A classic Southern cornbread recipe using mostly cornmeal, no sugar and bacon grease for a rustic, unsweetened cornbread with a crispy bottom crust.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- JUMP TO THE RECIPE
- 6 FAQ ON SKILLET CORNBREAD
- HOW TO USE LEFTOVER CORNBEAD
- CORNBREAD & MILK (it's a thing!)
- WHAT GOES BEST WITH STYLE CORNBREAD
I like all the cornbread. You won't see me working myself up into a lather over whether or not sugar belongs in cornbread. There's this kind of cornbread and there's the sweeter, cakelike cornbread. If you're looking for the latter, check out this Jiffy hack recipe.
I like them both but with different meals. I love me some Jiffy-style cornbread with vegetable beef soup and chili (anything in a bowl, really) but want this unsweetened, rustic version with meat-and-three type meals.
I think of cornbread as having two entirely different versions. Kinda like mac & cheese. There's the stuff in the blue box and there's homemade. They are nothing alike but I love them both!
3 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS CORNBREAD
HEARTY & RUSTIC - Since the batter is primarily cornmeal (with just 1/2 cup of flour), the texture has an al dente texture.
SAVORY, NOT SWEET - You can really taste the cornmeal, there's a generous amount of salt and the bacon grease gives it a slightly smoky flavor.
CRISPY BOTTOM - Getting the pan and grease hot in the oven before baking is what gives us that classic, crispy crust on the bottom (some folks call it a rind).
6 FAQ ON BUTTERMILK SKILLET CORNBREAD
1 - Does it have to be made in a cast-iron skillet? No ma'am! This recipe can be made in a 9-inch round cake pan.
2 - What size skillet do you use? I use my 10-inch cast-iron skillet from Field Company
3 - What is the best substitute for bacon grease? You can use butter or vegetable shortening (Crisco). The vegetable shortening will give you a better crust (rind) but the butter will have more taste.
4 - Is yellow or white corn meal best? I like the color from the yellow cornmeal but they taste the same to me. Since we're not using any sugar (and sugar causes more browning), yellow cornmeal will have better color.
5 - Can I use self-rising cornmeal? Not with this recipe. I don't know what adjustments you would need to make with the flour, salt, baking soda or baking powder.
6 - Skim or full fat buttermilk? Either will work but I prefer full fat buttermilk.
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER CORNBEAD
CORNBREAD & MILK (pictured below) - Cornbread is crumbled into a drinking glass, topped with milk then eaten with a spoon.
CORNBREAD DRESSING - I don't like to use sweet or cakelike cornbread in my dressing. I think this type is best for Southern Cornbread Dressing and always let mine set out overnight to dry out before crumbling for the dressing.
CORNBREAD SALAD - Traditional cornbread salad is a green salad layered in a trifle bowl topped with a homemade ranch dressing that's topped with crumbled cornbread. I make my Confetti Cornbread Salad a little different but it has the same stuff!
CORNBREAD & MILK (it's a thing!)
This combination is wildly popular among old-school Southerners, particularly in the Southern Appalachian Mountains and nearby areas. It is often eaten for breakfast, a light lunch or even for a snack. It's sometimes called "poor man's cereal", “cush cush” or "crumble in".
Cornbread & Milk is literally what the name says it is, simply leftover crumbled cornbread and milk, but it's very specifically served in a drinking glass and eaten with a spoon. It don't hit the same otherwise!
It's made with buttermilk or sweet milk (Southern-speak for regular cow's milk which is sweeter than goat's milk, hence the name). It's served hot or cold (heating the milk, not the cornbread). Though not traditional, some folks sweeten theirs with honey, sorghum or molasses. I grew up eating it cold with regular milk and nothing sweet on it and still like it exactly like that!
RECIPES I LIKE BEST WITH THIS STYLE CORNBREAD
I mentioned above that I like this (unsweetened) cornbread with "meat-and-three type meals". What I mean is any meal with a main meat (fried chicken, pork chops, cubed steak, etc.) and lots of country-style vegetables like these:
SOUTHERN-STYLE GREEN BEANS & POTATOES - Fresh green beans and potatoes cooked low and slow the Southern way with bacon and onion.
STEWED SQUASH - A simple recipe for country-style fresh yellow squash stewed then pan-fried in a large skillet with onion and lots of black pepper.
COUNTRY-STYLE BABY LIMA BEANS - A no-fail recipe for tender baby lima beans (butterbeans) cooked low and slow with bacon the Southern way.
CUCUMBER & TOMATO SALAD - A simple recipe for a perfect summer salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and an easy oil and vinegar dressing.
SLOW COOKER PINTO BEANS - Dried pintos beans cook up creamy and tender with a smoky, silky sauce that's perfect with cornbread.
SOUTHERN COOKED CABBAGE - A simple recipe for fried cabbage cooked the Southern way by sautéing in bacon grease then slowly cooking until tender.
Recipe for Skillet Cornbread with Bacon Grease
Skillet Cornbread with Bacon Grease & No Sugar
A classic Southern cornbread recipe using mostly cornmeal, no sugar and bacon grease for a rustic, unsweetened cornbread with a crispy bottom crust.
Ingredients
- 1.75 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease
Instructions
- NOTE: We will be handling a hot skillet throughout the recipe so be mindful not to grab the handle without a oven mitt or pot holder.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Move oven rack to the lower-middle of the oven (this is the second from the bottom in my oven).
- Add bacon grease to skillet then place in the oven.
- Mix cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a mixing bowl; set aside. 1.75 c. cornmeal, 1/2 c. flour, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp each baking powder and soda
- In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and eggs then whisk well. 1.5 c. buttermilk, 2 eggs
- Remove hot skillet from oven then swirl melted bacon grease around in the pan to coat the edges well. TIP: use a pastry or basting brush to coat the sides.
- Pour excess pan drippings into bowl with buttermilk then return the skillet to the oven.
- Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture then mix until just combined. Some small lumps are OK. Don't over-stir.
- Remove hot skillet from oven then immediately pour cornbread batter into hot skillet.
- Bake at 425 degrees 20-25 minutes or edges are dark golden brown.
Notes
- Buttermilk substitute: Add 1.5 tablespoons white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring pitcher then add milk until contents reach 1.5 cups. Set aside 10 minutes for the milk to sour.
- You don't have to use a cast iron skillet to make this recipe! Most 9-inch cake pans work great. If you're unsure about size, pour 4 cups water into the pan. So long as it fills the pan about 2/3, you're good!
- Cornbread (and all quick breads) need to go in the oven as soon as the ingredients are combined. Don't mix the batter earlier than necessary.
- I use a 10-inch skillet with this recipe.
- Use plain yellow or white cornmeal (not self-rising).
- Butter or vegetable shortening (Crisco) can be substituted for the bacon grease.
- You can absolutely add sugar to this if you'd like.
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