Cast Iron Cornbread

This is a rustic southern-style cornbread. Containing no flour or sugar, it's dry and sturdy for dunking into chili. Best cooked in a 10-inch cast iron skillet pan!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (approx 450g) coarse-grind cornmeal
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg
1 2/3 cups buttermilk* (Substitute: pour 2 teaspoons lemon juice into a measuring jug, then add enough milk to bring it to the 400ml line. Stir and set sit for 10 miniutes until thickened.)
2 tablespoons bacon fat, lard, or unsalted butter

Directions

Place your cast iron skillet in the cold oven, and set it to preheat to 375F (190C) while you prepare the batter.

Whisk the cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre and add in the egg and buttermilk. Whisk vigorously, starting in the centre and working your way outwards, until you have a smooth, well-blended batter.

Remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven, add in the bacon fat, and let it melt. (You may need to heat the skillet on the stovetop to get all the bacon fat to melt.) Make sure the fat fully coats the bottom and sides of the pan, you may want to swirl the pan or use a heatproof silicone brush. Whisk the batter a final time, and carefully pour it into the hot pan, using caution because it may spatter around the edges.

Place the pan into the oven and bake for about 25 – 30 minutes. When ready, the edges will be golden brown and the top of the cornbread will be golden, cracked in places, and firm to the touch.

Remove from oven, allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve. (Note: Do not leave leftovers in the cast iron pan overnight, as it’ll damage your seasoning.) This bread can be made up to 8 hours in advance, cooled and kept in an airtight container. Alternately, freeze it, then then thaw to room temperature and gently rewarm in the oven to serve.

My Notes

I wanted to try a 100% cornmeal version, and to improve the seasoning of my pan. I used bacon fat that I’d saved. The bread does turn out drier than the sweeter muffin-style cornbreads I’ve made in the past, but it was ideal to serve alongside beef chili.