornerstone foods that the South is so famous for. Every region – perhaps even every family – has its own special recipe. The recipe below gets a distinct tang and richness by incorporating buttermilk. In true southern style, there’s no sugar added to the recipe. Don’t let that stop you from drenching it in honey butter, though.
You can use either white or yellow cornmeal for this recipe, but I prefer yellow because it gives the finished dish the classic yellow color. Serve it with barbecued ribs, chili or just all by itself with plain butter or honey butter. This may become your family's special cornbread recipe.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
8
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
Butter for greasing the pan
2 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter and preheat it in the oven as it heats.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda and salt.
In medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, egg and melted butter until well-combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just to combine.
Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter into it, smoothing the top.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the skillet on a rack until ready to serve.
