Classic Southern Cornbread Recipe
My classic Southern cornbread is crispy on the outside and dense in the center, made with white cornmeal, bacon fat, and buttermilk in a cast iron skillet in under 20 minutes. I serve this next to everything from chili to barbecue all year long.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat
- 2 ½ cups white corn meal
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups and 2 tablespoons full fat buttermilk
Instructions
- Add the bacon fat to a 10” cast iron skillet and put it in the oven to preheat to 425°.
- Next, in a large bowl whisk together the corn meal, baking powder, salt, and flour until combined.
- Pour in the oil and buttermilk and whisk or fold together until combined.
- Remove the hot pan from the oven and pour the batter into the pan. Smooth out the top.
- Bake at 425° for 15 to 18 minutes. It will be lightly browned on top and just about firm in the center.
- Serve warm or cooled with butter or molasses.
Notes
The secret to great Southern cornbread is the cast iron skillet and the bacon fat. Without both of those, you are making cornbread, but you are not making Southern cornbread. I preheat the skillet with the fat in the oven so that when the batter goes in, it starts cooking from the bottom up immediately and creates the signature crust I absolutely love.
Cast iron is not optional: I know that sounds strict, but the reason Southern cornbread has that crispy crust is because of the way cast iron holds and distributes heat. An 8x8 baking dish will work too, but the crust will not be the same.
Do not overmix the batter: I stir just until the dry and wet ingredients come together. Overmixing develops gluten from the flour and makes the cornbread tough and crumbly in the wrong way.
No eggs, and that is on purpose: Traditional Southern cornbread does not have eggs. The result is denser and heartier, which is what you want when you are crumbling it into soup or soaking up barbecue juices. If you want a lighter, cakier cornbread, that is a different recipe entirely.
The sugar debate: I do not add sugar to this recipe because the original Southern versions never had it. Some folks down South do add a touch, and I am not here to argue. But if you add sugar, you are making a different style of cornbread, closer to a cornmeal cake. Both are delicious, I just think they deserve their own recipes.
Flour is a personal call: I add a little flour for a slightly lighter texture, but I have tested this recipe without it and it works great either way. Without flour, you get pure cornmeal flavor and a grittier, more traditional texture.
Save that bacon fat: I keep a jar of rendered bacon fat in my refrigerator at all times. Every time I cook bacon, I strain the fat and save it. It lasts for months and it is the best cooking fat for cornbread, fried eggs, and about a hundred other things.
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time before serving.
How to Heat: If you like your cornbread warm you can place your desired amount wrapped in foil and baked at 325° for 3-5 minutes. You can also warm in the microwave.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for 4 days. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 7 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 364mgPotassium: 610mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 99IUCalcium: 205mgIron: 2mg